A leader who eradicated hunger in Brazil through the Zero Hunger (Fome Zero) program. As Director General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), he led the world’s Zero Hunger Movement and achieved great success in eradicating hunger around the world. Zero Hunger was also included in the UN’s 17 SDG goals.

As a world-renowned leader in the field of nutrition in Japan, he laid the foundation for school lunches, including setting nutrition standards, establishing food and nutrition teachers, and designing the Basic Act on Food and Nutrition Education. He has worked to promote nutrition and nutrition education through teaching in and hosting trainees from Southeast Asia, and has earned an international reputation for this work.

He studied under Touzaburo Sano during the agricultural development project in the Sanjiang Plain, Heilongjiang Province of China, and participated in the planning process from the beginning as an engineer, playing an important role in the success of the project. He is still active in working with technical trainees from the project area and promoting international exchange with neighboring countries.

He has contributed greatly to rice breeding projects in Africa by discovering new breeding stock, developing selection methods, and conducting other research to improve food self-sufficiency in Africa. He has also achieved significant success in developing and consolidating rice farming systems for small farmers, and improving their livelihoods and nutrition.

As a pioneer in researching the use of the energy of snow and implementing practical and versatile uses of the cooling energy of snow, he has contributed greatly to the snow-utilization business. Developing food products utilizing “Yukimuro” snow-cooled storage methods is expected to offer new growth opportunities in the food industry in Niigata Prefecture.

This prize celebrates the noble activities of Dr. Nakamura, who died in the course of his work, leaving behind numerous achievements. In order to help refugees who were dying of hunger due to Afghanistan’s terrible drought and civil war, he constructed irrigation channels to revitalize the arable land and turn it green again, and promoted food production and the revival of agriculture, allowing farmers to settle permanently on the land and escape from hunger and poverty. The prize also strongly supports the continued activities of Peshawar-kai and PMS.

Over many years of research in the areas of rice quality and utilization, he has become Asia’s leading authority in many fields of research and processing and utilization technologies, including ① flavor evaluation, ② DNA variety evaluation, and ③ the functionality of rice. He has made a great contribution to the dissemination of this knowledge through activities such as international research exchange.

He developed the technology for making bread from rice flour and put this to practical use in the development of bread machines using rice flour for ordinary consumers, leading to its widespread dissemination both within Japan and overseas. This technology has benefited people with wheat allergies, contributing to the Sustainable Development Goal “Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.”

He is the foremost figure in the improvement of food processing technology in Niigata Prefecture, as well as in developing processed foods and turning them into products. His achievements are particularly significant in the development of processed foods made from rice, such as low protein cooked rice, and of packaged pre-cooked rice, including sterile packaging, rice cakes, and microwaveable rice cooked and sold in plastic trays, which he has raised to the highest level and largest scale in the country.

Dr. Arai was the first that disseminated the name and concept of “functional foods” and has contributed greatly to global development of food science and industry. In Japan, he was involved in establishing the governmental “Foods for specified health uses” (FOSHU) and “Foods with Function Claims”. The involvement motivated food companies and cognate industries to develop functional foods. Dr. Arai’s accomplishments are globally distinguished and influential. It is noted that in 1993 the hypoallergenic rice grain he developed was approved as the first FOSHU product.

He was a leading researcher in the field of rice functionality and measures against diabetes. He has contributed as a global leader in research on the prevention of diabetes, for example, by establishing functional food research institutes in the UK and Singapore.

He contributed to the registration of “Washoku (traditional Japanese cuisine)” to the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. With his establishment of the Japanese Culinary Academy , he has been active in promoting Washoku globally and greatly contributing to the spread of Japanese cuisine culture and culinary skills as well as professional training.

He is the only researcher in the world who has been running a field study in the Sahara desert to clarify the physiological and ecological characteristics of the desert locust, an agricultural pest in Africa, and develop control technologies. He has been working on the solution of global-wide agricultural issues.

Dr. Iwanaga’s research has focused on the preservation and use of biological resources, and he has made many important research discoveries in this area for nearly 30 years. He was selected from a list of international applicants to be the Director of Mexico’s International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), He was pressing responsibilities as its new Director involved adjusting its organizational structure, as well as establishing new long-term research strategies.

His research focused on the suitable placement of such drainage facilities, and the development of new methods for designing and locating such facilities in light of expected amounts of rainfall and other local climate factors.

Dr. Wilder therefore developed an indoor shrimp production system (ISPS), which allows for the efficient cultivation of shrimp indoors. In a closed environment, the first of its kind in the world. This kind of system can be installed wherever space permits, and its wastewater is minimal.

Dr. Uga accomplished the outcome in scholarly study of genetics and breeding about the structure and function of roots in rice. This would play a big part in the improvement of drought resistance in rice.

Involved in the guidance of rice cultivation technology in developing countries over the 30 years, he practiced and adoption research and technology development as the worldwide leader of rice in Africa (NERICA).

Development of improved varieties of chickpea. He have been developed high yield crop varieties, and contributed to the GDP of many countries and income improvement of many farmers.

He succeeded the development of low-cost general-purpose manufacturing technology of useful functional oligosaccharide in health maintenance and promotion of people.

She served as the executive director of World Food Program for 5 years, and during the tenure performed the food aid of 75 nations and 1,005 million people for starvation eradication with the personnel and made the world recognize the necessity for a humane food aid.

In the famous Thailand northern mountain area called "Golden Triangle", he performed by himself fruit tree-planting volunteer by his own budget for many years to get rid of the traditional poppy cultivation.
Also he constructed the sustainable agricultural model for local farmers to be self-sufficient. It was recognized globally that the production of the opium was reduced by his effort.

He started the new regional FM station for small farmers, and through the broadcasting provided to 250,000 farmers in Nigeria, many various information such as market trend, sustainable agriculture and environmental protection. Then he established the "Small holder's Foundation" that contributes for the small farmers by providing the knowledge to improve the products productivities. And in Naigeria, improving the products productivity means the improvement of their lives.

Developed New Rice for Africa (NeRicA rice) that adapts to the African environment. Challenge to the poverty and the starvation.

Deeply respected in China as the “Father of Hybrid Rice”. Conducting new food increasing project of China.

Constructed the database of the gene of mushrooms. Developed the big possibility to solve the problems of food and health.