AFRICA – Stakeholders across the Near East and North Africa (NENA) region are being invited to participate in a regional hackathon aimed at developing localized food safety solutions.
Organized under the Regional Food Safety Research Network and Innovation Hub (RFSRINH), the event will take place in September in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The hackathon is hosted by the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) in partnership with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
RFSRINH, which was launched by FAO, was designed to foster innovation in food safety systems by connecting governments, academia, industry, and civil society.
The Riyadh-based hackathon, branded Hack4safefood, will serve as a platform for coders, researchers, policymakers, and private sector actors to design practical solutions addressing regional challenges such as traceability gaps, contamination risks, and early detection systems.
According to FAO’s NENA office, the hackathon will support evidence-based policy creation and promote regionally appropriate technologies.
Applicants must be from NENA countries and will work in teams of up to five members. Teams are required to submit an idea by July 10 and commit to the two-day in-person event.
Participants in Hack4safefood will have opportunities beyond the event itself. These include cash awards, a six-month incubation program, internships, scholarships, and the chance to pitch their ideas at the FAO Science and Innovation Forum scheduled for October in Rome.
Dr. Amani Alqahtani, Director at the SFDA, stated that the event aims to foster a collaborative environment where food safety challenges can be addressed through innovative, data-driven approaches.
The hackathon will evaluate projects based on impact rather than technical complexity, encouraging a broad range of interdisciplinary contributions.
FS4Africa opens call for African-led food safety innovations
In parallel efforts on the African continent, a separate funding opportunity is now open for organizations working to improve food safety systems.
FS4Africa, a project supported by Horizon Europe, has launched its first Open Call. The initiative will provide up to €60,000 (US$69,000) per selected project, with a total of €600,000 (US$690,000) in funding available.
The FS4Africa program was initiated in January 2024 and focuses on informal food markets, value chain integrity, and local food security.
The Open Call invites applications from startups, SMEs, research institutions, and other organizations based in Africa. Proposals must address issues including mycotoxin contamination, pesticide residues, microbial contamination, food adulteration, and weak traceability systems.
Applicants must apply as individual entities rather than consortia. Proposals can either present new innovations or build on pre-existing solutions developed under FS4Africa.
All submissions must be made in English through the official portal, with a deadline of September 30, 2025. Selected projects will commence in February 2026 and run for one year.
This funding call is part of FS4Africa’s mission to enhance food safety infrastructure in Africa while enabling local market transformation and supporting environmental and public health goals.