Indian scientist to receive World Food Prize’s Norman E Borlaug Award for Field Research and Application

Nayak is the South Asia Lead for Seed System and Product Management at the IRRI at New Delhi.

Washington: Dr Swati Nayak, a top scientist at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), has been named the 2023 recipient of the prestigious Norman E Borlaug Award for Field Research and Application.

Nayak is the South Asia Lead for Seed System and Product Management at the IRRI at New Delhi.

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Endowed by the Rockefeller Foundation, the award recognises Nayak for her innovative approach to engaging smallholder farmers in demand-driven rice seed systems, from testing and deployment to equitable access and adoption of climate-resilient and nutritious rice varieties, a release from the World Food Prize Foundation said on Wednesday.

The award is given to exceptional scientists under 40 and someone who works in the field of food and nutrition security, hunger eradication in memory of the Nobel awardee and Green Revolution’s chief architect Dr Norman Borlaug.

Based in Delhi, the scientist from Odisha, Nayak is expected to receive the award at Iowa next month.

Nayak received a Ph.D. in Competitive Intelligence & Strategic Management for Agricultural Extension Management Strategy at Amity University (2017-2022), a Master in Rural Management at the Institute of Rural Management Anand (2008-2010) and a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture at Acharya NG Ranga Agriculture University (2003-2007).