African Food Research Acceleration Program

(AFRAP 2025)

For who? 

It is designed for final-year undergraduates, postgraduate students, or aspiring and early-career researchers in food systems. We provide the tools and community to help lead the next wave of food research in Africa.

Our Mission

To build the research talent pipeline that will help accelerate the transformation of the African Food System through research and innovation.

Dr Rotimi Aluko    

Dr. Rotimi Aluko is a Professor and Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in the Department of Food and Human Nutritional Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada, where he also serves as Director of the Richardson Centre for Food Technology and Research. In addition to 332 peer-reviewed journal articles, he holds two patents on bioactive peptides, one of which has been licensed to a Canadian nutraceutical company for the purpose of commercialization. Dr Aluko has been recognized in multiple years (6 of the past 8 years) by Clarivate Analytics as a Highly Cited Researcher (Top 0.1% of world scientists) with a published scientific journal article citation record in the top 1% globally. In 2022, he received the American Oil Chemists’ Society Lifetime Achievement Award for outstanding research work in proteins and co-products. He currently serves as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Functional Foods.

Dr Tasie Ogechukwu   

Dr. Tasie is an Adjunct Faculty member at the Department of Food & Animal Science, where she teaches undergraduate classes. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Applied Microbiology, as well as a Master's and a PhD in Food Science. She completed her postdoctoral fellowship at the Food Safety and Toxicology laboratory, where she focused on using non-thermal processing methods to reduce antinutrients in industrial hemp seeds. In addition to her academic pursuits, she is a devoted mentor to students and an active member of professional organizations, including the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), Phi Tau Sigma—the Honor Society of Food Science and Technology, and the American Society for Nutrition (ASN). Beyond her professional commitments, Dr. Tasie has a diverse range of interests. Her love for teaching, reading, singing, cooking, and volunteering not only adds depth to her character but also enriches her professional life and personal relationships.

Professor Chibuike Udenigwe  

Chibuike Udenigwe is a Professor at the School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystems Sciences, The University of Melbourne. He is also a Full Professor and the University Research Chair in Food Properties and Nutrient Bioavailability at the University of Ottawa, Canada.   His research takes the chemical sciences approach in exploring various aspects of food proteins, including sustainable processing, bioactive peptides, food matrix interactions, digestion kinetics, bioaccessibility, bioavailability, colloidal systems for delivery of bioactive compounds, novel biomaterials (hydrogels, bioplastics), alternative and novel sources, and nutritional quality. Professor Udenigwe is the Editor of the book, Food Proteins and Peptides: Emerging Biofunctions, Food and Biomaterial Applications (RSC) and author of 270 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, Fellow of the Division of Agricultural and Food Chemistry–American Chemical Society, and Fellow of the African Academy of Sciences.

Dr Bukola Onarinde

Dr Bukola Onarinde is an Associate Professor at the University of Lincoln, UK.  With a strong background in food microbiology and food science, Dr Onarinde applies both academic expertise and practical experience to tackle real-world challenges in the agri-food sector. Dr Onarinde’s research spans a wide range of microbiology, food science, and food technology themes, with particular focus on antimicrobial resistance (AMR), microbial risk reduction, novel food processing technologies, and food safety validation. Dr Onarinde has led and contributed to numerous research projects funded by UK Research Councils and government agencies, often in collaboration with food industry partners and other research institutions. In addition to her research, Dr Onarinde plays a key role in supervising postgraduate students, providing mentorship that blends scientific rigour with real-world application. She is committed to training the next generation of food professionals and fostering knowledge exchange between academia and industry.

Dr Wayne Martindale

Wayne Martindale B.Sc (hons), Ph.D, FIFST Wayne is a Fellow of the Institute of Food Science and Technology (IFST) with over 30 years of research experience. He has played a leading role in sustainability reporting and carbon footprinting within the food industry, contributing to the development of early retailer assurance schemes and key environmental regulations, including the Nitrate Vulnerable Zone Regulations. Driven by a strong commitment to global food security and innovation, Wayne takes an interdisciplinary approach to a broad range of pioneering projects. These have included the digitalisation of food factories, farming on Mars, and the assessment of global risks to food, biofuel, and feed supplies. Wayne earned his Ph.D in photosynthetic biochemistry from the Robert Hill Institute in 1993. He continued his research on marine plants at the University of Florida, later investigating photosynthetic inhibitors and protein crystallography. His career then expanded into the fertiliser industry—working with all major European manufacturers—before transitioning into farming in the UK, Australia, and the USA, and ultimately into the wider food supply sector. He is currently merging an agri-food data company he founded while actively exploring new ventures. Wayne has held distinguished positions as an OECD Cooperative Research Fellow and a CSIRO McMaster Fellow. He is also a published author, having written two books on food security and over 70 peer-reviewed papers, along with numerous media articles.

Associate Professor Helen Onyeaka

Associate Professor Helen Onyeaka is an Industrial Microbiologist with over 25 years of experience spanning industry and academia. She is a Fellow of both the Institute of Food Science and Technology (IFST) and the Higher Education Academy (HEA). At the University of Birmingham, Dr. Onyeaka lectures and leads modules in Food Microbiology, Food Safety, and Chemical Engineering, and supervises MSc and PhD research in industrial microbiology. She also delivers Continuous Professional Development (CPD) training for food industry professionals, inspection officers, and international trainees, including those from the Saudi Food and Drug Authority. Her PhD focused on the physiological and metabolic responses of microbial cells to changing microenvironments, with applications for optimizing industrial processes. For this work, she received the Bridon Postgraduate and IChemE Biochemical Engineering awards.  

Professor Jonathan Deutsch

Jonathan Deutsch, Ph.D., CHE, CRC is Professor and Vice Chair of Health Sciences, which encompasses Culinary, Food, Nutrition, Exercise and Health Sciences at Drexel University. He is the Founding Program Director of Drexel’s Food Innovation and Entrepreneurship Programs. He is past President of the Upcycled Food Foundation and previously was the inaugural James Beard Foundation Impact Fellow, leading a national curriculum effort on food waste reduction for chefs and culinary educators. He was named a Food Waste Warrior by Foodtank. Before moving to Drexel, Deutsch built the culinary arts program at Kingsborough Community College, City University of New York (CUNY) and the Ph.D. concentration in food studies at the CUNY Graduate Center and School of Public Health. At Drexel, he directs the Drexel Food Lab, a culinary innovation and food product research and development lab focused on solving real world food system problems in the areas of sustainability, health promotion, and inclusive dining. He is the co-author or -editor of eight books including Barbecue: A Global History (with Megan Elias), Culinary Improvisation, and The Anti-Inflammatory Family Cookbook, and numerous articles in journals of food studies, public health and hospitality education. He earned his Ph.D. in Food Studies and Food Management from New York University (2004), his culinary degree from the Culinary Institute of America (AOS, Culinary Arts, 1997), and is an alumnus of Drexel University (BS, Hospitality Management, 1999). A classically trained chef, Deutsch worked in a variety of settings including product development, small luxury inns and restaurants. When not in the kitchen, he can be found behind his tuba.

Nnenna Ariakpomu

Nnenna Ariakpomu is a food processing and sensory science professional with over a decade of experience spanning lecturing, research, and industry. As a PhD researcher at the University of Leeds, she specialises in optimising sensory testing and consumer insights to improve food quality and drive product innovation. Her work blends innovative methodologies and data analysis with design thinking to translate research into real-world impact. Nnenna lectured in food processing, product development, food plant design and sensory evaluation in Nigeria, where she built strong foundations in food systems and consumer engagement. A recipient of three international development scholarships, she is known for her creative mindset, analytical depth, cross-functional leadership, and a deep commitment to inclusive, user-centered innovation that makes a meaningful impact across the global food industry.

Adetola Emmanuel Babalola

Adetola Emmanuel Babalola is a Nigerian-trained dentist and Master of Science candidate in Oral Health Sciences at the Kornberg School of Dentistry, Temple University, Philadelphia. He has authored more than 60 research publications in oral health, public health, and evidence-based care, with over 140 citations, and serves in editorial and peer-review capacities for several international journals. With over three years of clinical experience, he is an active member of the International Association for Dental Research (IADR) and the American Association of Public Health Dentistry (AAPHD).

In 2024, Adetola was selected for a prestigious health policy research training at the Cato Institute in Washington, D.C. He is a full member of Sigma Xi, the international honor society recognizing excellence in scientific research. At Temple, he works in the dental digital laboratory, where he integrates clinical expertise with emerging technologies. He has chaired poster sessions at the IADR and co-founded Research Initiatives International, a platform advancing mentorship and scholarly collaboration across Africa.

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