Former Minister For Agriculture, Mr. Akinwunmi Adesina Is The 2017 World Food Prize Winner

Jaiyeorie October 23, 2017

Olusegun Obasanjo, former President of Nigeria and John Mahame, former President of Ghana, Adesina were present at the podium to receive the award - the world's biggest food and agriculture award, with his wife Grace and his two sons, Rotimi and Segun, and a large and prominent crowd he liked it. Representatives of the Nigerian government, the Purdue University, his apple mummies, friends, associates, and Bank staff were among the goodwillers who came to a large number to celebrate the icon of African agriculture, known as Norman Borlaug in Africa. In accordance with its dedication to the new agreement on youth empowerment, Adesina has pledged to devote a $ 250,000 cash grant to the fund in favor of young African farmers and agricultural entrepreneurs or "farmers".

“And so, even though I don’t have the cash in my hand, I hereby commit my $250,000 as a cash prize for the World Food Prize award to set up a fund fully dedicated to providing financing for the youth of Africa in agriculture to feed Africa,” Adesina said.

“We will arise and feed Africa. The day is coming very soon when all its children will be well-fed, when millions of small-holder farmers will be able to send their kids to school,” Adesina said.

“Then you will hear a new song across Africa: ‘Thank God our lives are better at last.’”

The President of the World Food Prize Foundation, Kenneth Quinn, paid tribute to Adesina, “whose breakthrough achievements have impacted millions of farmers and those living in rural poverty in Nigeria and throughout Africa, and whose leadership holds great promise for uplifting millions and millions more across that continent.”

In a speech at the colourful ceremony, the Vice-President of the United States of America, Michael Pence, commended the Laureate in a speech read on his behalf by Mark Green, Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

“As our global food system is stretched, and the need to feed more people grows, agricultural transformation will require persistence from leaders like you in driving change and capitalizing on public- and private-sector expertise,” Pence said.

The Vice-President described Adesina’s devotion to the cause of fighting global hunger as admirable, and deeply needed, and on behalf of President Donald Trump, extended heartfelt congratulations.

“The United States is and remains committed to food security, and we will continue to work with leaders like you to find innovative ways to end global hunger,” he said.

The evening was capped by an elegant award ceremony dinner in the Capitol Rotunda.

Under President Akinwumi Adesina’s leadership, the AfDB is accelerating agricultural development through its Feed Africa Strategy with planned investment of $24 billion over the next 10 years. The World Food Prize also recognizes Adesina’s work over the past two decades with the Rockefeller Foundation, at the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), and as Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development.

See photos below: