Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, the President of African Development Bank bags the prestigious 250,000 dollars award.
The President of African Development Bank, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, has been named the 2017 World Food Prize Laureate. The award ceremony would take place on 19th of October.
The prestigious 250,000 dollars prize is given annually to a person who has worked to advance human development by “improving the quality, quantity or availability of food in the world”.
The announcement was made by Amb. Kenneth Quinn, the President, The World Food Prize, The Hall of Laureates. While announcing, Quinn described Adesina as “someone who grew out of poverty, but whose life mission is to lift up millions of people out of poverty’’.
The ceremony held at the U.S. Department of Agriculture was attended by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue.
According to a news source, Perdue, attesting to the good works of Adesina, said the new Food Prize Laureate, could fit in as the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture.
In attendance were some past awardees, Nigeria’s former Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, Nigeria’s Acting Ambassador to the U.S. and Chargé d ‘ Affaires, Amb. Hakeem Balogun.
Others include officials of the World Food Programme, members of the Diplomatic Corps and other U.S. officials.
Since its founding in 1986, the Prize has honoured 45 individuals for their outstanding contributions to food security around the world.
