The Arab Gulf Programme for United Nations Development Organizations (AGFUND) announced the winning projects of its International Prize for Pioneering Development Projects, 2009, in the field of (Development of Agriculture through Technology) , in its meeting, which was held under the chairmanship of HRH Prince Talal Bin Abdul Aziz, AGFUND President, on 14 OCTOBER 2009, in Istanbul.
The Prize Committee approved three winning projects from among (39) projects from 33 countries in 4 continents:
THE FIRST CATEGORY PRIZE; allocated for “The role of international organizations in supporting the developing countries' national policies and programs to improve agricultural output through adoption of innovative technology solutions” Won by” Prosperity Realization through Irrigation and Smallholders Markets (PRISM) ”, implemented by the International Development Enterprise (IDE) in 10 developing countries; Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Myanmar, Vietnam, Ethiopia, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Nicaragua.
THE SECOND CATEGORY PRIZE; allocated for ” NGOs-led efforts to support and encourage small farmers in the poor communities to apply new technologies to increase their agricultural products”.
Won by Establishing Agro-incubator Zepce, Bosnia & Herzegovina, implemented by the Association of entrepreneurs and employers of Zepce.
THE THIRD CATEGORY PRIZE; allocated for “ The role of governments in adoption of new technology solutions to improve agricultural output” Won by “Rural Employment Project, Algeria, implemented by the Direction General des Forets. THE FOURTH CATEGORY PRIZE; allocated for ” Individual-led initiatives to introduce new technologies for increasing the agricultural product of small farmers. (For projects initiated”.
All projects nominated for the Prize under this category were proved to be ineligible for not complying to the nomination conditions.
The Prize Committee has also approved “Development of remote and rural communities through information and communication technology “as subject for AGFUND International Prize 2010. It is worth that mentioning that qualified nominated projects are evaluated by experts in the fields covered by the Prize, in accordance with the criteria specified in the Prize statute. The Prize Committee membership comprises a number of renowned world figures, namely: Mrs. Mercedes Menafra de Batly, former First Lady of Uruguay, President of the All for Uruguay Organization, Baroness Emma Nicholson of Winterbourne MEP, Vice President, Foreign Affairs Committee, European Parliament, Dr. Ahmed Mohammed Ali, President of the Islamic Development Bank, Professor Muhammad Yunus, Founder and Managing Director of Grameen Bank, Dr. Y. Seyyid Abdulai, former Director General of the OPEC Fund for International Development.