Announcement of 1st World Agriculture Prize

Architect of India’s Green Revolution Prof MS Swaminathan to be awarded World Agriculture Prize @ USD 1,00,000 New Delhi: The global Jury of the 1st World Agriculture Prize has selected Prof. MS Swaminathan, chief architect of India’s Green Revolution. Professor MS Swaminathan, the most influential agriculturist and environmentalist of our times who spearheaded the green revolution movement in India has been instrumental in leading India towards food security. Recognized worldwide for his basic and applied research in genetics, cytogenetics, radiation and chemical mutagenesis, food and biodiversity conservation, MS Swaminathan has been hailed by the United Nations Environment Program as "The Father of Economic Ecology” owing to his commitment towards the ever-green revolution movement in agriculture. Professor M S Swaminathan has been acclaimed by the TIME magazine as one of the twenty most influential Asians of the 20th century and one of the only three from India, the other two being Mahatma Gandhi and Rabindranath Tagore. Mr. Javier Perez de Cuellar, Secretary General of the United Nations, as "a living legend who will go into the annals of history as a world scientist of rare distinction". The Award will be present at a special session, named "Swaminathan Global Dialogue on Climate Change and Food Security" on Oct 26, 2018. The Jury of the World Agriculture Prize consisted of 11 names, including four names from India; Mr. Anand Mahindra, chairman, Mahindra Group, Secretary – Food processing, Secretary – DARE and DG – ICAR, Chairman, NABARD. The global names included Director General, IFPRI, Washington DC, Director general, ILRI, Nairobi, Director General, Biodiversity International, Rome, Director General, Chairman, Association of International Research centers in Agriculture, KL, former President, Mauritius, Ms. Ameenah Faqim, former PM, Niger, Mr. I. Mayaki, and Secretary General, AARDO, H.E. Mr. WH Sreihin among others. World Agriculture Prize has been instituted by Indian Council of Food and Agriculture with the vision to recognize the individuals, who have served the humanity through agriculture. The World Agriculture Award @ 1,00,000 USD to be presented annually to an individual or institution, importantly from Asian, African or Latin American countries, who played seminal role in transforming agriculture globally and saving the humanity from the curse of hunger. Indian Council of Food and Agriculture awards the 1st World Agriculture Prize to Professor Dr. Monkombu Sambasivan (M.S.) Swaminathan in recognition of his long and devoted services to the cause of agriculture and nutrition security, environment conservation and global agriculture, who remains continuous source of inspiration to farmers and scientists around the world, and who took India from the bondage of ‘Ship to Mouth’ existence to the freedom of ‘Right to Food’ through home grown food. Dr. M.J. Khan, Chairman, Indian Council of Food and Agriculture said “Agriculture has been key to Indian economy and GDP but pertaining to ever changing climate a sustainable solution has to devised for world to evolve and prosper. Bringing reforms in the agriculture sector Can be done with technological advances. Professor Swaminathan work can contribute to develop such solutions and help India’s more than half of population to prosper which is depending on agriculture.” He added that with the launch of this prize, India will catch the attention and imagination of the world especially the developing countries, who will look up to India for leadership towards finding solution to their food and agriculture security and environmental sustainability.