This is the VOA SpecialEnglish AGRICULTURE REPORT.
Per (PARE) Pinstrup-Andersen of Denmark has won the World FoodPrize for this year. The prize will be presented next month at aceremony in the American city of Des Moines, Iowa. MisterPinstrup-Andersen will receive the award andtwo-hundred-fifty-thousand dollars.
The World Food Prize honors people who have improved the qualityof world food supplies. The World Food Prize Foundation says itchose Mister Pinstrup-Andersen for his work in agricultural researchand food policy. It praised him for helping to improve the conditionof poor and starving people around the world.
Mister Pinstrup-Andersen grew up on a farm in Denmark. He studiedfarm economics in Denmark and the United States. He isdirector-general of the International Food Policy Research Institutein Washington, D-C. The institute is one of sixteen centerssupported by international aid.
In the past, most winners of the World Food Prize were recognizedfor scientific work in food production technology. MisterPinstrup-Andersen believes his award this year shows a new publicunderstanding. He says it shows that the world needs both technologyand good food policy to solve the problems facing poor people.
Under his leadership, the International Food Policy ResearchInstitute has published a series of policy papers. These reportsurge government leaders and policy makers to help the world’s poorand hungry people. The World Food Prize Committee praised thereports for providing support for policy changes.
Mister Pinstrup-Andersen believes that the reports have helpedincrease public understanding of the causes of poverty and hunger.He says their main purpose is to show the huge amount of humansuffering and economic waste linked to hunger and poor use ofnatural resources.
The World Food Prize winner also is a leading supporter ofexpanded school feeding programs in developing countries. He notesthat hundreds of millions of children do not get enough to eat.
Some environmental activists have criticized MisterPinstrup-Andersen for his support of genetically-engineered crops.He thinks such crops could help meet growing world demands for food.
This VOA Special English AGRICULTURE REPORT was written by GeorgeGrow.