Smallholder Farming Focus of 2010 World Food Prize Symposium
Former United Nations head Kofi Annan, and Illinois farmer Howard Buffett, along with global leaders will discuss how to reach the small farmers in the poor parts of the world. This year's World Food Prize Symposium in Des Moines Oct. 13-15 will draw more than 1,000 people from over 65 countries to share ideas on how to help feed a rapidly growing global population.
Compiled by staff
Published: Sep 17, 2010
"Take It to the Farmer: Reaching the World's Smallholders" will be the focus of this year's World Food Prize Symposium. The Borlaug Dialogue will be held Oct. 13-15 in Des Moines. The conference, which has become one of the world's foremost international dialogues on food security, is expected to draw more than 1,000 policymakers, industry leaders, researchers and other experts from around the globe to discuss the need to provide food to a rapidly growing population.
Speakers at the 2010 Borlaug Dialogue include:
Kofi Annan, Chairman, Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa
Florence Chenoweth, Minister of Agriculture, Liberia
Nazar Gondal, Minister of Agriculture, Pakistan
Muhammad Rahimi, Minister of Agriculture, Afghanistan
Tom Vilsack, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture
Jeff Raikes, CEO, The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
Gregory Page, CEO, Cargill
Howard Buffett, President, Howard G. Buffett Foundation
Camilla Toulmin, Director, International Institute for Environment and Development
Pam Kohn, Senior Vice President of Global Food Sourcing, Walmart, Inc.
The program will include a minister's roundtable with USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack and the ag ministers of Afghanistan and Pakistan, discussions among high-level leaders on how to partner with smallholders, and presentations on the themes of land equity and climate change. Most significantly, over 60 farmers and farm leaders from around the world will share their perspectives on topics such as promoting entrepreneurship and innovation, overcoming constraints, preserving biodiversity, and the crucial role of livestock in smallholder agriculture.
A number of events will be held during World Food Prize week
Other events during the week will include the Iowa Hunger Summit on Tuesday, October 12 featuring Ambassador Tony Hall of the Alliance to End Hunger; a Laureates Forum on Wednesday evening, featuring the 2010 World Food Prize Laureates David Beckmann of Bread for the World and Jo Luck of Heifer International; the 2010 Laureate Award Ceremony at the Iowa State Capitol on Thursday evening; the Global Youth Institute; and lectures across the state by past World Food Prize Laureates and other experts.
The Borlaug Dialogue is an international symposium that coincides with the awarding of the $250,000 World Food Prize each year. This year's honorees, David Beckmann of Bread for the World and Jo Luck of Heifer International, are recognized for leading two of the most effective grassroots organizations in the effort to end hunger and poverty worldwide. They will split the $250,000 prize.
To learn more about the World Food Prize, the Borlaug Dialogue, the Hunger Summit, WFP Youth Institute and other the events that week, go to the website. A full list of events and speakers and a media registration form are also available at www.worldfoodprize.org. All media must register for the event. Please include your email address in order to receive the most updated notices and information.
ABOUT THE WORLD FOOD PRIZE: The World Food Prize was founded in 1986 by Dr. Norman E. Borlaug, recipient of the 1970 Nobel Peace Prize. Since then, The World Food Prize has honored outstanding individuals who have made vital contributions to improving the quality, quantity or availability of food throughout the world. Laureates have been recognized from Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Denmark, Ethiopia, India, Mexico, Sierra Leone, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the United Nations and the United States. In 1990, Des Moines businessman and philanthropist John Ruan assumed sponsorship of The Prize and established The World Food Prize Foundation, located in Des Moines, Iowa.
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