Cary Fowler and Geoffrey Hawtin received the World Food Prize for their work in conserving global crop diversity, crucially supported by CIMMYT and CGIAR’s genetic resource preservation efforts
November 8, 2024
The World Food Prize honored Cary Fowler and Geoffrey Hawtin for their lifelong dedication to preserving genetic resources critical to global food security. They have led efforts to protect seeds from over 6,000 crops by establishing germplasm banks worldwide, including the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, to safeguard biodiversity against climate threats. With partners like INIFAP, CIMMYT has played a key role in conserving the genetic diversity of staple crops, ensuring these resources are available for future agricultural resilience.
Capacity development, Environmental health and biodiversity