ICRISAT scientist receives Japan’s Niigata Intl Food Award

Dr CL Laxmipathi Gowda, Deputy Director General for Research, ICRISAT, has been honoured with the 2014 Sano Touzaburo Special Prize from Japan’s Niigata International Food Award Foundation.

The prestigious award is in recognition of Gowda's contributions in improving the livelihoods of smallholder farmers in the dryland areas of Asia and sub-Saharan Africa in his nearly 40 years of scientific research work at International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT).

"I am delighted to receive this award towards the completion of my four decades of career with ICRISAT serving smallholder farmers in the drylands, and I am taking this opportunity to re-dedicate myself to help them in their fight against poverty and hunger," said Gowda while accepting the award at a ceremony held in Toki Messe International Conference Hall, Niigata, Japan, on Wednesday.

The Niigata International Food Awards is considered as Asia's version of the World Food Prize, to honour outstanding individuals whose achievements greatly contribute to the peace and well-being of the world by improving the supply of quality food, or by improving peoples' understanding of the role food plays in their health.

Gowda is known for his significant contribution in developing improved chickpea (both desi and kabuli) cultivars with high yield and resistance to diseases and pests.

Shared as international public goods (IPGs) with scientists and national programmes globally, 70 high-yielding chickpea cultivars from these improved breeding lines have been selected, tested and released in 30 countries globally, it added.