Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc (FMN) Prize For Innovation
The FMN Prize for Innovation is a social impact initiative established by Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc (FMN) to encourage new ideas in food production, innovation, and engineering and how these can impact and enable a sustainable food system in Nigeria.
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Background
Food is undoubtedly the most basic of all human survival needs. However, despite significant efforts to improve the quality and production of food supplies across the world, food insecurity persists, particularly in developing economies in Africa.
Whereas several factors can be named as reasons for the global food crisis including climate change and
population growth rates, it is evident that African countries like Nigeria face additional challenges, such as low productivity due to damaged crops, limited access to agricultural value chains, and food loss/waste which further exacerbates food insecurity, under-nutrition, and poverty.
The FMN Prize for Innovation
We believe that an innovation-driven food system is achievable in Nigeria and that it can contribute to the systematic development of the food value chain and the attainment of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, especially SDGs 1-3, SDG 8 and SDG 13. That is why the FMN Prize for Innovation seeks to nurture and support novel and imaginative ways of thinking, as well as inventive ideas to resolve existing problems in food production.
Every year, the prize will focus on important aspects of the food value chain that we believe is critical to the transformation and sustainable development of the food systems in the country. The focus for this year’s Prize is on Food Loss/wastage in Nigeria.
Addressing food loss and waste reduction in Nigeria
Information from the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations suggest that an average of 50% of food that is produced in Africa is wasted. Interestingly, that quantity is thought to be sufficient to feed approximately 300 million people.
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In many African countries like Nigeria, post-harvest food losses and food waste occur at the early stages of the food value chain – mostly between the production and retail stages of the supply chain and can be traced back to several factors, including but not limited to technical constraints in harvesting techniques/technologies, storage, and cooling facilities etc.
What we are looking for
The FMN Prize for innovation is looking for big ideas, technology-powered solutions, and simple yet ingenious ways of reducing food loss and wastage in the food production process in Nigeria.
Innovative ideas and technology that can solve food loss and wastage in the food systems – including all activities in the value chain that covers feeding and nourishing people, from growing, harvesting, packaging, processing, transporting, marketing to when the final products are consumed are welcome.
Eligibility criteria – Category one:
- Micro, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (MSMEs) that are registered in Nigeria and operate in the agro-processing and food production space.
- Your big idea and innovative solution can address food loss and wastage in the food production process in Nigeria.
- Your idea has a solid proof-of-concept, a social or commercial purpose, and a clear roadmap to scale.
Eligibility criteria – Category two:
- Nigerian Students (Undergraduate or post-graduate level)
- Your big idea and innovative solution can address food loss and wastage in the food production process in Nigeria.
- Your idea has a solid proof-of-concept, a social or commercial purpose, and a clear roadmap to scale.
All entries will be evaluated according to the following criteria:
- The ingenuity of the ideas
- Social/commercial purpose of the idea
- Thoroughness of research
- Impact & Scalability
- Likelihood of the success of the enterprise
How To Apply
Application Process – Category One
- To submit an application. Please complete this form by 6 January 22.
- Your presentation should clearly indicate how your idea intends to tackle food wastage and must be clearly situated within the food value chain in Nigeria.
- Your entry must be accompanied by proof of registration.
Application Process – Category Two
- To submit an application. Please complete this form by 29 December 21.
- You must be a student at either undergraduate or post-graduate level.
- Your presentation should clearly indicate how your idea intends to tackle food wastage and must be clearly situated within the food value chain in Nigeria.
Note: Only Shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
Data Protection
Without the applicants’ approval, no part of the information submitted during the application process will be made public or used for any purpose other than the FMN Prize for innovation.
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