| Fact Sheet The Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs Washington, DC March 30, 2004 2004 World Food Prize LaureatesThe World Food Prize recognizes the achievements of individuals who have advanced human development by improving the quality, quantity or availability of food in the world. Each year, more than 4,000 institutions and organizations around the world are invited to nominate candidates for The Prize. Secretary of State Colin L. Powell hosted the announcement of the 2004 World Food Prize Laureates on March 29, 2004 in the Benjamin Franklin Room at the Department of State. Secretary of Agriculture Ann M. Veneman; Director General of the Food and Agriculture Organization Jacques Diouf; Under Secretary of State for Economic, Business and Agricultural Affairs Alan Larson; Nobel Laureate and creator of the World Food Prize Dr. Norman E. Borlaug; Chairman of the World Food Prize Foundation John Ruan III; and President of the World Food Prize former Ambassador Kenneth Quinn also participated. Following Ambassador Quinn’s announcement of the 2004 laureates, Secretary Powell and Secretary Veneman delivered remarks. The 2004 World Food Prize Laureates are: Yuan Longping A farmer scientist, Professor Yuan is widely acknowledged for his innovative development of hybrid rice and the discovery of the genetic basis of heterosis—hybrid vigor –in this important food staple. Among Professor Yuan’s achievements cited in his nomination for The World Food Prize were his: Professor Yuan’s pioneering research has helped transform China from food deficiency to food security within three decades, and his accomplishments and clear vision helped create a more abundant food supply and, through food security, a more stable world have earned him the title of “Father of Hybrid Rice.” His continuing research offers even more promise for world food security and adequate nutrition for the world’s poor.
Farmers in more than ten other countries besides China, including the United States, have also benefited from his work, gaining access to a technology they may otherwise never have enjoyed.
Philippines President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo praised Professor Yuan Longping for “spurring the rapid development of hybrid rice in the Philippines and other Asian countries: Vietnam, India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, and Indonesia.”
The Minister of Livestock, Agriculture, and Fisheries of Uruguay, Martin Aguirrezabala, lauded Professor Yuan for the training programs he conducted and for his valuable assistance to developing countries in expanding hybrid rice production.
Yuan Longping was born into a poor farmer’s family in 1931. He graduated from Southwest Agriculture College in China in 1953, and since then has devoted himself to agricultural education and research. Professor Yuan’s remarkable achievements in hybrid rice research have previously won him numerous awards and honors from the United Nations and worldwide, including the 2001 Magsaysay Award, the UN FAO Medal of Honor for Food Security and Sustainable Development, China’s State Supreme Science and Technology Award, and the 2004 Wolf Prize in Agriculture.
Monty Jones
Dr. Monty Jones formulated a methodology with colleagues at the West African Rice Development Association (WARDA), one of the 16 international centers sponsored by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR). This work has led to the rapid development of more than 3000 NERICA lines, potentially benefiting 20 million rice farmers and 240 million consumers. In 2000, WARDA was honored with the CIGAR King Baudouin Award for development of the New Rice for Africa resulting from Dr. Jones’s work.
“Dr. Jones’s achievement in overcoming sterility barriers and the successful introgression of adaptation and tolerance genes from African rices into the high-yielding rices of Asia will have a major impact on rice production not only in Africa, but also in Asia and Latin America,” said CGIAR (Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research) official Emil Q. Javier.
Dr. Jones’s scientific breakthrough has ensured that millions of people not only have enough to eat but can successfully grow a crop that can earn them needed income to buy the necessities of life for their families.
“His bold vision, tenacity, and ability to combine cutting edge science with on-farm work have yielded significant benefits, and will surely continue to benefit the many poor rice farmers in Africa that were by-passed by the Green Revolution,” commented Gordon Conway, President of the Rockefeller Foundation, in a letter of support for Dr. Jones. “In many ways, his vision and tireless efforts represent a model for future generations of African scientists.”
Dr. Jones has worked on multiple levels to ensure the widest possible use of the improved rice, bringing together farmers, scientists, extension workers, NGOs, and governments across 17 countries to create a viable and sustainable means of improving food security in West Africa. As a result of Dr. Jones’s initiative and his continuing efforts, the NERICA rice is meeting the severe need for an adequate food supply, better nutrition, and income for millions of people.
Monty Patrick Jones was born in 1951 in Sierra Leone. He received both his Ph.D. in Plant Biology (1983) and his M.Sc. in Plant Genetic Resources (1979) from the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom. From 1991 to 2002, he led the Rice Improvement Program for WARDA in Cote d’Ivoire, and is now the Executive Secretary of FARA, based in Ghana. |
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