Fostering Discussion on Science and Innovation at the Borlaug Dialogue

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by Kari A. Wozniak

Next week, the 2013 Borlaug Dialogue will convene in Des Moines, Iowa, gathering leaders from around the world to discuss cutting edge food security issues. The ADM Institute will contribute by fostering discussion at its breakfast side event titled, “The Role of Science and Innovation on Food, Water, & Energy Security in the Postharvest Sector”. Co-hosted with the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), the side event builds on work started at IFT’s annual summit this past July. The ADM Institute joined as one partner of “The Power of 3: Food, Water, and Energy” initiative, which focuses on how postharvest loss prevention relates to the food-water-energy nexus.

The breakfast panel will feature three distinguished guests who each offer unique perspectives on how science and innovation affect the food-water-energy nexus. The panelists include:

Ashok Gulati, Chairman of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices, Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India;
Mark R. McLellan, PhD, CFS, Vice President for Research and Dean of the School of Graduate Studies, Utah State University; and
John Ruff, CFS, Institute for Food Technologists Past President.

We’ll be live tweeting the event @PHL_Institute. Follow the discussion at #Pof3.

This year’s Borlaug Dialogue theme, Biotechnology, Sustainability, and Climate Volatility, honors the work of three biotechnology scientists in applying modern science to fundamental agricultural challenges. As the global population increases, so does demand for science-based knowledge that will drive the change and innovation needed to feed more with fewer resources. By saving food that is already grown, the world can in part achieve a more efficient and sustainable food system.

The ADM Institute seeks to prevent postharvest losses of staple grains that lessen food supplies and waste natural resources. Applying science, technology, and innovation to those prevention efforts is paramount to their success. How to do so effectively, and with the greatest impact, is a topic the ADM Institute will discuss with expert stakeholders at the Borlaug Dialogue.

Commonly known as the “the Nobel Peace prize of agriculture”, the World Food Prize is the foremost international award recognizing individuals who have increased the quality, quantity, or availability of food in the world. The ADM Institute congratulates all three laureates—Dr. Mary Dell Chilton and Dr. Robert T. Fraley, both University of Illinois alumni, and Dr. Marc Van Montagu of Belgium.