World Food Prize Week 2018: “Rise to the Challenge”

Des Moines, IA (October 15, 2018): The 2018 Borlaug Dialogue International Symposium will convene a fantastic array of international leaders; policy makers; farmers; executives from agribusiness and non-governmental organizations; and scientific, academic and development experts to address the most critical issues facing global food security on October 17-19 in Des Moines, Iowa, USA. This year’s theme “Rise to the Challenge” refers to the global movement to feed an estimated 9 billion people by the year 2050.

The full agenda and speaker list can be found at www.worldfoodprize.org/agenda. All sessions will also be webcast live from www.worldfoodprize.org/live.

This year’s Borlaug Dialogue will be held at the Downtown Marriott Hotel in Des Moines. Other side and partner events will be held around downtown Des Moines, and details for each day’s side events can be found in the full agenda above.

Highlighted speakers this year will include:

• H.E. Mercedes Aráoz, Vice President of Peru and Chair of the Food Forever Initiative

• H.E. Akin Adesina, 2017 World Food Prize Laureate and President of the African Development Bank

• Dr. Rob Bertram, Chief Scientist at the Bureau for Food Security at the USDA

• Dr. Noelle Cockett, President of Utah State University

• James C. Collins, Chief Operating Officer of Corteva Agriscience™, Agriculture Division of DowDuPont™

• Liam Condon, Member of the Board of Management, Bayer AG & President of the Crop Science Division at Bayer

• Sir Gordon Conway, Professor of International Development, Imperial College London

• Dr. Ashok Dalwai, Chief Executive Officer at the NRAA, Department of Agriculture & Cooperation for the Government of India

• Prof. Louise Fresco, President of Wageningen University and Research

• Dr. Lawrence Haddad, 2018 World Food Prize Laureate and Executive Director of GAIN

• Randal J. Kirk, Chief Executive Officer at Intrexon Corporation

• Amb. Michael Klosson, Vice President of Policy and Humanitarian Response at Save the Children

• Dr. Martin Kropff, Director General at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT)

• Under Secretary Ted McKinney, Under Secretary of Agriculture for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs at the USDA

• Dr. David Nabarro, 2018 World Food Prize Laureate and Strategic Director of Skills at the Systems & Synergies for Sustainable Development (4SD)

• Hon. Prof. Ruth Oniang’o, Chair of the Board at Sasakawa Africa Foundation

• Rajul Pandya-Lorch, Director of Communications and Public Affairs at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)

• H.E. Gerda Verburg, United Nations Assistant Secretary-General and Coordinator, SUN Movement

In addition, there will be a panel discussion with the 2018 World Food Prize Laureates – Dr. Lawrence Haddad and Dr. David Nabarro.

Taking place today, The Iowa Hunger Summit is a free event gathering several hundred leaders from across Iowa representing community organizations, business and industry, state and local government, social agencies, churches and religious communities, schools and universities, and other groups that lead or participate in projects to confront hunger. The day will include morning presentations on Food Recovery: How Food Waste Undermines Food Security; The Economics of SNAP: Understanding SNAP in our communities; Iowa SHARES Confronts the Cambodian Genocide; and Aegis Trust: Feeding Humanity to prevent violence, insecurity and future genocides.

Following panels will be the annual Hunger Luncheon featuring meals from the Iowa humanitarian group Outreach, Inc. Lunch will also include the presentation of the “Robert D. Ray Iowa SHARES Award,” which annually recognizes an Iowan or group of Iowans who have provided significant leadership confronting hunger at home and abroad. Fourteen recipients will be honored for their efforts in the 1979 Iowa SHARES campaign. Afternoon breakout sessions will entail in-depth conversation covering various topics of interest while providing practical tools for taking the fight against hunger to the next level. Meal packaging shifts will be held throughout the day, and a full room of exhibits featuring Iowan organizations and initiatives working to end hunger will be open. The event is free and open to the public, but guests must register to attend. See the full agenda at https://www.iowahungersummit.org/agenda.

Additional events surrounding the 2018 Borlaug Dialogue will include:

• “Mental Banquet: Painting with Lights” public art project (October 16 at 9:00 pm): This free innovative art show will utilize the facade of the Hall of Laureates as a canvas for artist Oyoram. Using 3D mapping technology and projection technology, the Hall of Laureates will be transformed in a visual light show that honors the rich history of the building as a cultural center and a place to recognize individual achievements in the fight against hunger.

• Iowa Hunger Summit (October 15): This free event gathers several hundred leaders from across Iowa representing community organizations, business and industry, state and local government, social agencies, churches and religious communities, schools and universities, and other groups that lead or participate in projects to confront hunger.

• Borlaug Lecture “Why Good Nutrition Should be a Global Priority and How to Make It So” (October 15, 8:00 pm at Memorial Union Great Hall at Iowa State University): The 2018 Laureates will present the annual Borlaug Lecture, moderated by ISU President Wendy Wintersteen. The Laureates will discuss their story and how the impacts they have made in reducing early childhood hunger and food insecurity. This is a free public event.

• Award Ceremony and Reception for the Borlaug Field Award for Research and Application, Endowed by the Rockefeller Foundation (Oct 17, 6:00 pm at the Hall of Laureates): This event honors a scientist under the age of 40 who emulates Dr. Borlaug. This event is open to the media.

• Laureate Award Ceremony (October 18): This year’s Laureates, Dr. Lawrence Haddad and Dr. David Nabarro will be honored and officially awarded the World Food Prize during this event. The Laureate Award Ceremony has limited space, so will have limited media access. If you are interested in covering the event, please note your interest on your registration form. Media granted access will be notified the week of events and can pick up their credentials in the Press Room at the Marriott. The ceremony is also shown live on IPTV and via webcast.

• Global Youth Institute (October 19 at the Community Choice Credit Union Convention Center): Each year, more than 200 exceptional high school students and their teachers from across the United States and other countries are selected to participate in the World Food Prize Global Youth Institute. At this inspiring event, the next generation presents and discusses their solutions to global food security challenges with a "faculty panel" of international experts and their peers, connects with other students from around the world, tours cutting-edge industrial and research facilities, and takes part in discussions with global leaders in science, industry and policy. This event is open to the media.

THE WORLD FOOD PRIZE: The World Food Prize is the foremost international award recognizing the achievements of individuals who have advanced human development by improving the quality, quantity or availability of food in the world. The 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 48 outstanding individuals who have made vital contributions throughout the world. The World Food Prize annually hosts the Borlaug Dialogue international symposium and a variety of youth education programs to help further the discussion on cutting-edge global food security issues and inspire the next generation to end hunger.

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