The East Africa chapter of the BioSustainability Design Novo Nordisk Foundation Fellowship Programme (BSDFP) aims to build innovation capacity and entrepreneurial skills among early- to mid-career professionals in the agri-food sector across Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, and Ethiopia. The initiative’s primary objective is to develop a cohort of close to 48 experts capable of generating and implementing solutions that address critical challenges in local food systems, such as food waste, post-harvest losses, food safety, and low productivity.
The programme is delivered through a 10-month, full-time fellowship, where interdisciplinary teams of fellows receive hands-on training in innovation and entrepreneurship. The approach is need-driven and systemic, anchored in the context of the Home-Grown School Feeding Programme (HGSFP), and involves close collaboration with local stakeholders, including farmers, industry partners, and policy makers. The World Food Programme (WFP) IGNITE Innovation Hub for East Africa leads the implementation, leveraging its expertise in innovation training and its extensive regional network.
Expected impacts include the creation of a pipeline of skilled innovators, the development of practical solutions to improve food security and sustainability, and the strengthening of collaborative networks across the agri-food value chain. The programme also fosters cross-regional learning by connecting fellows and partners in East Africa with those in Denmark, ensuring that solutions are both locally relevant and globally informed.
Press release: Novo Nordisk Foundation launches new fellowship programme to drive sustainable innovation in the agrifood sector – Novo Nordisk Fonden
