>> TONIGHT'S PROGRAMMING HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO YOU BY FRIENDS, THE IWEB PBS FOUNDATION.

TO SEE MORE PROGRAMS LIKE TONIGHT'S SHOW DONATE AT IOWAPBS.ORG.

>> FUNDING FOR THIS PROGRAM IS PROVIDED BY FRIENDS, THE IOWA PBS FOUNDATION AS WELL AS GENERATION OF FAMILIES AND FRIENDS WHO FEEL PASSIONATE ABOUT THE PROGRAM THAT THEY WATCH ON IOWA PBS.

>>> FALL IN AMERICA'S HEARTLAND AS LEADERS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND AROUND THE WORLD GATHER FOR THE PRESENTATION OF THE ANNUAL WORD WORLD FOOD PRICE.

THE PRESTIGIOUS AWARD RECOGNIZES THOSE WHO IMPACTED HUMAN LIVES THROUGH FOOD.

TONIGHT, IN IOWA'S CAPITAL CITY, GUESTS HONOR SOME OF THE ACHIEVEMENTS AND ONGOING GLOBAL WORK OF HUNGER FIGHTERS AT THE 2024 WORLD FOOD PRIZE LAUREATE AWARD CEREMONY.

>> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN PLEASE WELCOME THE PRESIDENT OF THE WORLD FOOD PRIZE FOUNDATION AMBASSADOR TERRY BRANSTAD.

>> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WELCOME TO THIS, THE 2024 WORLD FOOD PRIZE LAUREATE AWARD CELEBRATION.

TONIGHT, WE HONOR THE 2024 WORLD FOOD PRIZE LAUREATES GEOFFREY HAWTIN AND CARY FOWLER.

WE ARE SO THRILLED TO HAVE YOU HERE ALONG WITH YOUR FAMILY TONIGHT.

CONGRATULATIONS.

>> PLEASE WELCOME WORLD FOOD PRIZE FOUNDATION CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, MASHAL HUSAIN.

>> TO CONTINUE OUR CELEBRATION OF FARMERS, PLEASE WELCOME SHUICHI TOKUMOTO WHO WILL BE PERFORMING HIS ORIGINAL SONG I AM A FARMER.

>> [ APPLAUSE ] >> [ MUSIC ] [SPEAKING IN A NON-ENGLISH LANGUAGE] >> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

WE ARE FARMERS.

THANK YOU.

>> COMBINING STRONG IOWA VALUES WITH A GLOBAL REPUTATION.

IT IS A MIXED THAT RUNS THROUGH THE ENTIRE HISTORY.

NOBODY AND FOUNDER AND CONTINUING INSPIRATION, A GREAT DR. NORMAN BOAR LOG.

A VISIONARY AND A IOWAN, DR. BOAR LOG IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT FIGURES OF THE 20th CENTURY.

AS A FATHER OF THE GREEN REVOLUTION IN AG PRODUCTION, HIS INFLUENCE IS STILL BEING FELT TODAY.

SIX DECADES LATER, THE ORGANIZATION THAT DR. BORLAUG FOUND IT SHOWS HOW POWERFUL THAT MODEL CONTINUES TO BE.

I AM SO PROUD TO PROCLAIM DR. CARY FOWLER OF THE UNITED STATES AND DR. GEOFFREY HAWTIN OF THE UNITED KINGDOM, THE 2024 WORLD FOOD PRIZE LAUREATE.

CONGRATULATIONS.

>> [ APPLAUSE ] >> WE ARE IN A RACE AGAINST TIME TO PRESERVE THOUGH WORLDS SEED VARIETIES, BEFORE THEY ARE LOST FOREVER TO CLIMATE CHANGE.

HUMAN IMPACT, AND THE EROSION OF MEMORY.

THESE TINY SEEDS CARRY AN UNPARALLELED SIGNIFICANCE.

OVER THOUSANDS OF YEARS THEY HAVE EVOLVED TO WITHSTAND DROUGHT, FLOODS IN THE HARSHEST CONDITIONS.

AS OUR WORLD RAPIDLY CHANGES, THESE SEEDS REMAIN NATURES MOST STEADFAST RESOURCE, PERFECTLY ADAPTED TO SUSTAIN LIFE.

YET, THE CHALLENGES OF CLIMATE CHANGE, POPULATION GROWTH AND EVASIVE TESTS ARE DIMINISHING THE BIODIVERSITY.

SEED VARIETIES ARE DISAPPEARING FROM FARMERS FIELDS AND WITH THEM THE FUTURE OF AGRICULTURE IS AT RISK.

OVER 90% OF THE GENETIC UNIVERSITY OF MAJOR CROPS HAS ALREADY BEEN LOST FOREVER.

WITHOUT URGENT ACTION, THE WORLD FACES AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE.

DR. GEOFFREY HAWTIN AND DR. CARY FOWLER DEDICATED THEIR LIVES TO ONE MISSION, SAFEGUARDING THE WORLD'S CROP DIE BIODIVERSITY.

OVER THE PAST FIVE DECADES THEY HAVE LED GLOBAL EFFORTS TO PROTECT THE SEEDS OF OUR FUTURE.

AT THE HEART OF THEIR EFFORTS ARE JEAN BANKS, LIVING LIBRARIES OF THE WORLD'S CROPS.

MORE THAN 7.4 MILLION SAMPLES OF SEEDS PRESERVED ACROSS 1750 JEAN BANKS WORLD THAT WIDE ARE CRITICAL TO THE FUTURE OF AGRICULTURE.

THESE COLLECTIONS HOLD THE KEY TO DEVELOPING MORE RESILIENT, NUTRITIOUS AND CLIMATE TOLERANT CROPS.

EVEN JEAN BANKS ARE SUSCEPTIBLE TO DESTRUCTION BY NATURAL DISASTERS, LACK OF FUNDING AND HUMAN CONFLICT.

WHEN CIVIL WAR ERUPTED IN SYRIA IN 2011, THE GENE BANK OF THE INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH IN THE DRY AREAS LOCATED JUST OUTSIDE OF, WAS IMMEDIATELY IN PERIL.

IT HELD OVER 150,000 CROP VARIETIES, MANY OF WHICH COULD BE FOUND NOWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD.

FOR FOUR YEARS, STAFF LABORED TO KEEP THE GENE BANK RUNNING, RISKING THEIR LIVES TO DO SO.

AT LAST, THE STAFF WERE FORCED TO LEAVE AND THE GENE BANK WAS LOST.

THOUSANDS OF SEEDS, CAREFULLY MAINTAINED FOR DECADES WERE SEEMINGLY GONE FOREVER.

THIS CATASTROPHE WOULD HAVE BEEN OUR REALITY IF NOT FOR THE FORESIGHT OF THE 2024 WORLD FOOD PRIZE LAUREATES, WHOSE THESE VALUABLE SEEDS FROM CERTAIN DESTRUCTION.

GROWING UP IN URBAN NORTH LONDON GEOFFREY HAWTIN SPENT SUMMERS ON A LOCAL FARM.

HE RECEIVED THE NICKNAME FARMER HAWTIN FORESHADOWING HIS FUTURE PLANT RESEARCH.

HE EARNED A PHD AND PLANT GENETICS FROM CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY AND COMPLETED HIS DOCTORAL RESEARCH IN UGANDA.

SHORTLY AFTER HE BECAME THE YOUNGEST LEADER OF THE FOOD IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM WHERE HE HELPED COLLECT AND PRESERVE VARIETIES OF CHICKPEAS, SULFA BEANS, LENTILS AND MORE FROM AFGHANISTAN, ETHIOPIA, JORDAN, LEBANON, SYRIA AND TURKEY.

THEY HAD BUILT A SUBSTANTIAL COLLECTION OF SEEDS WHEN CIVIL WAR OPTED IN LEBANON.

TO SAVE THIS IRREPLACEABLE RESOURCE, HAWTIN AND HIS TEAM MADE MULTIPLE TRIPS DOWN POTHOLED LAND MIND ROADS TO MOVE THE ENTIRE CORRECT COLLECTION SAFELY INTO SYRIA.

IN THE 1990S HAWTIN TRANSFORMED A MODEST PROGRAM FOCUSED ON JEAN BANKS INTO AN INDEPENDENT MULTIDIMENSIONAL CGI AR CENTER CREATING THE INTERNATIONAL PLANT GENETIC RESOURCE INSTITUTE LATER RENAMED BIODIVERSITY INTERNATIONAL WITH THE INSTITUTIONAL STRATEGY OF DIVERSITY OR DEVELOPMENT.

HERE HE BEGAN HIS GROUNDBREAKING COLLABORATION WITH DR. FOWLER FOR PAVING THE WAY FOR INTERNATIONAL GLOBAL STRATEGY PRESERVING, PROTECTING AND MOBILIZING CROP DIVERSITY FEEDING THE WORLD.

BEFORE HIS PIONEERING WORK, CARY FOWLER BUILT A STRONG FOUNDATION IN AGRICULTURE.

GROWING UP IN MEMPHIS TENNESSEE GRANDMOTHER'S FARM WHERE HE DEVELOPED A PASSION FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMING.

FOWLER EARNED A BA WITH HONORS FROM SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY FOLLOWED BY PHD FROM IN SWEDEN.

HIS RESEARCH IN AGRICULTURE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE ISSUES AROUND THE LOSS OF CROP DIVERSITY LED HIM TO THE UNITED NATIONS FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION.

IN THE 1990S, AS HEAD OF FAO INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE PROGRAM FOR PLANT GENETIC RESOURCES, HAWTIN PREPARED THE FIRST ASSESSMENT OF THE WORLD PLANT GENETIC RESOURCES AND LED TO PIVOTAL NEGOTIATIONS THAT RESULTED IN THE ADOPTION OF A GLOBAL PLAN OF ACTION OR CONSERVING AGRICULTURAL VIRAL BIODIVERSITY.

THIS MADE THE GROUNDWORK FOR A WORLDWIDE GENE BANK MANAGEMENT PLAN IN WHICH HE WOULD COLLABORATE WITH HAWTIN.

HAWTIN AND FOWLER HAVE BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN INTERNATIONAL POLICIES THAT TRANSCENDS NATIONAL BORDERS EMMA THEIR LEADERSHIP AND GLOBAL NEGOTIATIONS RESULTED IN FORMALIZING THE DIVERSITY OF 64 FOOD FORAGE CROPS HOUSED IN JEAN BANKS AS INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC GOODS BY THE INTERNATIONAL TREATY ON PLANT GENETIC RESOURCES FOR FOOD AND AGRICULTURE.

A GROUNDBREAKING AGREEMENT THAT ALLOWS FOR THE SHARING OF ESSENTIAL GENETIC -- THIS TREATY HAS FACILITATED THE MOVEMENT OF NEARLY 1 MILLION SAMPLES ACROSS NATIONAL BORDERS ENABLING SCIENTISTS AND FARMERS ALIKE TO ACCESS THE GENETIC DIVERSITY NEEDED TO DEVELOP NEW AND MORE RESILIENT CROP VARIETIES.

TO ENSURE FUNDING FOR THE LONG- TERM PROTECTION AND THE VITAL RESOURCES, HAWTIN FOUNDED GLOBAL CROP DIVERSITY AND RAISE TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOR ITS MISSION.

WHEN FOWLER SUCCEEDED YEARS LATER HE BUILT ONTO HAWTIN'S DIVISION EXPANDING THE ORGANIZATIONS EFFORTS SECURING SUSTAINABLE FUNDING TO PROTECT THE WORLD'S MOST CRITICAL JEAN BANKS.

TOGETHER, THEIR LEADERSHIP GAVE MAJOR COLLECTIONS AND ADVANCE THE CONSERVATION OF CROPS ENSURING THE PRESERVATION OF AGRICULTURAL BIODIVERSITY FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.

WHILE WORKING TOGETHER IN THE 90s AND 2000, HAWTIN AND FOWLER PLAYED PIVOTAL ROLES IN REVOLUTIONIZING GLOBAL SEED CONSERVATION WHILE HAWTIN SPEARHEADED THE CROP TRUST, FOWLER TOOK ANOTHER BOLD STEP.

IN 2003 HE WENT TO THE NORWEGIAN GOVERNMENT TO PROPOSE A INTERNATIONAL FAULT AND AN ARCHIPELAGO NEAR THE NORTH POLE WITH HIS WORDS CAPTURED THE MISSION, WE ARE TRYING TO TEACH THE WORLD HOW TO SAVE ITSELF, WE NEED TO MOBILIZE BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE.

FOWLER CHAIRED THE COMMITTEE OF WHICH HAWTIN WAS ALSO A MEMBER AND ASSESS THE FEASIBILITY.

FOWLER OPENED THE NEGOTIATIONS FOR OPENING THE VAULT AND SECURED SUPPORT FOR NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL JEAN BANKS SERVING NINE YEARS AS THE CHAIR OF THE FAULTS INTERNATIONAL ADVISORY COUNCIL.

MEANWHILE, HAWTIN DEVELOPED TECHNICAL MANAGEMENT AND POLICY SPECIFICATIONS FOR THE VAULT THAT WERE USED BY THE NORWEGIAN GOVERNMENT IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION.

IN 2008, THE VAULT OPENED WITH THE HELP OF FUNDING FROM THE CROP TRUST AND BEGAN ACCEPTING SEEDS FROM OTHER JEAN BANKS UNDER THE PLANT TREATY.

TODAY IT SAFEGUARDS MILLION CROP OF OVER 6000 SPECIES FROM NEARLY EVERY COUNTRY ON EARTH.

IT IS THE LARGEST AND MOST DIVERSE COLLECTION OF CROP BIODIVERSITY IN EXISTENCE.

WHEN THE I CARTED GENE BANK WAS THREATENED BY THE WAR IN SYRIA THOUSANDS OF SEED SAMPLES HAD BEEN DUPLICATED AND SENT TO THE VAULT WITH DANGER IMMINENT, THE SCIENTIST AND STAFF SENT THOUSANDS MORE TO THE VAULT FOR SAFEKEEPING.

WHEN THE JEAN BANKS LOST WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN A TERRIBLE DISASTER FOR CROP DIVERSITY WAS AVERTED.

THANKS TO THE FORESIGHT OF HAWTIN AND FOWLER.

IN 2016 I CARTED BEGAN WITHDRAWING THE SEEDS FROM THE VAULT TO REBUILD THE GENE BANK INCLUDING VARIETY OF SEEDS COLLECTED BY HAWTIN AND HIS TEAM DECADES BEFORE.

THROUGH THEIR PIONEERING WORK AS RESEARCHERS, POLICY ADVISORS AND ADVOCATES, HAWTIN AND FOWLER HAVE SHAPED THE GLOBAL SYSTEM THAT NOW PROTECTS, SHARES AND UTILIZES CROP BIODIVERSITY FOR THE BENEFITS OF HUMANITY.

ENSURING THE WORLD.

SURE FOOD SECURITY.

THEIR VISIONARY LEADERSHIP AND UNWAVERING DEDICATION TO SAFEGUARDING THE FUTURE OF THE GLOBAL FOOD SUPPLY MAKE THEM TRULY DESERVING OF THE HONOR OF BEING NAMED THE 2024 WORLD FOOD PRIZE LAUREATES.

>> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PLEASE WELCOME THE 2024 WORLD FOOD PRIZE LAUREATES, DR. GEOFFREY HAWTIN AND DR. CARY FOWLER.

[ APPLAUSE ] >> IT HAS BEEN QUITE A WEEK FOR US.

THAT WAS BEFORE THE TRUMPETS SOUNDED.

I WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN BY THANKING THE BORLAUG FAMILIES FOR KEEPING THE FAITH.

I DON'T THINK ANYONE STANDS HERE WHO HAS NOT WORKED WITH A SUCCESSION OF GREAT, GREAT STAFF PEOPLE, I AM NO EXCEPTION.

GREAT STAFF PEOPLE IN THE GLOBAL CROP DIVERSITY TRUST AND NOW AT THE STATE DEPARTMENT.

I GREW UP IN THE AMERICAN SOUTH, IN A PARTICULARLY TUMULTUOUS TIME, THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT.

IN HINDSIGHT I THINK WHAT THAT TOMMY IS THAT IT IS POSSIBLE AND MAYBE EVEN GOOD TO TACKLE THE MOST BASIC, FUNDAMENTAL AND IMPORTANT QUESTIONS IN LIFE.

A LITTLE LATER IN LIFE WHEN I ENCOUNTERED CROP DIVERSITY AND REALIZED HOW IMPORTANT IT WAS TO THE FUTURE OF THE WORLD AND FOOD SECURITY, IT DID NOT SEEM OUT OF PLACE TO SOMEHOW TRY TO CREATE A GLOBAL SYSTEM FOR CONSERVING IT IN PERPETUITY, OR TO WORK ON AN INTERNATIONAL TREATY ON PLANT GENETIC RESOURCES OR DO SOMETHING AUDACIOUS LIKE GO TO THE NORTH POLE TO TRY TO START A IN THE MIDDLE OF A MOUNTAIN.

BY THE WAY, ALL CREDIT TO THE GOVERNMENT AND THE PEOPLE OF NORWAY FOR THAT.

>> [ APPLAUSE ] >> I WANT TO PARTICULARLY THANK MY WIFE WHO HAS BEEN SUCH A STRONG SUPPORTER, I COULD NOT HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT HER.

>> THANK YOU AGAIN.

GEOFFREY.

>> 55 YEARS AGO I WAS ASKED TO WRITE A ESSAY ON GREEN EVOLUTION.

WORK.

MY INTRODUCTION TO THE WHOLE CONCEPT OF WHEAT THE USE OF.

THAT STARTED ME OFF ON A CAREER WHICH HAS BEEN HIGHLIGHTED HERE THIS EVENING.

IT IS VERY INTERESTING AT THAT TIME, THIS IS BEFORE NORMAN BORLAUG GOT THE NOBEL PRIZE.

MY FIRST JOB I GOT TO REALIZE THE VALUE OF GENETIC DIVERSITY.

I WAS STARTING A READING PROGRAM SCRATCH.

YOU CANNOT BREED UNLESS YOU HAVE GENETIC DIVERSITY.

YOU NEED TO HAVE DIFFERENT TRAITS THAT YOU CAN BRING TOGETHER TO SELECT NEW VARIETIES.

THERE IS STILL A LONG WAY TO GO.

THIS MATERIAL NEEDS TO BE CONSERVED.

THIS CONSERVES SEEDS.

A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF OUR CROPS CANNOT BE CONSERVED AS SEEDS.

WE STILL HAVE WORK TO DO WIDE RELATIVES OF CROPS COLONIAL REPRODUCE CROPS BUT WE HAVE A HUGE WAY TO GO IN RAISING THE RESOURCES NEEDED TO DO THIS.

ONCE WE HAVE DONE THAT, THIS IS DOABLE, I THINK WE CAN SLEEP SOUNDLY KNOWING THAT THE DIVERSITY UNDERPINS AGRICULTURE TODAY AND IT WILL UNDERPIN AGRICULTURE IN THE FUTURE HAS BEEN CONSERVED SO THAT OUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN AND EIGHT GRANDCHILDREN WILL BE ABLE TO LIVE WITH A NUTRITIOUS AND HEALTHY DIET.

FINALLY TO CONCLUDE THE ROUTE WHAT HAS BEEN A DIFFICULT CAREER AT TIMES I WOULD LIKE TO THINK MY WIFE WHO IS HERE FOR THE AMAZING LOVE AND SUPPORT THAT YOU HAVE GIVEN ME.

>> [ APPLAUSE ] >> LET'S GIVE ANOTHER ROUND OF APPLAUSE TO OUR TWO GREAT LAUREATES.

>> [ MUSIC ] >> FUNDING FOR THIS PROGRAM HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY FRIENDS, THE IOWA PBS FOUNDATION.

>> TONIGHT'S PROGRAMMING HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO YOU BY FRIENDS, THE IOWA PBS FOUNDATION.

IF YOU WANT TO SEE MORE PROGRAMS LIKE TONIGHT SHOW, DONATE AT IOWAPBS.ORG.