The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has officially opened the call for nominations for the FAO Award for Innovation, an international recognition celebrating transformative innovations that advance sustainable, inclusive, and resilient agrifood systems.
Innovation is reshaping how food is produced, processed, traded, and consumed worldwide. Through this award, FAO seeks to highlight and reward initiatives that generate tangible impact across agrifood value chains, contribute to sustainable development, and align with FAO’s global mandate.
Purpose of the Award
The FAO Award for Innovation recognizes ground-breaking and impactful innovations that address challenges within food and agriculture systems. The award is open to a wide range of actors whose work contributes meaningfully to FAO’s objectives, including:
- Member States
- Non-state partners
- National, regional, and international institutions
- Academic and research organizations
- Civil society and community-based organizations
- Private sector entities
- Individuals and FAO employees
By spotlighting successful innovations, FAO aims to promote knowledge-sharing, encourage scalability, and inspire replication of solutions that strengthen agrifood systems globally.
Basic Eligibility Criteria
To be considered for the award, nominated institutions or organizations must demonstrate successful contributions to areas under FAO’s mandate. Eligible initiatives should meet one or more of the following award-specific criteria:
- Deliver impact across multiple levels of the supply chain, from farmers and producers to processors, traders, and consumers
- Strengthen the link between farmers and consumers, including through:
- Improved transparency and traceability
- Innovative labelling or tracking of sustainability features
- Novel institutional or market-based mechanisms
General Evaluation Criteria
All nominations will be assessed against a set of core qualitative and strategic benchmarks, including:
- Quality and merit of the innovation, including originality and relevance
- Demonstrated or potential impact, particularly on sustainability and resilience
- Long-term viability and sustainability of the initiative
- Scalability and replicability across regions or contexts
- Value for money, including cost-effectiveness and efficient use of resources
- Inclusion and equity, with particular attention to:
- The role of youth (under 35)
- Women’s participation and leadership
- Engagement of marginalized or underserved groups
These criteria reflect FAO’s commitment to inclusive development and equitable agrifood transformation.
Selection and Nomination Process
Nominations must be submitted through official FAO channels. Proposals presented by national, regional, or global institutions should be routed as follows:
- Through FAO Representatives in countries where FAO has an accredited presence
- Through FAO Regional or Subregional Representatives in countries without an accredited FAO Representative
Once received, nominations will be submitted to the FAO Awards Secretariat for screening and evaluation.
The award recognizes activities or programmes that achieved remarkable results during the biennium preceding the current one, ensuring that the honoured innovations demonstrate recent and relevant impact.
Timeline for the 2026 Award Cycle
The key milestones for the FAO Award for Innovation are as follows:
- December 2025 – Call for nominations opens
- February 2026 – Call for nominations closes
- March–April 2026 – Screening and technical review of submissions
- May 2026 – Final selection of award recipient(s)
- 30 November – 6 December 2026 – Award ceremony
The award will be formally presented by the FAO Director-General during a special ceremony held at the 181st Session of the FAO Council.
Recognition and Impact
Award recipients gain international visibility and recognition for their contributions to innovation in agrifood systems. The award serves not only as an honour but also as a platform to:
- Amplify successful models and approaches
- Encourage cross-sector collaboration and partnerships
- Support alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
- Promote innovation as a driver of food security, sustainability, and resilience
Past winners from previous award cycles demonstrate the diversity and global reach of innovations supported by FAO.
Additional Information and Contact
Further details, including the official Terms and Conditions of the FAO Awards, are available through FAO’s documentation channels.
For enquiries related to nominations or the award process, interested parties may contact the Awards Secretariat directly:
About FAO
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations leads international efforts to defeat hunger, improve nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture. Through partnerships, innovation, and policy leadership, FAO works to transform agrifood systems for the benefit of people, the planet, and future generations.
VISIT OFFICIAL WEBSITE TO APPLY
For more opportunities such as these please follow us on Facebook, Instagram , WhatsApp, Twitter, LinkedIn and Telegram
Disclaimer: Global South Opportunities (GSO) is not the funding organization. For any inquiries, please contact the responsible organization directly. Please do not send your applications to GSO, as we are unable to process them. Due to the high volume of emails we receive daily, we may not be able to respond to all inquiries. Thank you for your understanding.
