#BorlaugBlog
For 30 years, the World Food Prize has worked to build on the legacy of Dr. Norman Borlaug, the man who saved a billion lives, by recognizing the achievements of individuals who have advanced human development by improving the quality, quantity or availability of food in the world. Our Laureates, our close partners, and our staff work tirelessly to alleviate hunger through innovative approaches, and we hope to share their expertise, research, and personal stories on The Borlaug Blog.
In the Borlaug Blog, we will occasionally post a blog featuring stories, research, and expert opinion from our Laureates, partners, youth representatives and staff. It is our hope that this blog series will create a conversation between farmers, NGOs, CEOs and people across the globe.
A Vision for the Future
By Wendy Wintersteen posted on
10/16/2018
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In the year 2050, a gathering will take place at the Mpirigiti Rural Training Centre in the Kamuli District of Uganda. The purpose of the assembled group will be to open a time capsule from the year 2018.
The time capsule was sealed this past July when I was honored to...
When Iowans Changed the World
By Michael Gartner posted on
10/15/2018
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Nearly 40 years ago, Ken Quinn wondered if I’d meet him after work for a drink. He had an idea, he said. The idea was quite simple: Change the world. And Iowans did.
At the time, Quinn was working for Gov. Robert Ray and I was the editor of The Des...
Top 10 Featured Highlights of the 2018 World Food Prize Week
By Ambassador Kenneth Quinn posted on
10/13/2018
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The World Food Prize, stated be the equivalent of the “Nobel Prize for Food and Agriculture,” is a $250,000 award created by Iowa’s great agricultural hero Dr. Norman Borlaug. It is presented each year in the magnificent Iowa State Capitol on or about October 16, celebrated around the globe as...
Adaptation to Environmental Stresses in Corn
By Dr. Surinder Vasal posted on
10/08/2018
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Corn is perhaps nature’s greatest gift to mankind. Its growth has been phenomenal, making it the world’s leading crop. Its contribution to the global food basket is significant. I consider it a crop of extraordinary features, with options and opportunities to make improvements, tackle problems and generate a spectrum of...
Changing the World, One Tweet at a Time
By Melanie Van Horn posted on
10/01/2018
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Walking into the World Food Prize Hall of Laureates for the first time was a breathtaking experience for me, a young college student starting her first professional internship. The high ceilings and spacious ballrooms enveloped me as I entered, and a wide stone staircase flanked by two enormous pillars guided...
The Power of Six
By Dr. Sarah Evanega posted on
09/24/2018
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Let’s start with a simple math problem. Take your 2017 adjusted gross income and multiply it by six. When you have your answer, think about this: How would your life be different if your income increased six-fold? What new choices would you make? How would you improve your life? How...
The Right Recipe
By Hannah Wiles posted on
09/17/2018
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I grew up among the suburban cornfields of Iowa where neighborhoods mingled among farmland. Every day I passed by golden fields of corn or the green rows of soybeans on my way to school. Each summer my family had a daily routine of picking up ears of corn by the...
A Wondrous Journey
By Roger Thurow posted on
09/10/2018
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Rare is the map that would label the stretch of Interstate 80 running through Iowa as a “scenic route.” To most drivers, it is a straight, flat, smooth track to test speed limits and challenge radar devices; for many passengers, it is a time to nod off.
But, really, cruising down...
Cultivating Sustainable Agriculture, Peace and Justice
By Dr. Margaret Zeigler posted on
09/03/2018
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“If you desire peace, cultivate justice, but at the same time cultivate the fields to produce more bread, otherwise there will be no peace.” -Norman Borlaug
Our world is hungry for bread, peace and justice, and to cultivate them requires good policy, investments, hard work and partnerships. I remember Dr. Norman...
All the Foods of Tomorrow are in Seeds of Today
By Manjit Misra posted on
08/27/2018
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Seeds are wondrous. They come in all sizes, shapes, color, luster and texture. They grow in the sun, sleep in the night and even under Iowa snow, and they dream what they will become next spring. Quality seeds not only can feed the world, they can clothe the world, heal...