World Food Prize Winners List (1987-2015)

WORLD FOOD PRIZE (1987-2015)

The World Food Prize was founded in 1986 by Dr. Norman E. Borlaug, recipient of the 1970 Nobel Peace Prize. Since then, The World Food Prize has honored outstanding individuals who have made vital contributions to improving the quality, quantity or availability of food throughout the world. Laureates have been recognized from Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Denmark, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Mexico, Sierra Leone, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the United Nations and the United States. The prize was endowed by John Ruan Sr. Continuing his legacy, Iowa businessman John Ruan III now serves as chairman of the organization. A Selection Committee of experts from around the world oversees the nomination and selection process, and is chaired by Prof. M.S. Swaminathan, who was also the first World Food Prize Laureate.

An Indian aqua-culturist, Mr. Modadugu V. Gupta, research coordinator for the Penang-based World Fish Centre in Malaysia, was named winner of the coveted World Food Prize in 2011, equivalent to the Nobel Prize in Food and Agriculture, for his work in enhancing nutrition for millions of people in South and Southeast Asia, mostly the very poor. He is the sixth Indian to receive this prize. Earlier Indian recipients include Dr. M.S. Swaminathan, Dr. Verghese Kurien, Dr. Gurdev Khush, Mr. B.R. Barwale and Dr. Surinder K. Vasal.

1987 - Prof. M. S. Swaminathan (India) He is introducing high-yielding wheat and rice varieties to India starting India's Green Revolution.

1989 - Dr Verghese Kurien (India) Founder of Operation Flood the largest agricultural development program in the world made the farmer the owner of his cooperative, cutting out middlemen. India emerged as the largest producer of milk in 1998 from milk scarcity when he started.

1996 -  Dr Henry Beachell (United States) and Dr Gurdev Khush (India) Developing "miracle rice" varieties that doubled rice production in Asia since their development.

1998 - Dr B. R. Barwale (India) Founder of independent seed company Mahyco, strengthening seed supply and distribution throughout India.

2000 -  Dr Evangelina Villegas (Mexico) and Dr Surinder K. Vasal (India) Developing high quality protein maize (QPM).

2005 -  Dr Modadugu Vijay Gupta (India) - Development and dissemination of low-cost techniques for freshwater fish farming (using tilapia species) by the rural poor.

2006 -  Edson Lobato (Brazil), His Excellency Alysson Paolinelli (Brazil) and Dr A. Colin McClung (United States)

2007 -  Dr Philip E. Nelson (United States)

2008 - Bob Dole and George McGovern (both from United States) - Leading and encouraging a global commitment to school feeding, which has enhanced school attendance and nutrition for millions of the world's poorest children, especially young women and girls.

2009 -  Gebisa Ejeta of Ethiopia got the World Food Prize for 2009.

2010 -  David Becamann and Jo Luck (both of USA) got this prize for the year 2010.

2011 -  John Agyekum Kufuor (Ghana) and Luiz Inácio Lula Da Silva (Brazil) have been chosen to jointly receive the 2011 World Food Prize for their personal commitment and visionary leadership while serving as the presidents of Ghana and Brazil respectively in creating and implementing government policies to alleviate hunger and poverty in their countries.

2012 -  Daniel Hillel is the winner of 2012 World Food Prize. He is an Israeli scientist-master of drip irrigation system.

2013 -  Dr. Mary-Dell Chilton (United States), Dr Robert Fraley (United States) and Dr Marc Van Montagu (Belgium). They were developed science of modern plant biotechnology supporting improved sustainability and global food security.

2014 – Renowned agriculture scientist-Sanjaya Rajaram has been selected for World Food Prize, 2014.

2015 – Sir Fazle Hasan Abed of Bangladesh, the internationally renowned founder and chairperson of BRAC (world’s largest non-governmental organization), will be honored as the 2015 World Food Prize.

2015 World Food Prize Laureate  Sir Fazle Hasan Abed

Sir Fazle Hasan Abed  BANGLADESH Sir Fazle Hasan Abed of Bangladesh, the internationally renowned founder and chairperson of BRAC, will be honored as the 2015 World Food Prize Laureate for his unparalleled achievement in building a unique, integrated development organization that many have hailed as the most effective anti-poverty organization in the world.   Sir Fazle, who was knighted by the British Crown in 2009, has grown BRAC (formerly known as Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee) into the world’s largest non-governmental organization. BRAC has provided the opportunity for nearly 150 million people worldwide to improve their lives, have enhanced food security and follow a pathway out of poverty. The scale and impact of BRAC's work in Bangladesh and ten other countries is unprecedented. He pioneered a new approach to development that has effectively and sustainably addressed the interconnectedness between hunger and poverty. In this regard, Sir Fazle has broken new ground by melding scalable development models, scientific innovation, and local participation to confront the complex causes of poverty, hunger, and powerlessness among the poor.

2014 World Food Prize Laureate Dr. Sanjaya Rajaram

INDIA AND MEXICO

The eminent plant scientist Dr. Sanjaya Rajaram, born in India and a citizen of Mexico, will be honored as the 2014 World Food Prize Laureate for his scientific research that led to a prodigious increase in world wheat production – by more than 200 million tons – building upon the successes of the Green Revolution.  

His breakthrough breeding technologies have had a far-reaching and significant impact in providing more nutritious food around the globe and alleviating world hunger. Dr. Rajaram succeeded Dr. Norman Borlaug in leading CIMMYT's wheat breeding program, and developed an astounding 480 wheat varieties that have been released in 51 countries on six continents and have been widely adopted by small- and large-scale farmers alike.