The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) has announced the winners of the 2025 Fortify Forward Innovation Challenge (FFIC) — a pan-African competition supporting innovative, scalable solutions that improve the nutritional value of food through fortification and biofortification.
Finalists from East and West Africa gathered at finale events held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and Cotonou, Benin, in July 2025. Over two days, the winning innovators presented their innovative work, engaged with mentors, and participated in knowledge-sharing sessions with experts, policymakers, leaders in nutrition and business across the food value chain.
“Food fortification and biofortification are game-changing yet underutilised solutions to malnutrition,” said Dr. Lawrence Haddad, Executive Director of GAIN. “Through Fortify Forward, we are not only identifying breakthrough African innovations, we’re supporting them with the tools to grow, scale, and save lives.”
What Fortify Forward Supports
Food fortification involves adding essential micronutrients (like iron, zinc, vitamin A and iodine) to staple foods such as flour, oil, and salt, helping people get the nutrients they need without changing eating habits.
Biofortification improves the nutrient content of crops at the seed level – boosting the levels of vital vitamins and minerals in foods like maize, cassava, and sweet potatoes.
Both methods are scientifically proven, cost-effective solutions to “hidden hunger”, micronutrient deficiency that weakens immunity, stunts children’s growth, and reduces productivity.
FFIC 2025: From Outreach to Victory
The winners’ journey began in January 2025 with a regional outreach campaigns across eight countries in Africa, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Nigeria, and Benin.
Applications were reviewed in April and May, followed by finalist selection in June 2025. Shortlisted participants received virtual training in business, nutrition, and innovation ahead of the final event in July 2025.
Real Rewards, Real Impact
The winners received grants ranging from $5,000 to $10,000 and became part of a long-term support programme designed to help their innovations scale and succeed.
The support the innovator receives goes far beyond grant awards, however. Each winner will receive tailored mentorship from experts in nutrition, agri-tech, business, and impact investment, along with technical support to strengthen their fortification processes and scale their solutions. The programme offers capacity building in areas like marketing and business development, plus sustained post-competition support from GAIN and partners. Importantly, winners join a community of peers and experts, driving innovation in nutrition and public health.
The innovators will be able to boost global and national visibility for their solutions centered on the essence of fortification and biofortification, through GAIN’s media platforms, while also accessing valuable networking opportunities with investors, policymakers, and African food systems leaders.
Africa’s Nutrition Challenge, and Opportunity
Despite progress, malnutrition remains a persistent challenge across the continent. In East Africa, 23 million people in Kenya are undernourished, while Ethiopia and Rwanda report stunting rates above 33% among children under five, while in West Africa, Nigeria carries the world’s second-highest burden of stunted children, and in Benin, 58% of women suffer from anaemia.
“Across Benin, nutritious food is still too often unaffordable and inaccessible,” said Françoise Sayi, GAIN Benin Country Director. “The winners of this challenge are showing us a better path—one where technology and local innovation improve diets and lives.”
Adding to the pivotal role the innovation challenge is set to play, Prisca Rwezahura, GAIN Tanzania Country Director said, “Tanzania has pioneered large-scale food fortification, and it’s inspiring to see new innovators building on that work. We are proud to have championed the fortify forward innovation challenge and play a key role in advancing nutrition security in Africa.”
East Africa winners:
- Aston Steven Shayo, Agroasys, Tanzania
- A blockchain platform ensuring traceability, fair pricing, and transparency in agriculture.
- Judy Mwende Mutunga, Fortified Orange-Fleshed Sweet Potato Flours, Kenya
- OFSP fortified flour with iron, zinc, and vitamin A.
- Samuel Uwihanganye, Monti 7 in 1 Composite flour, Rwanda
- Multi-ingredient flour enriched with iron beans for maternal and child nutrition.
- Mukhammad Ramadhani Costa, MOODY POP – Fortified Porridge, Tanzania
- Fortified porridge flour with iron, B12, zinc, and folic acid.
- John Makongoro Masero, Kwanzaa Venture, Tanzania
- Fortified porridge with local grains and micronutrients for rural markets.
- Reggie Joseph Okoko, Digital Traceability Platform, Kenya
- Traceability platform mapping biofortified foods from farm to fork.
- Nicholas Obudho Simon, TAWIAFYA TRACK, Kenya
- Tracks and certifies biofortified crops using QR codes and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID).
- Odwour Erich Midigo, Udongo Kwa Maisha, Kenya
- Fortifies sorghum with local nutrient-rich foods and digital farmer tools.
- Niyibikora Aime, Fortified Instant Porridge, Rwanda
- Instant porridge fortified with key micronutrients for school children.
- Charite Abijuru, MamaToto Mix, Rwanda
- Cricket-based fortified porridge tailored for maternal and child health.
- Ezekiel Daniel, Fortified Yogurt, Tanzania
- Yogurt-enriched with vitamin A, zinc, iron, and calcium.
West Africa winners
- Uzoma Chidimma – Enhancing Nutrition Through Fortified Yogurts – Nigeria
- Fortified yogurt with vitamins and minerals using precision micro-dosing and consumer education.
- Yetunde Adegbite – CarroNutra: Precision Carrot Dehydration for Micronutrient Fortification – Nigeria
- Solar-hybrid system producing carrot powder rich in beta-carotene for natural food fortification.
- Cynthia Adams – Biofortified Vitamin A Maize Cereal, Flour and Snack – Nigeria
- Vitamin A maize processed into flour, cereal, and snacks sourced from women farmers.
- Ini Jimmy – Palmshops: Integrated Agri-tech Platform – Nigeria
- Agri-tech platform offering traceability, farmer training, and market access for biofortified crops.
- Bide Adegnandjou Ruth Doris – Bisikuiti Fonio: Le Biscuit Nutritif et Fortifié à base de Fonio – Benin
- Fonio-based biscuit enriched with iron, zinc, vitamins B and D, and plant proteins.
- Noua Gbemisola Christiane – École Doctorale des Sciences Agronomiques et de l’Eau – Benin
- Research on orange-fleshed sweet potato integration through recipes, training, and outreach.
- Theresa Abimbola Awotundun – Microbial-Based Biofortification of Fermented African Locust Beans with Folate – Nigeria
- Fermented locust beans enhanced with folate using modified Bacillus strains.
- Endurance Awolowo – Distrifoods Nigeria – Phytase Supplementation – Nigeria
- Uses microbial phytase to improve mineral absorption in plant-based staple foods.
- Victor Enyojo Agi – FortiCart – Mobile Market-Based Food Fortification for Last-Mile Nutrition – Nigeria
- Mobile solar-powered cart fortifying staple foods at rural markets with premixes and education.
- Yehouessi L. Wilfried – Fortification de la Purée de Tomate Sweetounvi à la Vitamine A – Benin
- Locally made tomato purée fortified with vitamin A and packaged to protect nutrients.
- Alladahouinnon Eddy Géraud Metogbé – Mandagbé: Fortification des Légumes Feuilles Transformés avec du Sel Iodé – Benin
- Leafy vegetables fortified with iodized salt during processing to prevent iodine deficiency.
- Chinenye Unoka – IoT Enabled Solar Powered Food Fortification for Sustainable Nutrition – Nigeria
- IoT-monitored solar system producing fortified foods with a digital marketplace for distribution.