#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.
History Lives on
By Carmen Angel posted on
02/11/2019
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When I was nine years old, my family and I went on a mission trip to Mexico and visited a landfill where hundreds of people lived. I saw firsthand how much suffering occurs when individuals do not have enough, or sufficient, food. This experience opened my eyes to food insecurity...
Why Does the World Food Prize Do What They Do?
By Alana Platte posted on
02/04/2019
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My experiences with the World Food Prize have been nothing short of exhilarating. Five years ago, my high school agricultural education instructor, Ellen Doese, approached me with the idea of attending the Iowa Youth Institute as a “guinea pig” for my school. No other student had participated before, and she...
Ambassador Quinn and His Spinning Plates
By Justin Cremer posted on
01/28/2019
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There aren’t too many people who can say they’ve met one of the most important people of the past century. Getting to spend time with Dr. Norman Borlaug, who is said to have saved more lives than any other person who has ever lived, was an absolute highlight of the...
The Groundwork of Change
By My Nhan posted on
01/21/2019
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There is a saying in Vietnamese that goes, “Có công mài sắt có ngày nên kim,” meaning, “The labor of finely sharpening a piece of metal will one day produce a needle.” My journey with sharpening my block of metal dates back to 4th grade. Coming from a refugee background,...
International in Iowa
By Elena Hildebrandt posted on
01/14/2019
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I have spent my entire life in Iowa, a state largely known for its agriculture. However, I knew very little about food policy or agriculture for much of my life. I attended an urban high school that didn’t have FFA or 4-H. I had always assumed agriculture was a distinctly...
The Unsung Story of How the World Food Prize Promotes the Humanities
By Will Hamilton posted on
01/07/2019
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Most of us brave souls who decide to major in history in college make the decision out of love for the subject, forgoing more ‘sensible’ majors like business, information technology, or the sciences. We know quite well about the bleak job outlook for us historians once we enter the job...
We All Have A Part To Play
By Denny Kelly posted on
12/31/2018
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Like so many others who have had the honor, I remember the day that I met Norman Borlaug.
It was at a large group luncheon at the downtown Marriott during the busy week of the World Food Prize symposium. I knew his schedule was extremely full, but I walked over and...
Lessons in Humility from the Humble Heroes of the World Food Prize
By Kathleen McCracken posted on
12/24/2018
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This year, on the anniversary of Dr. Norman Borlaug’s death, the staff and interns at the World Food Prize Hall of Laureates received an email from Amb. Kenneth Quinn about a special memory he has of Dr. Borlaug. Amb. Quinn shared with us the time he and Dr. Borlaug were...
Turning Inspiration into Action, Unforgettable Experience
By Maria A. Martinez and Glen Morris posted on
12/17/2018
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Serving as a pillar of excellence for agricultural appreciation and awareness, the World Food Prize Foundation continues to make strides in its mission to honor those who advance the quality, quantity and availability of food for all on this earth. For three days in October, hundreds of high school students,...
Building and Feeding Our Growing Urban World
By Jayson White posted on
12/10/2018
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In the fall of 2000, just after I earned my degree in philosophy from Iowa State University, a unique opportunity landed in my lap: to become the first Communications Director for the World Food Prize Foundation.
In the early years of Ambassador Kenneth Quinn’s and the Ruan family’s leadership bringing the...