#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.
Youth Voices: Consistency is Key
By Khamani Thomas posted on
07/22/2024
at 3:30 PM
In these first four weeks, I have developed a pattern for my day-to-day life that has assisted me in progressing through the first half of the program. This schedule has been flexible and had to be changed due to different obstacles of the country.
As a man in need of structure...
Youth Voices: GOAL!
By Shywann Horne posted on
07/22/2024
at 2:54 PM
Week 5. More than halfway being done with my internship. It's going better than it was in the beginning. Honestly halfway done with both of my projects! I do not remember if I mentioned my projects, but I am currently on 2 different projects. One is Benchmarking (I am happy...
Youth Voices: Lots and lots of questions.
By Pari Shah posted on
07/22/2024
at 2:49 PM
WEEK 3! This week has made me question a lot about myself. When interviewing farmers and spending time with locals this week, I focused less on how I present myself and my “foreigner” identity, and much more on diving into their stories. Their values, experiences, and teachings have made me...
Youth Voices: Week 2 at icipe!
By Hope Williams posted on
07/22/2024
at 2:46 PM
For my second week at icipe, I volunteered at the primary school on campus. With the protests in Nairobi and Kisumu, I could not go to the field and start my research. My supervisor told me to find activities, so I thought teaching at a school would be fun!
On Tuesday,...
Youth Voices: In the Field - Greetings and Lessons from Anantapur
By Zara Miller posted on
07/22/2024
at 2:42 PM
To kick off July, I spent the past week conducting interviews in Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh. After five weeks of research, packing, and questionnaire designing, my preparation culminated into four days of focus group discussions and keynote interviews. If there is one lesson that I learned this week it is that...
Youth Voices: Mangoes, the Dixie Chicks, and Gratitude
By Lexi Bodlak posted on
07/08/2024
at 9:51 AM
When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade.
When the ocean gives you mangoes, you eat them.
Though one is sweet and the other is sour, after a beach day at Manuel Antonio, I can confidently say that both fruits have metaphorically and literally taught me a lesson.
On Friday, Luis Carlos and...
Youth Voices: Heartstrings in Lima - Finding Home
By Saanvi Ram posted on
07/08/2024
at 9:49 AM
Time here dances curiously, blending each day into a rhythm that feels remarkably like home. Just recently, I checked in with a friend from Dubuque who remarked, “You’re settling in,” noting how I refer to my host family’s house as “home.”
So where has this beautiful internship brought me? Let’s retrace...
Youth Voices: Turning Piont
By Khamani Thomas posted on
07/08/2024
at 9:46 AM
This past week has been full of learning and experiences previously unknown to me. As I reach the halfway mark of my internship I start to understand a little more about what I am here to accomplish and what I can do to educate those around me when I return...
Youth Voices: Farm Fiesta
By Lily Hestjean posted on
07/08/2024
at 9:43 AM
It was just another work experience day. I expected to spend the morning upturning compost piles and measuring the height of my lettuce with Fhernando. But when we reached the compost canopy, there were sheep EVERYWHERE, pooping, trampling on the compost, gorging on dried corn cobs, and having the time...
Youth Voices: Experiments, Homemade Food & Royal History
By Riya Kalluvila posted on
07/08/2024
at 9:41 AM
I started the week by devoting all of my attention to my waterlogging project. I took great care to measure and water the plants in the control group so that they received the exact amount each day. Initially, the experimental waterlogging plants did not exhibit any symptoms because Hyderabad’s climate...