HZero, the Regional Innovation Hub of the World Food Program (WFP) based in Colombia, seeks to support projects in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) that contribute to achieving Zero Hunger in the region.
Each year, HZero implements the Acelera HZero innovation program, which provides tailored technical support, funding, mentorship and access to the global network of the World Food Program (WFP), the largest humanitarian agency of the United Nations in the world.
Acelera HZero 2022/23
After an exhaustive call for proposals throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, attended by more than 200 innovative projects with the goal of ending hunger in the region, we chose 21 projects to participate in the innovation bootcamp and present their solutions at the Pitch event in Medellín, Colombia on December 12th. After the event, we selected the 10 winning projects that will continue to the next phase of Acelera HZero: a six-month acceleration program that provides personalized technical support, funding and access to the WFP network.
Meet the 10 winning projects
Afo Acuaponía, Colombia
Urban agricultural systems for the cultivation of fish and vegetables at fair prices and in a sustainable way, using ancestral knowledge and technology.
Agros, Perú
Digital and financial inclusion platform that provides secure agricultural information, products and services for the rural economy.
Bancalimentos, Colombia
A social enterprise that converts waste into digital currency to be exchanged for food and services.
CliMapp, Colombia
Digital early warning systems powered by ancestral knowledge at community level to reduce the impacts of climate change. This is a Colombia and Ecuador WFP internal project.
Enparalelo, Cuba
Agroecological food production in urban areas for self-supply, commercialization and transformation of high nutritional products.
Ento Piruw, Perú
Bioconversion of organic waste, using insect biotechnology, to obtain protein for balanced animal feed.
La Divina Papaya, Ecuador
Social enterprise that expands the raw material supply with agroecological women farmers for the production and commercialization of healthy food.
Nutrivida, Costa Rica
Social enterprise that produces highly nutritional and fortified food for mass consumption for vulnerable populations.
Pilotas Resilientes, Guatemala
Network of certified female drone pilots from rural and indigenous communities, supporting resilience-building activities and disaster response through rapid generation of climatic and topographic information. This is an internal WFP Guatemala project.
Siembraco, Colombia
Tech solution that connects smallholder farmers and consumers by aligning supply and demand.
Projects that participated in the Innovation Bootcamp
Meet the 11 projects that have not made it to the acceleration phase, but participated in our bootcamp and have innovative solutions to achieve the #ZeroHunger goal in the region.
Indigenous and farmer producers of organic coffee and cocoa with a sustainable approach for the generation of peace and well-being in the associates.
Application to link local production of family farming with consumers and other markets such as school meals.
An initiative that collects and rescues nutritious food from companies, markets and farmers that would no longer be marketable.
Rescue products from industry, retail and agriculture to feed vulnerable communities.
Organic waste conversion into nutrients in only 10 days, through a composting accelerator.
Food development and production with high nutritional value to strengthen and facilitate the nutrition of families.
Fish farming model that combines ancestral techniques and new technologies to successfully adapt to climate change and facilitate access to markets.
Spirulina crops in Chocó and Valle del Cauca departments in Colombia as an alternative solution against malnutrition.
Healthy life habits promotion based on children’s nutrition.
Promotion and defense of human rights, peace building, early recovery and development of communities affected by violence.
Food Health and Nutrition in the Northern Amazon Region of Bolivia.
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