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CGIAR
2004 Science Awards
Every year, CGIAR science and communication awards
celebrate scientific excellence in the global battle
against hunger, poverty, and environmental degradation.
"Bridging the world of high science and applying
it to problems faced by poor farmers is our principal
objective," said Ian Johnson, CGIAR Chairman and
World Bank Vice President for Sustainable Development.
"This year's awards once again demonstrate the
power of science in improving the incomes and livelihoods
of poor farmers worldwide and protecting our environment."
Science Awards
Winner of Young Scientist
Award: P. Lava Kumar, ICRISAT |
P. Lava Kumar of ICRISAT received
the Young Scientist Award for identifying
the agent that causes sterility mosaic disease in
pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan), a hardy leguminous plant
grown by hundreds of thousands of poor farmers in
Asia and Africa. Sterility mosaic disease is a widespread
problem that drastically cuts pigeonpea yields,
causing more than $300 million in crop losses. The
harvested pods are a cheap source of vegetable protein
for millions of poor consumers, and the leaves are
an important source of fodder for livestock. By
planting pigeonpea, farmers are able to improve
soil health because the roots trap nitrogen. Mr.
Kumar received a cash prize of $5,000. |
Winner of Outstanding Scientist
Award: Brian Perry, ILRI |
Brian Perry of ILRI received
the Outstanding Scientist Award for innovative
work on the dynamics and control of tick-borne diseases
of livestock that has led to improved methods of
controlling these diseases at both farm and national
levels. Livestock are central to the lives and livelihoods
of 70 percent of the world's poor people. His research
has been instrumental in developing pathways out
of poverty for poor farmers who depend on livestock
for food, income, and nutrition security in Africa
and beyond. The award carried a cash prize of $5,000. |
| Outstanding Partnership Award went to Community-based
Fisheries Management, a partnership coordinated
by WorldFish Center in Bangladesh that empowers
communities by providing them with knowledge so
they can make better-informed decisions on the sustainable
use and management of the fisheries. Under the project
cooperative relationships coordinated by WorldFish
Center have grown to include 11 NGOs and private
organizations, and more than 23,000 households living
near 113 water bodies in Bangladesh. Anisul Islam
of Bangladesh received a $10,000 cash prize on behalf
of the team. |
| Christine Casal and the team
at WorldFish Center won the Outstanding Scientific
Support Award for developing FishBase, an internationally
recognized premier database and information system
on the world's fisheries. The team comprised biologists,
computer programmers and web developers, and has
produced over 50 publications, posters and presentations
and delivered capacity-strengthening courses. The
award carried a cash prize of $10,000. |
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| Marta Vasconcelos, IRRI (and
eight co-authors) won the Outstanding Scientific
Article Award for their article "Enhanced
iron and zinc accumulation in transgenic rice with
the ferritin gene" published in Plant Science.
The report shows the potential of using rice to
deliver improved nutrition to millions of poor rice
consumers. Such research may help address iron deficiency
anemia that afflicts billions of people worldwide.
The award carried a cash prize of $5,000. |
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| The prestigious 2004 CGIAR King Baudouin Award
was won by the Rice-Wheat Consortium of the Indo-Gangetic
Plains (led by CIMMYT) for combining their efforts
in promoting conservation agriculture benefiting
large numbers of farm families in the Indo-Gangetic
plains of South Asia. Thanks to the efforts of the
consortium and partners, zero tillage is now practiced
on over 1.3 million hectares lowering land preparation
costs and increasing farmer incomes. |
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In 2003 alone, farmers
in India and Pakistan derived $100 million in net
estimated benefits. The consortium is helping farmers
to plant different crops such as quality protein
maize, pigeonpea, mungbean, chickpea, lentil, faba
beans, potatoes and vegetables for increasing incomes
and household nutrition security. |
| Mangala Rai accepts the
CGIAR King Baudouin Award on behalf of the CIMMYT-led
Rice-Wheat Consortium of the Indo-Gangetic Plains.
Looking on is Raj Gupta, facilitator of the Consortium.
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Communication Awards
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 Natasha
Loder won the Outstanding Journalism Award
for her article "The Promise of a Blue Revolution"
published in The Economist on August 9, 2003.
Her article demonstrated how aquaculture could
meet the world's rising demand for fish without
ruining the environment, and helped raise global
awareness on this critical topic. The award carries
with it a small travel grant.
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 Hezekiah
Muriuki, Kenyan Department of Agriculture, received
the Outstanding Communications Award given to
Smallholder Dairy Project, jointly implemented by
ILRI, Kenyan Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries
Development, and the Kenyan Agricultural Research
Institute (KARI). The project developed an innovative
communication strategy that helped raise awareness
among key policymakers about strategic and pro-poor
issues in reforming East Africa's dairy sector.
The award carried a cash prize of $5,000. |
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