2004 World Food Prize Announced

12/15/2004

On October 13 Nobel laureate and founder of the World Food Prize Norman Borlaug announced the 2004 award winners. In a lavish ceremony in the rotunda of the newly renovated Iowa State capitol building, Yuan Longping of China shared the $250,000 prize with Monty Jones of Sierra Leone.

Mr. Yuan won his share of the prize for his development of high-yield hybrids of rice that produce up to 20 percent more crop than conventional rices. Mr. Jones crossed African and Asian rice varieties to create a rice that can grow well in West Africa. Poverty-stricken farmers are already benefiting from the increased production of rice by Jones’ high-yield hybrid.

Borlaug, 90, has been called the Father of the Green Revolution and won the Nobel Prize in 1970 for developing a high-yield wheat variety. He has worked tirelessly for decades to fight hunger at the agricultural level. By some estimates, his efforts have led to the saving of hundreds of millions of lives.