World Food Prize Foundation appoints Akinwumi Adesina advisor

“As a Laureate, I carry his legacy with me, and I look forward to working with the Foundation to advance bold, science-driven solutions that uplift farmers, feed nations and transform our world, ”Adesina was quoted as saying.

Adesina is an agriculture expert and a globally recognised Development Economist who received the 2017 World Food Prize for his more than two decades of leadership and progress.

He served with the Rockefeller Foundation as Vice President, Policy and Partnerships at the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA).

He also served as the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development of Nigeria from 2011 to 2015.

Adesina has been at the forefront of galvanising political will to transform African agriculture through several initiatives.

These initiatives helped to expand agricultural production, thwart corruption in the Nigerian fertilizer industry and exponentially increase the availability of credit for smallholder farmers across the African continent.

In 2015, he was elected the President of the African Development Bank, the first Nigerian, serving 10 years and spearheading the “High 5” Agenda.

The agenda was to light up and power Africa, feed Africa, industrialize Africa, integrate Africa, and improve the quality of life for the people of Africa.

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During his tenure, he oversaw major funding initiatives for infrastructure, agriculture and youth entrepreneurship across the continent.

In 2013, he was named the Forbes African Person of the Year.

Tom Vilsack, CEO, World Food Prize Foundation said “Dr Adesina has long been a trailblazer in global agriculture and economic development”.

He added, “His leadership has reshaped the landscape of African agriculture, from fighting corruption to empowering farmers and fueling sustainable growth.

“Sharing Dr. Borlaug’s conviction that food is a powerful tool for peace and progress, Dr. Adesina brings both deep expertise and a shared moral compass to the Council of Advisors.”

Adesina has a Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics from Purdue University and will finish his second and final term as President of AfDB in September, when he will start in his role on the Council.

The World Food Prize is an international award that honors individuals who have improved the quality, quantity or availability of food worldwide.

The Prize was founded by Dr Norman E. Borlaug, recipient of the 1970 Nobel Peace Prize, for his work that contributed to increases in agricultural outputs which was termed the Green Revolution.

Since then, the prize has been awarded to 55 distinguished individuals during the Norman E. Borlaug International Dialogue.

The Dialogue, also known as the Borlaug Dialogue, is a week of events dedicated to an issue surrounding food insecurity or hunger each year.