Today in Washington D.C., the World Food Prize Foundation revealed its 2024 Laureates: Dr. Geoffrey Hawtin and Dr. Cary Fowler. The pair was recognized for their pioneering work in preserving crop diversity and establishing the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, safeguarding over 1 million seed varieties critical for global food security.
Seeds of Hope in Fight Against Hunger and Climate Change
In a powerful address, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken underscored the immense value of the Laureates’ contributions amid growing global food insecurity exacerbated by climate change and conflicts.
“Every one of them – every seed variety – is a crucial building block for improving global food security,” Blinken stated. “Through their extraordinary work, Geoff and Cary have brought the global community together to strengthen the foundation of our agriculture.”
- Over 700 million people worldwide face chronic hunger
- U.S. has contributed over $20 billion to address food insecurity under Biden administration
Two Decades of Collaborative Impact on Food Security
The ceremony marked two decades since the U.S. Department of State first partnered with the World Food Prize to honor hunger fighters and elevate food security as a diplomatic priority. Reflecting on the milestone, Chief Operating Officer Mashal Husain praised the enduring alliance for driving “impactful change” globally.
From spearheading initiatives like Feed the Future to joining coalitions like the new VACS crop resilience effort with the African Union, Blinken outlined America’s multipronged approach to transforming food systems through crop diversity.
“What I hear around the world is that as much as they need emergency support, what they really want and need is sustainable, productive capacity for themselves,” he said. “I am utterly convinced we can help provide that.”
A Visionary Legacy Inspiring Future Generations
Established by the “father of the Green Revolution” Norman Borlaug, the prestigious $500,000 Prize has recognized 54 laureates to date. Speaking at the ceremony, World Food Prize President and former Iowa Governor Terry Branstad highlighted the prize’s mission to engage and inspire youth:
“Over the period of years, more than 100,000 students have learned about opportunities and issues in food and agricultural policy through our Youth Institutes and programs.”
Paul Schickler, Board Chair of the Des Moines-based Foundation, echoed Branstad’s call to empower the next generation of hunger fighters and continue Borlaug’s trailblazing legacy.
“Engaging the next generation of hunger fighters is especially important to me,” Schickler stated. “I think we are truly carrying on the legacy of Dr. Norman Borlaug and John Ruan Sr.”
Global Recognition, Continued Urgency
As the Svalbard seed vault milestone underscores, the work of Drs. Hawtin and Fowler has already received international recognition. But as today’s ceremony made clear, their contributions – and the larger fight against hunger – have never been more vital.
“Our global food systems are under unprecedented stress,” Blinken warned starkly. “Largely because of climate change and conflict, more than 700 million people don’t know where their next meal is coming from.”
With stakes that high, the passionate calls to sustain crop diversity and empower future leaders took on heightened urgency. As World Food Prize Selection Committee Chair Gebisa Ejeta reflected:
“By awarding the prize in the area of genetic resources, we hope to inspire leaders and the scientific community to work toward sharing our world heritage of crop diversity.”
The ceremony emphasized the importance of preserving diversity for resilient, equitable food systems in the future.
Learn more about the World Food Prize and efforts to address global hunger at www.worldfoodprize.org
Sources: THX News & US Department of State.
