Arabfields, Maleeka Kassou, East, West and Central Africa Agriculture Correspondent —  African indigenous vegetables are gaining recognition as commercial crops after plant scientist Pamela Afokpe received the 2026 Norman Borlaug Award for Field Research and Application, highlighting the growing role of agricultural innovation in improving food security and smallholder livelihoods.

Afokpe, the research and development operations manager for East-West Seed in West Africa, was recognised for her work developing improved varieties of traditional vegetables that have long been overlooked by the formal seed industry. Her research has focused on crops such as Gboma, amaranth and jute mallow, which remain important ingredients in household diets across the region.

Her journey began in 2017 with limited resources and a rented field in Benin. Working with basic irrigation facilities, she established a research programme that has since collected more than 2,000 crop accessions from across West Africa, creating a foundation for breeding varieties better suited to local farming conditions.

One of her most significant achievements is the development of Sika Gboma, an improved African eggplant variety designed to tolerate bacterial wilt and remain fresh for longer after harvest. The disease has historically caused crop losses of up to 100% in affected fields, creating considerable risks for farmers.

According to East-West Seed, Sika generated approximately 3,000 tonnes of produce equivalent during its first three years, reaching tens of thousands of smallholder farmers and female retailers across West and Central Africa. The variety demonstrates how investment in traditional crops can create opportunities beyond subsistence farming.

The benefits extend beyond agricultural production. By introducing improved nursery management techniques, Afokpe helped reduce farmers’ input costs by 40%. She also worked directly with women traders in open-air markets to demonstrate how longer-lasting vegetables could reduce spoilage and improve their earnings.

For market traders who depend on daily sales, vegetables that remain fresh for longer can mean fewer unsold products and less money lost at the end of the day. The approach also encouraged some retailers to reserve harvests before crops were ready, providing farmers with a clearer indication of market demand.

Afokpe’s work comes as African governments and agricultural organisations seek ways to strengthen food systems amid climate pressures, population growth and persistent nutritional challenges. Indigenous vegetables offer an opportunity to build on existing farming knowledge while improving productivity through research, better seeds and practical training.

Her professional achievements have also unfolded alongside personal responsibilities. While managing regional research operations and pursuing doctoral studies with Wageningen University and Research in the Netherlands, Afokpe has balanced motherhood with the challenges facing women in agricultural research and field leadership.

The award, presented by the World Food Prize Foundation and endowed by the Rockefeller Foundation, recognises outstanding practical agricultural research by scientists under the age of 40. It places Afokpe’s work within a wider international effort to improve food production through scientific innovation that delivers measurable benefits to farming communities.

Looking ahead, the next challenge will be to expand access to improved indigenous vegetable seeds, strengthen distribution networks and maintain affordable prices for small-scale producers. If these conditions are met, varieties such as Sika could encourage further investment in crops that already have established markets and cultural importance.

However, wider adoption will depend on continued research, reliable seed supplies, farmer training and the ability of local markets to absorb increased production. Climate variability, plant diseases and limited access to agricultural finance could also constrain progress.

For Afokpe, the recognition underscores a broader shift in how African agriculture is viewed. Crops once considered too specialised for commercial seed development are increasingly being treated as potential sources of income, nutritional diversity and greater resilience for farming communities.

Her achievement suggests that some of the continent’s future agricultural opportunities may lie not in introducing entirely new foods, but in improving the traditional crops that African farmers and consumers already know.