Rajaram,
who is now settled in Mexico, is credited with increasing world wheat
production by more than 200 million tons in the years following the
Green Revolution, which has had a far-reaching impact in alleviating
world hunger.
World Food Prize Foundation President Kenneth M
Quinn announced the 250,000 USD World Food Prize winner at an event at
US State Department on Wednesday.
The World Food Prize was
established in 1986 by Dr Norman Borlaug to focus the world's attention
on hunger and on those whose work has significantly helped efforts to
end it.
It recognizes individuals who have advanced human
development by improving the quality, quantity or availability of food
in the world.
Borlaug earned the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970 for
his work as a plant breeder and for taking new agricultural practices to
developing nations around the world. The award will be formally
presented to Rajaram in a ceremony in October at the Iowa State Capitol
in Des Moines, Iowa.
Rajaram's breakthrough achievement in
successfully cross breeding winter and spring wheat varieties, which
were distinct gene pools that had been isolated from one another for
hundreds of years, led to his developing plants that have higher yields
and a broad genetic base.
More than 480 high-yielding wheat
varieties bred by Rajaram have been released in 51 countries on six
continents and have been widely adopted by small- and large-scale
farmers alike.
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