Winners of the Yara Prize 2008

The Yara Prize ceremony honored Florence Wambugu of Kenya and Victor Mfinanga of Tanzania. The fourth Yara Prizes were presented by AGRA president, Amos Namanga Ngongi and Thorleif Enger, CEO of Yara International.

The ceremony was a cultural extravaganza honoring the Yara Prize winners, and at the same time concluding the third African Green Revolution Conference. A large number of conference participants joined several hundred invited guests for a star-studded event in Oslo.

Following a reception, the ceremony commenced with a wide variety of cultural treats, co-presented by Gambian-Norwegian musician, TV-presenter and newspaper columnist Haddy N´jie and Ugandan-Norwegian actress and entertainer Asta Lydersen.

Multicultural mix
The entertainment began with a cultural crossover performance of world dance and music styles by multicultural youth troupe Shimmering Colors. Jumping between traditional Norwegian folk dance from Hallingdal, Arabic Raï music, hip-hop and rap, they really set the scene. They were followed by a series of varied and accomplished performances: legendary South African a cappella troupe Ladysmith Black Mambazo, young Norwegian Jazz clarinet virtuoso Felix Peikli, blues and world music from Knut Reiesrud and Alaga, contemporary hits from Norwegian prince of pop Espen Lind, Congolese musician-songwriter Ray Lema, Haddy N´jie, Odd Rene Andersen and Gill Bonden, and none less than ‘Mama Africa’ herself Miriam Makeba.

The 2008 Yara Prize laureates
Amid the cavalcade of music, the 2008 Yara Prize laureates, Florence Wambugu from Kenya and Victor Mfinanga from Tanzania, were awarded their respective prize, diploma and trophy, by Yara International CEO, Thorleif Enger, accompanied by Amos Namanga Ngongi, President
of AGRA.

Special Advisor to the UN Secretary General, Jeffrey Sachs, once more held the Yara Prize keynote speech. Calling Oslo the "conscience center of the planet", Sachs said that the Yara Prize was an important reminder of Kofi Annan’s call for an African Green Revolution, itself based on a deep recognition that world peace will not be achieved while millions of people suffer starvation and poverty.

"Any revolution depends on the qualities of its leaders," continued Sachs, calling the two Prizewinners remarkable examples of the great scientists and entrepreneurs that are carrying the torch of the African Green Revolution.

The laureates and their work were presented in short films, and they both made moving acceptance speeches. Florence Wambugu shared her aspirations for bringing even more agronomic research into small farmers’ fields in order to improve their lives, before dedicating her Prize to her mother. Victor Mfinanga told of his endeavors to establish a dairy business in his native Tanzania, and thanked his wife for her faith in him and tolerance of his “obsession with milk”.

After the ceremony, Florence Wambugu said her thoughts were on the thousands of small farmers who will be encouraged by her receipt of the Yara Prize, which she described as “a truly great honor.” Victor Mfinanga said that being awarded the Prize inspired him in a way that was difficult to put into words, and that it would sustain him and his colleagues through the challenges they will face in the future.

Picking up a theme of the Green Revolution Conference, and the spirit of the Prize ceremony, the CEO of Yara International, Thorleif Enger, said he was especially pleased that four of the seven Yara Prize laureates are African women – who overwhelmingly represent the continent’s farmers. He also shared his continued admiration for Kofi Annan, both for his call to rally support for an African Green Revolution and for his unceasing work to create the partnerships that will make it a reality.