Hunger remains a challenge, both in the U.S. and across the globe. The World Food Programme estimates that 2022 will be “a year of unprecedented hunger due to the impact of COVID-19. The organization estimates that conflicts, inflation and climate change will result in 828 million people being food jeopardized this year.
The Seeding the Future Global Food System Challenge hosted by The Institute of Food Technologists and Seeding The Future Foundation recognizes the efforts of those fighting hunger. The grant competition publicizes the need to feed the hungry, while providing grants directly to those working to create innovation to combat hunger.
Expectations surrounding the Challenge are high, as expressed by Bernhard van Lengerich, Founder of the Seeding The Future Foundation.
“Amid climate change, rising malnutrition, chronic hunger, and supply chain shortages, the Challenge was created to unlock science and technology-based innovations that have the potential to overcome current obstacles and drastically improve our global food system.”
The global response to participate in the Challenge was impressive with over 600 applications from 75 countries. They were tasked to create game-changing innovations to help transform the food system to combat hunger. This was accomplished by creating and inspiring “innovative, diverse, and multidisciplinary teams”.
The Challenge’s grants of over $1 million are awarded in three levels: Seeding The Future Grand Prizes, Growth Grants, and Seed Grants:
- The $25,000 Seed Grants go to those who are “planting and nurturing high-potential innovative ideas” and can provide a prototype and/or initial proof of the concept,
- The $100,000 Growth Grants go to those whose innovation is doable and can provide a projection for both economic feasibility at scale and its potential high-impact to change the food system, and
- The $250,000 Seeding The Future Grand Prizes are for innovations that are “scalable, economically feasible at scale, trusted and compelling to consumers”, showing its major impact potential to transform the food system in a way that will affect the lives of millions of people.
Seed Grant winners announced this week are:
- Chandra Associates, “CAFRESH-Connecting the Food Supply Chain”
- Kly, “Upcycling Food Waste Through Fermentation”
- Welthungerhilfe, “Mobile Vertical Gardens for Refugees and Internally Displaced People”
- MAVUNOLAB, “Preventing Postharvest Fish Losses through Low-cost and Mobile Solar-Drying Technologies in Tanzania”
- Radices Bio, “Commercialization of a Novel Microbiome-based Synbiotic Food Ingredient to Support Heart Health in Aging and Minority Populations”
- University of Dar es Salaam, “Micronutrient Profile and Household Use of Indigenous Crops in Tanzania”
- Yayasan Kopernik, “Farmer’s Livelihood Support”
- QuantumHeights GmbH, “Innovative Contributions for Process Improvement of the National School Feeding Programme in Mozambique”
All participating organizations including those submitting applications are heralded for their efforts to pursue innovation to combat hunger.
Look to December when the winners of the Growth Grants and Seeding The Future Grand Prizes will be announced.
