World Food Prize

Laureates are honored and officially awarded their prize in Des Moines, Iowa, in an award ceremony held at the Iowa State Capitol. Laureates are presented with a diploma, a commemorative sculpture designed by Saul Bass and a monetary award of $500,000.

The Foundation also has the aim of "inspiring exceptional achievement in assuring adequate food and nutrition for all". A number of associated events and honors include the Borlaug International Symposium and the Norman Borlaug Field Award, the Iowa Hunger Summit and youth programs such as the Borlaug-Ruan International Internships.

History

Norman Borlaug (1914–2009) was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970 for contributions that resulted in the extensive increase in global food production. Chairman of the Nobel Committee Aase Lionæs gave the rationale that the committee had linked providing much needed food to the world as a path for peace. Further, the increase in food production has given policy planners across the world more years in figuring out how to feed the growing population. Twelve years later, Borlaug approached the Nobel Foundation to include a prize for food and agriculture. However, the Foundation was bound by Alfred Nobel's will which did not allow for the creation of such a new prize. Borlaug continued his search for a sponsor elsewhere.

In 1986, General Foods Corporation, under Vice President A. S. Clausi's leadership, agreed to establish the prize and be the founding sponsor. The amount they agreed to, US$200,000, was equivalent to the value of the Nobel Prizes at the time. In 1990, the sponsorship was undertaken by businessman and philanthropist John Ruan and his family who established the World Food Prize Foundation, backed by a US$10 million endowment. In 2000, Kenneth M. Quinn was made the president. Borlaug, Ruan, and Quinn were all from the US state of Iowa. Barbara Stinson succeeded Quinn as the second president in 2019.

The former downtown library in Des Moines, Iowa, was acquired, and the Ruan family gave US$5 million to renovate the building into the headquarters for the World Food Prize Foundation. A number of sponsors would go on to contribute over US$20 million in a campaign to transform the building into a public museum, the Hall of Laureates, to honor Borlaug and the work of the World Food Prize laureates. Other sponsors have included over 100 charitable foundations, corporations and individuals, who have helped sustain the prize and the Foundation's associated events. The Founder's Boardroom in the Hall of Laureates commemorates 27 individuals who played an important part in the foundation of the prize.

Borlaug was the first chairman of the World Food Prize laureate selection committee. He appointed the first laureate, M. S. Swaminathan, as his successor in 2009. Gebisa Ejeta, the 2009 laureate, is the current chairman. Apart from the chairman who is a non-voting member, other members of the selection committee remain anonymous.

On January 24, 2023, the Foundation announced that former Iowa governor and US ambassador to China Terry Branstad would take over as president, replacing outgoing president Barbara Stinson. On March 1, 2025, Governor Branstad retired from his role as president. Former CEO Mashal Husain was named the new president, with former Iowa governor and United States secretary of agriculture Tom Vilsack taking over as CEO.