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World Food Prize

International award in human development

International award in human development

FieldValue
nameWorld Food Prize
imageWorld Food Prize logo (2020).svg
awarded_for"A specific, exceptionally significant, individual achievement that advances human development with a demonstrable increase in the quantity, quality, availability of, or access to food"
presenterWorld Food Prize Foundation
hostMashal Husain, President of WFP
locationDes Moines, Iowa, US
year1987
website
lastawarded2024
rewardA diploma, a commemorative sculpture and a monetary award of US$500,000
sponsorGeneral Foods, John Ruan and family, followed by numerous others
altLogo of World Food Prize. Green background with white text in capitals. On the left is the commemorative sculpture designed by Saul Bass.

The World Food Prize is an international award recognizing the achievements of individuals who have advanced human development by improving the quality, quantity, or availability of food in the world. Conceived by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Norman Borlaug and established in 1986 through the support of General Foods, the prize is envisioned and promoted as the Nobel or the highest honors in the field of food and agriculture. It is now administered by the World Food Prize Foundation with support from numerous sponsors. Since 1987, the prize has been awarded annually to recognize contributions in any field involved in the world food supply, such as animal science, aquaculture, soil science, water conservation, nutrition, health, plant science, seed science, plant pathology, crop protection, food technology, food safety, policy, research, infrastructure, emergency relief, and poverty alleviation and hunger.

Laureates are honored and officially awarded their prize in Des Moines, Iowa, in an award ceremony held at the Iowa State Capitol. Laureates are presented with a diploma, a commemorative sculpture designed by Saul Bass and a monetary award of $500,000.

The Foundation also has the aim of "inspiring exceptional achievement in assuring adequate food and nutrition for all".

History

Norman Borlaug (1914–2009) was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970 for contributions that resulted in the extensive increase in global food production. Chairman of the Nobel Committee Aase Lionæs gave the rationale that the committee had linked providing much needed food to the world as a path for peace. Further, the increase in food production has given policy planners across the world more years in figuring out how to feed the growing population. Twelve years later, Borlaug approached the Nobel Foundation to include a prize for food and agriculture. However, the Foundation was bound by Alfred Nobel's will which did not allow for the creation of such a new prize. Borlaug continued his search for a sponsor elsewhere.

In 1986, General Foods Corporation, under Vice President A. S. Clausi's leadership, agreed to establish the prize and be the founding sponsor. The amount they agreed to, US$200,000, was equivalent to the value of the Nobel Prizes at the time. In 1990, the sponsorship was undertaken by businessman and philanthropist John Ruan and his family who established the World Food Prize Foundation, backed by a US$10 million endowment. In 2000, Kenneth M. Quinn was made the president.

The former downtown library in Des Moines, Iowa, was acquired, and the Ruan family gave US$5 million to renovate the building into the headquarters for the World Food Prize Foundation. A number of sponsors would go on to contribute over US$20 million in a campaign to transform the building into a public museum, the Hall of Laureates, to honor Borlaug and the work of the World Food Prize laureates. Other sponsors have included over 100 charitable foundations, corporations and individuals, who have helped sustain the prize and the Foundation's associated events. The Founder's Boardroom in the Hall of Laureates commemorates 27 individuals who played an important part in the foundation of the prize.

Borlaug was the first chairman of the World Food Prize laureate selection committee. Apart from the chairman who is a non-voting member, other members of the selection committee remain anonymous.

On January 24, 2023, the Foundation announced that former Iowa governor and US ambassador to China Terry Branstad would take over as president, replacing outgoing president Barbara Stinson. On March 1, 2025, Governor Branstad retired from his role as president. Former CEO Mashal Husain was named the new president, with former Iowa governor and United States secretary of agriculture Tom Vilsack taking over as CEO.

Laureates

World Food Prize laureates include the following: File:Monkombu_Sambasivan_Swaminathan_-Kolkata_2013-01-07_2671.JPG|1987 recipient M. S. Swaminathan File:EdwardF.KniplingEntomologist.jpg|1992 recipient Edward F. Knipling File:Bezoek_Chinese_minister_van_Landbouw,veehouderij_en_visserij_He_Kang(r)aan_on,Bestanddeelnr_933-7383(cropped).jpg|1993 recipient He Kang File:Muhammad_Yunus-World_Economic_Forum_Annual_Meeting_2012.jpg|1994 recipient Muhammad Yunus File:Gebisa_Ejeta(26420838105).jpg|2009 recipient Gebisa Ejeta File:Dr. Maria Andrade (cropped).jpg|2016 recipient Maria Andrade File:Akinwumi_Adesina-2014(cropped).jpg|2017 recipient Akinwumi Adesina File:Selma_Prodanovic_David_Nabarro_April_2016_(26106492653)_(cropped).jpg|2018 recipient David Nabarro

YearLaureate(s)CountryRationaleRef.
1987For leadership and science in introducing high-yielding wheat and rice varieties to India in the 1960s starting India's Green Revolution, and for leadership at International Rice Research Institute
1988For leadership in setting up the International Rice Research Institute and World Vegetable Center, paving the way for creation of CGIAR, and science leading to the development of high yield rice
1989For leadership during Operation Flood, for making the farmer the owner of his cooperative, resulting in India emerging as the largest producer of milk
1990For leadership and science research in potato production and improving its resistance to disease
1991For human nutrition studies combatting protein, iodine, and iron deficiencies and developing nutrition rich foods
1992For developing the sterile insect technique to control insect parasites that harm food supply
1993For reforms as head of the Ministry of Agriculture which made China self-sufficient in food production
1994For innovative micro loan programs for the poor, providing millions of people access to more food and better nutrition
1995For developing a pest control program for the cassava mealybug, which could destroy African cassava crop
1996For advances in rice breeding leading to substantially increased rice production benefitting numerous countries
1997For individual and joint efforts in developing sustainable integrated pest management techniques
1998For improving commercial access to high quality seeds throughout India
1999For developing a vaccine against the cattle plague rinderpest
2000For research and leadership in improving the productivity and nutritional content of maize through development of quality protein maize
2001For research efforts leading to changes in policy in several countries related to food subsidy
2002For development of methods to restore fertility to degraded soils in Africa and South America.
2003For transforming the World Food Programme into an effective humanitarian food relief organization
2004For the development of the first hybrid rice varieties including the technologies needed for it
For the development of New Rice for Africa, with the potential to increase rice yields in Africa
2005For development and dissemination of low-cost techniques for freshwater fish farming
2006For individual efforts in science and policy that opened the Cerrado region of Brazil to agricultural
2007For improving aseptic packaging and spreading the technology worldwide.
2008For leadership towards encouraging global commitment to school feeding
2009For developing Africa's first sorghum hybrids resistant to drought and the parasitic witchweed
2010For their leadership in two grassroots organisations tackling hunger and nutrition
2011For creating and implementing government policies to alleviate hunger and poverty in their countries
2012For conceiving and implementing micro-irrigation in arid and dry land regions
2013For their individual achievements in modern agricultural biotechnology supporting sustainability and global food security (see controversy)
2014
For developing 480 varieties of disease resistant wheat and increasing global production by 200 million tons
2015For building an organization that is effective in reducing poverty in Bangladesh and 10 other countries
2016For the "single most successful example of biofortification" in the form of biofortified orange-fleshed sweet potato that is resistant, tolerant and high yielding
For "the implementation of a multi-institutional approach to biofortification as a global plant breeding strategy"
2017For leadership and innovation in building political will to transform African agriculture at all levels
2018
For elevating maternal and child malnutrition to a central issue at national and international levels
2019For empowering smallholder farmers in more than 60 countries through enhanced vegetable production
2020
For a soil-centric approach to sustainably increasing food production
2021
For achievements in pioneering fish-based nutrition-sensitive approaches to food systems
2022For her pioneering work in modeling the impact of climate change on food production worldwide
2023For her farmer-focused development model that revitalizes farmland, food security, livelihoods and resilience after devastating conflict.
2024For their extraordinary leadership in preserving and protecting the world's heritage of crop biodiversity and mobilizing this critical resource to defend against threats to global food security.
2025For her extraordinary scientific advancements in biological nitrogen fixation, transforming the sustainability of soil health and crop nutrition for tropical agriculture.

Associated events

The Foundation has expanded into a number of associated events including the Norman E. Borlaug International Symposium, also known as the World Food Prize Symposium or the Borlaug Dialogue. based on essays, high school students are selected to take part in the activities of these institutes. Participation in these institutes also makes one eligible for an eight-week internship program.

The Borlaug-Ruan International Internship provides high school students an eight-week opportunity for a hands-on experience, working with scientists and policymakers in hunger and nutrition at research centres around the world. The internship was founded in 1998 and has funded over 350 Borlaug-Ruan interns who have travelled to 34 agricultural research centres around the world. The Iowa Hunger Summit has taken place during the week of the World Food Prize events since 2007. The event is open to the public and celebrates the role Iowans play in fighting hunger and advancing food security each year.

Notes

References

References

  1. (2024-11-19). "World Food Prize Foundation Announces Leadership Changes". The World Food Prize Foundation.
  2. "The World Food Prize". Legislative Services Agency, Iowa Legislature.
  3. Quinn, Kenneth M.. (11 September 2012). "A Nobel Prize for Food and Agriculture". [[The White House]].
  4. Hesser, Leon F.. (2006). "The Man Who Fed the World: Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Norman Borlaug and His Battle to End World Hunger". Durban House Publishing Company.
  5. "World Food Prize Nomination Criteria". The World Food Prize Foundation.
  6. "Laureate Award Ceremony". The World Food Prize Foundation.
  7. "About the Foundation". The World Food Prize Foundation.
  8. Quinn, Kenneth M.. (19 October 2018). "Laureate Luncheon Keynote Address. Introduction.". The World Food Prize Foundation.
  9. (10 August 2015). "M. S. Swaminathan-Scientist, Hunger Fighter, World Food Prize Laureate". [[Current Science]].
  10. (13 November 2019). "Stinson to succeed Quinn as World Food Prize Foundation president". [[Institute of Food Technologists]].
  11. (15 February 2008). "World Food Prize Receives $5 Million Pledge". The World Food Prize Foundation.
  12. "Sponsors". The World Food Prize Foundation.
  13. "Founders Boardroom". The World Food Prize Foundation.
  14. Ambrose, Emma Ea. (2 July 2018). "Gebisa Ejeta appointed chair of the World Food Prize Laureate Selection Committee". [[Purdue University]].
  15. "Former U.S. Ambassador Terry Branstad to lead World Food Prize Foundation". The World Food Prize Foundation.
  16. (2025-01-29). "U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack Appointed as CEO of the World Food Prize Foundation". The World Food Prize Foundation.
  17. "1987: Swaminathan". The World Food Prize Foundation.
  18. "1988: Chandler". The World Food Prize Foundation.
  19. "Robert F. Chandler, Jr. - Biographical". [[Rockefeller Foundation]].
  20. "1989: Kurien". The World Food Prize Foundation.
  21. Kelley, Elizabeth. (6 June 1989). "Dairy Distribution Pioneer Named 1989 World Food Prize Winner". The World Food Prize Foundation.
  22. "1990: Niederhauser". The World Food Prize Foundation.
  23. Ridinger, Robert B.. (2014). "Review of John S. Niederhauser: Recollections of A Life in Science and Agriculture". Journal of Agricultural & Food Information.
  24. "1991: Scrimshaw". The World Food Prize Foundation.
  25. Chandler, David L.. (11 February 2013). "Nevin S. Scrimshaw, pioneer in nutrition research, dies at 95". [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]].
  26. "1992: Knipling and Bushland". The World Food Prize Foundation.
  27. Walters, Donna K. H.. (13 October 1992). "Scientists Honored for 'Biological' Pest Control Work : Agricultural: Two Americans receive World Food Prize for method now used to fight the Medfly and others.".
  28. (22 June 2016). "Edward Knipling and Raymond Bushland Win Award for the Sterile Insect Technique". [[Entomological Society of America]].
  29. "1993: He". The World Food Prize Foundation.
  30. (14 October 1993). "Chinese official given prize for food production". [[United Press International]].
  31. "1994: Yunus". The World Food Prize Foundation.
  32. "The World Food Prize. Muhammad Yunus. 1994 Laureate.". The World Food Prize Foundation.
  33. "1995: Herren". The World Food Prize Foundation.
  34. Leybold-Johnson, Isobel. (11 July 2011). "How a Swiss scientist saved 20 million people".
  35. "1996: Beachell and Khush". The World Food Prize Foundation.
  36. Hill, Steve. (19 October 1996). "Beachell Wins World Food Prize". [[Texas A&M University]].
  37. "1997: Adkisson and Smith". The World Food Prize Foundation.
  38. (6 October 1998). "Dr. Perry Adkisson Inducted into Heritage Hall of Honor". Texas A&M University.
  39. "1998: Barwale". The World Food Prize Foundation.
  40. (14 October 1998). "Barwale, Indian seed-specialist, gets World Food Prize".
  41. "1999: Plowright". The World Food Prize Foundation.
  42. (22 September 1999). "Food prize for cattle saviour". [[BBC News]].
  43. "2000: Vasal & Villegas". The World Food Prize Foundation.
  44. Listman, Mike. (7 June 2017). "CIMMYT renames lab to honor Evangelina Villegas, World Food Prize laureate". [[International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center]].
  45. "2001: Pinstrup-Andersen". The World Food Prize Foundation.
  46. Giese, James H.. (1 December 2001). "Danish Economist Wins 2001 World Food Prize". [[Institute of Food Technologists]].
  47. "2002: Sanchez". The World Food Prize Foundation.
  48. (12 August 2002). "Pedro Sanchez Wins World Food Prize". [[University of California, Berkeley]].
  49. "2003: Bertini". The World Food Prize Foundation.
  50. Pack, Darrin. (3 November 2016). "World Food Prize laureate Catherine Bertini speaks at Purdue". [[Purdue University]].
  51. "2004: Jones and Yuan". The World Food Prize Foundation.
  52. Krishnankutty, Pia. (24 May 2021). "Yuan Longping, the poor farmer's son who created hybrid rice & saved millions from famine".
  53. (January 2005). "Scientist wins prize for new African rice". United Nations.
  54. "2005: Gupta". The World Food Prize Foundation.
  55. (13 June 2005). "Indian scientist bags World Food Prize worth $250,000".
  56. "2006: Lobato, McClung, Paolinelli". The World Food Prize Foundation.
  57. (2011). "Crop Ecology : Productivity and Management in Agricultural Systems". [[Cambridge University Press]].
  58. "2007: Nelson".
  59. Howard, Dave. (17 December 2012). "Interview with Dr Philip Nelson, 2007 World Food Prize Winner". [[IFIS Publishing]].
  60. "2008: Dole and McGovern". The World Food Prize Foundation.
  61. (13 June 2008). "Robert Dole, George McGovern Awarded 2008 World Food Prize". [[NBC News]].
  62. "2009: Ejeta". The World Food Prize Foundation.
  63. (12 June 2009). "Ethiopian scientist wins World Food Prize". [[CTV News]].
  64. "2010: Beckmann and Luck". The World Food Prize Foundation.
  65. Kelley, Matt. (16 June 2010). "World Food Prize winners come from nonprofit organizations".
  66. "2011: Kufuor and Lula". The World Food Prize Foundation.
  67. Deshpande, Vivek. (4 November 2011). "Lead to feed is prize message".
  68. "2012: Hillel". The World Food Prize Foundation.
  69. Krajick, Kevin. (12 June 2012). "Daniel Hillel, Originator of High-Efficiency Irrigation, to Receive World Food Prize". [[Columbia Climate School]], Columbia University.
  70. Lappé, Frances Moore. (26 June 2013). "Choice of Monsanto Betrays World Food Prize Purpose, Say Global Leaders". Huffington Post.
  71. Dan Charles. (19 June 2013). "And The Winner Of The World Food Prize Is ... The Man From Monsanto : The Salt". [[NPR]].
  72. (17 October 2013). "World Food Prize event in Iowa confronts divisive issues of biotech crops and global warming". [[The Washington Post]].
  73. Ormsby, LeAnn. (16 October 2013). "World Food Prize Laureate Dr Robert Fraley to Donate Award to Support Advancement in Plant Science". University of Illinois Foundation, University of Illinois.
  74. Jackson, Sharyn. (16 October 2014). "3 arrested protesting World Food Prize".
  75. "2013: Van Montagu, Chilton, Fraley". The World Food Prize Foundation.
  76. (19 June 2013). "2013 World Food Prize Honors Biotech Pioneers".
  77. "2014: Rajaram". The World Food Prize Foundation.
  78. (19 June 2014). "India-born scientist Sanjaya Rajaram named winner of 2014 World Food Prize". [[The Economic Times]].
  79. "2015: Abed". The World Food Prize Foundation.
  80. Jones, Sam. (2 July 2015). "Brac's Sir Fazle Hasan Abed wins 2015 World Food prize for reducing poverty". [[The Guardian]].
  81. "2016: Andrade, Bouis, Low and Mwanga". The World Food Prize Foundation.
  82. (29 July 2016). "World Food Prize puts focus on biofortification". [[MS Swaminathan Research Foundation]].
  83. "2017: Adesina". The World Food Prize Foundation.
  84. "IFPRI Congratulates Akinwumi Adesina on 2017 World Food Prize". [[International Food Policy Research Institute]].
  85. "2018: Haddad and Nabarro". The World Food Prize Foundation.
  86. (19 October 2018). "Lawrence Haddad and David Nabarro, 2018 World Food Prize Laureates". Scaling Up Nutrition.
  87. "2019: Groot". The World Food Prize Foundation.
  88. Doody, Alison. (16 October 2019). "2019 World Food Prize recognizes the impact of bringing improved seeds to Africa, Asia and Latin America". International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center.
  89. "2020 Lal". The World Food Prize Foundation.
  90. (12 June 2020). "Indian-American soil scientist Rattan Lal wins prestigious World Food Prize". [[Mint (newspaper).
  91. "2021 Thilsted". The World Food Prize Foundation.
  92. Pitt, David. (11 May 2021). "World Food Prize goes to nutrition expert for fish research". Associated Press.
  93. (5 May 2022). "2022 World Food Prize Awarded to NASA Climate Scientist". The World Food Prize Foundation.
  94. (5 May 2022). "Nasa climate research scientist awarded World Food prize". The Guardian.
  95. "Humanitarian Heidi Kühn wins 2023 World Food Prize for restoring agriculture to de-mined land in former war zones". The World Food Prize Foundation.
  96. (9 May 2024). "Men behind the doomsday seed vault in the Arctic win World Food Prize". Associated Press.
  97. "Brazilian researcher who helped country's grain boom wins World Food Prize".
  98. (15 October 2020). "World Food Prize Foundation Announces the 2020 Borlaug-Ruan International Internship Award Recipients". The World Food Prize Foundation.
  99. Jedrzejewski, Kelly. (12 November 2019). "First-year student awarded study abroad funding as Borlaug-Ruan intern". [[Pennsylvania State University]].
  100. Crumb, Michael. (27 October 2020). "World Food Prize, Iowa Hunger Summit: What you need to know". BusinessRecord.com.
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