|
 Maria Andrade of Cape Verde, Robert Mwanga of Uganda and American
Jan Low, who all are from the Lima, Peru-based International Potato
Center, and American Howarth Bouis of the international research
group HarvestPlus were honored in a ceremony at the U.S. State
Department.
Kenneth M. Quinn, president of the World Food Prize Foundation,
called their work "a breakthrough achievement in developing and
implementing biofortification."
He defined biofortification as "the process of breeding critical
vitamins and micronutrients into staple crops, thereby dramatically
reducing hidden hunger and improving health for millions and
millions of people."
The honorees' work has focused on the orange-fleshed sweet potato,
an important source of vitamin A, especially in sub-Saharan Africa.
Vitamin A deficiency, especially there and in Asia, is a cause of
blindness and premature death, according to the International Potato
Center, an agriculture research center based in Lima, Peru.
"The impact of the work of all four winners will be felt around the
globe but particularly in sub-Saharan Africa,” said Gayle Smith,
head of the U.S. Agency for International Development.
[to top of second column] |
The prize is awarded annually by the World Food Prize Foundation for
food and agriculture innovation. The scientists will share the
$250,000 prize equally and it will be awarded at a ceremony during
World Food Prize week in Des Moines, Iowa, in October, when the
prize will celebrate its 30th anniversary.
Past recipients include John Kufuour, a former president of Ghana;
former U.S. Senators Bob Dole and George McGovern; and Grameen Bank
founder and Nobel laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus of Bangladesh.
(Reporting by Isma'il Kushkush; Editing by John Walcott and Bill
Trott)
[© 2016 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2016 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 |
