World Food Prize 2024

Every year, more than 800 people from over 75 countries gather in Des Moines, Iowa, USA. These decision-makers, activists, farmers, agricultural experts and students convene to discuss the challenge of securing the global food supply at the Norman E. Borlaug International Dialogue – and honor that year’s World Food Prize laureate.

In 2024, the World Food Prize Foundation recognized two laureates, Dr. Geoffrey Hawtin OBE and Dr. Cary Fowler. Both pioneers in conserving crop diversity, they also happen to be the Crop Trust’s first two Executive Directors. The Foundation recognized them “for their extraordinary leadership in preserving and protecting the world’s heritage of crop biodiversity and mobilizing this critical resource to defend against threats to global food security.” They were honored at a ceremony in the Iowa State Capitol Building on 31 October.

Hawtin and Fowler also played a pivotal role in establishing the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Norway, the ultimate long-term backup repository for crop diversity. 

“Early in their careers, Drs. Hawtin and Fowler realized the immense value and heritage of our crop genetic resources and dedicated their professional life to its safeguarding to secure the future of food and agriculture for the next hundred years and more,” said Dr. Gebisa Ejeta, Chair of the Laureate Selection Committee and 2009 World Food Prize Laureate.

The day before the awards ceremony, the Crop Trust’s current Executive Director, Stefan Schmitz, helped open the Borlaug Dialogue, which is named after the U.S. agronomist and Nobel Peace Prize winner. He shared a powerful message of crop diversity as a solution to the daily hunger that impacts 735 million people. His speech highlighted the role of genebanks in safeguarding for generations to come the diversity needed to develop new, more productive, more nutritious crops that are also better for the environment. Schmitz concluded with a call to action to invest in genebanks and work together to secure the future of food, forever.

“More than ever, crop diversity offers a lifeline to better nutrition and our survival as a species in a time defined by climate change and environmental degradation. We must secure this lifeline now and can do so with the right investments and innovations,” he said.

The 2024 Borlaug Dialogue was held under the theme “Seeds of Opportunity: Bridging Generations and Cultivating Diplomacy” in honor of Dr. Borlaug’s vision of global freedom from hunger. At the Dialogue, the Crop Trust organized two breakout sessions and a side event with various partners. Dr. Hawtin was the lead speaker for the session “Cultivating Collaboration: Protecting Crop Biodiversity for a Resilient Future” and the side event “The Cold Hard Facts: Clonal Crops and the Case for Cryopreservation as a Long-term Safety Backup.”

“Over the past 20 years, the Crop Trust has had many successes, including its work to conserve crop wild relatives, developing invaluable information systems and signing legal agreements to support the long-term maintenance of internationally important collections of crop diversity. But there is more to do!” Dr. Hawtin said.

The Crop Trust is honored to continue our collaboration with Dr. Hawtin, who is now on our Executive Board, and Dr. Fowler. We appreciate the pioneering work that led to our establishment as an organization and congratulate them both for winning the 2024 World Food Prize.