#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.
The Multibillion Dollar Question: How Much Will it Cost to End Hunger and Undernutrition?
By Shenggen Fan posted on
04/02/2018
at 8:00 AM
World leaders have committed to ending hunger and malnutrition by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Yet we are not on track to achieve this goal—in fact, hunger, measured as caloric deficiency, rose in 2016 after more than a decade of impressive progress. More than 150 million...
Scoring Goals for Africa
By Dr. Akinwumi Adesina posted on
03/26/2018
at 8:00 AM
It’s been almost six months since I was honoured as the Laureate of the 2017 World Food Prize. Since then, time has passed quickly.
The award and the accolades were, and still are, very much appreciated. I still savour the memories of those few days in Des Moines, back in October...
What Borlaug Means to Me
By Nick Grandstaff posted on
03/19/2018
at 8:00 AM
Not too long ago, I was introduced to Dr. Norman Borlaug in my high school biology class. Frankly, I had no idea who he was.
My teacher, Mrs. Reichert, began the class by posing the question: “Does anyone know who on Earth is credited with saving one billion lives?” No...
In the Eyes of the Children
By Randy Renze posted on
03/12/2018
at 8:00 AM
The real pleasure of being a World Food Prize Hall of Laureates docent is seeing the eyes of a student, big or small – old or young, light up as one piece of the Hall’s story energizes their thoughts, lighting up their imagination on what their future might hold and...
What Comes From the Ordinary
By Francine Barchett posted on
03/05/2018
at 8:00 AM
“Really, Iowa? Why Iowa?” When I told my high school friends I would be going to a food symposium in Iowa, their responses ranged from amazement to amusement to borderline confusion. Most pictured Iowa as a vast and isolated wilderness of corn and tractors, yet one thought outside the box...
My Experiences with The World Food Prize: Embracing Complexity, Seeing Possibility, and Creating Opportunity
By Madeline Song posted on
02/26/2018
at 8:00 AM
There have been certain experiences in my life that I can only describe as defining and life-changing. I encountered one such experience at the 2015 Global Youth Institute, where I heard Sheryl WuDunn share her book, “A Path Appears: Transforming Lives, Creating Opportunity.”
In her speech, she introduced the concept of...
How The World Food Prize Empowered Me and the Next Generation of Hunger Fighters
By Akriti Bhattarai posted on
02/19/2018
at 8:00 AM
Whenever I walk into the Rotunda of the World Food Prize Hall of Laureates, I am immediately filled with feelings of awe and inspiration that draw me back to the first time I witnessed that spectacular sight and read the words “Food is the moral right of all who are...
If Only We Take A Chance
By Erica Baier posted on
02/12/2018
at 8:00 AM
If you had asked me my freshmen year of high school what my future plans were, I would have confidently responded, “I want to become a Division I Track and Field athlete.” Ambitious, right? Maybe it’s just me, but I believe that some of our biggest goals and dreams are...
My Thoughts About the Experiences I Had Interning at the World Food Prize
By Samantha Westphal posted on
02/05/2018
at 8:00 AM
Growing up in Urbandale, a suburb of Des Moines, I remember driving by and admiring the beautiful World Food Prize (WFP) Hall of Laureates – I even took my senior pictures in the garden. However, it wasn’t until the summer after I graduated from the University of Iowa that I...
A Week With Ambassador Kenneth Quinn and the Lessons that I Learned While Being a Part of the World Food Prize Foundation's Week of Events
By Lainey Bourgeios posted on
01/29/2018
at 8:00 AM
My name is Lainey Bourgeois, and I am a first semester student in the Masters of Agribusiness Program at Texas A&M University. This past October, I had the unique opportunity to attend the World Food Prize in Des Moines, Iowa. I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to be...