News Release

October 12, 2015—Everyone wants healthy, nutritious, and affordable food. In the U.S., most of us have access to food, though not always with the right attributes. But, in other countries, the majority of citizens are starving or malnourished, with children greatly affected.

Agronomy – the study of growing food in sustainable ways – has been looking for answers to feed the world’s citizens for centuries. Today, it’s a blend of high-tech equipment and research, along with old-school methodology and techniques. The goal: meet the nutritional demands of 9 billion people by 2050.

But, cutting edge technologies only come through hard work and research. Thus, the World Food Prize Foundation began recognizing individuals working to help meet the goal of feeding the world in 1987. This year’s prize will be awarded on October 15^th in Des Moines.

“The World Food Prize highlights the extraordinary accomplishments of some of the most creative leaders from among the agronomic research community,” says Jean Steiner, president, American Society of Agronomy. “World Food Prize recipients have contributed to the well-being of millions of people worldwide. They are accomplished scientists, and mentor a cadre of colleagues and students who expand their impact geographically and into the future.” Steiner is a scientist with the USDA-ARS.

“Feeding the world in a sustainable manner is an incredibly important concept for the public to understand,” says Ellen Bergfeld, CEO of the American Society of Agronomy. “World Food Prize helps with that recognition. We have excellent jobs available in the agricultural and STEM sector – yet not enough persons trained to fill them. These are wonderful career opportunities with great pay, deep philosophical meaning. We’re trying to increase awareness to get more students into these careers.”

“The late Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, Dr. Norman Borlaug created the World Food Prize to recognize and inspire these breakthrough achievements that will be needed to ensure adequate nutritious food for all 9 billion people who will be on our planet in just a few decades,” said World Food Prize President, Ambassador Kenneth M. Quinn.  “Our Borlaug Dialogue symposium, October 14 – 16 in Des Moines, will address those issues of greatest importance in meeting what is the greatest challenge global agriculture has ever."

To see the full agenda for the Borlaug Dialogue Symposium which includes a special emphasis on the critical role of education for girls and empowering women, go to www.worldfoodprize.org. Press credentials for covering October’s World Food Prize Week can be requested directly at www.worldfoodprize.org/press.