FAO Awards

©Simon Wilkes

Champion Award

The Champion Award is FAO’s highest honour. It recognises outstanding leaders from governments, civil society and the private sector whose actions have a transformative impact towards increased food security and achieving the 2030 Agenda, making sure that people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives.

The Award, which includes a cash prize of USD 50 000, will be presented by the FAO Director-General to the winning individual or representative of the recipient institution at a special ceremony during the FAO Conference from 28 June to 4 July 2025.  

The call is now open!

Basic Criteria

To qualify, one or more of the criteria listed below must be met. The winning individual or institution should demonstrate how they: 

  • made a significant and outstanding contribution towards advancing the overall goals of the Organization, including the achievement of the 2030 Agenda Sustainable Development Goals;
  • developed analyses that support the transformation to more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems and successfully advocated for consistent measures that have been adopted and applied, on a large scale, by governments, civil society organizations and/or private enterprises, through programmes aimed ensuring a sustainable and food-secure world for all, and/or;
  • implemented large-scale programmes for eliminating poverty, ending hunger and all forms of malnutrition, and reducing inequalities, that have demonstrated a sustainable impact and alignment with the 2030 Agenda. 
©FAO/Khangaikhuu Purevragchaa
Selection Process

Proposals for nominations presented by national, regional or global institutions should be submitted to FAO Representatives (in countries with an accredited FAO Representative) or to FAO Regional and Subregional Representatives (in countries with no accredited FAO Representative), as appropriate, for submission to the Awards Secretariat.

The Award is conferred for activities and programmes with remarkable achievements during the biennium preceding the current one. The Award will be presented by the Director-General to the individual or representative of the recipient institution during a special ceremony during the 169th Session of the FAO Council 13-17 June 2022.

TIMELINE

December 2024 – Call for nominations   

January 2025 – Close call  

February-March – Screening  

April – Selection  

June – Ceremony  

WINNERS

Agriculture Research Corporation of Brazil  (Embrapa)

The Agriculture Research Corporation of Brazil (Embrapa) has a widely recognized and well proven track record in research and development, providing innovation, training and agritech solutions. Its network and programmes have helped expand and scale-up advanced technologies and systems. Its work of collaboration spans many geographical areas and fields of knowledge, with thematic, ecoregional and product- based research centres leading the way in disseminating and exchanging sustainable agrifood practices and information. Programmes and projects carried out by Embrapa and partners are focused on fighting hunger and malnutrition, reducing poverty, and promoting sustainable agriculture.