The World Food Prize is awarded for a specific, exceptionally significant, individual achievement that advances human development with a demonstrable increase in the quantity, quality, availability of, or access to food through creative interventions at any point within the full scope of the food system.

The Prize recognizes achievements made by individuals working in every part of the world, representing the diversity of the global food and nutrition security community. The Prize aims to give due recognition to individuals of diverse geographic areas, as well as gender, age, race and ethnicity.

Nomination Criteria

Fields of achievement include, but are not limited to: soil and land; plant and animal science; food science and technology; nutrition; rural development; marketing; food processing, packaging and storage; water and the environment; natural resource conservation; physical infrastructure; transportation and distribution; special or extraordinary feeding programs; social organization and poverty elimination; economics and finance; policy analysis and implementation; and public advocacy.

• This exceptionally significant achievement must be shown to have resulted in a demonstrable increase in the quantity, quality, availability of, or access to food for a large number of people.
• The impact of this achievement must be measurable, quantifiable, or otherwise demonstrated either in terms of reduced poverty, hunger, or suffering; or enhanced health, nutrition, quality of life and well-being.
• It must be clearly shown that this increase in food security was the direct result of the specific actions and activities of the nominee; i.e., without his or her specific accomplishment, no change would have occurred.
• A nominee must be living and in sufficiently good health to attend the World Food Prize Award Ceremony. The nominee must be able to give an acceptance speech and agree to participate in selected media events and the World Food Prize Global Youth Institute at the time of the Award Ceremony.
• The Prize is intended to be awarded to one person. In exceptional circumstances where an additional person (or persons) has collaborated in an indispensable way, more than one person may be included in the nomination. However, it must be demonstrated conclusively that each person contributed in an essential way, and that without each individual’s contribution, no achievement would have been possible. The World Food Prize Selection Committee will determine whether a joint nomination meets these criteria, and in cases where it judges this standard has not been met, to limit the number of persons being considered.

Eligible Period: Nominees remain eligible for consideration for a three-year period, starting with the year of submission. Nominators are encouraged to provide updated information during this period. After this three-year time frame, a completely new nomination must be submitted in order for the nominee to continue to be considered. The Selection Committee may decide to extend the eligibility period for nominations deemed worthy of further consideration.

Eligibility Criteria

• Any academic institution, private or public organization, or governmental unit may submit a nomination for the World Food Prize. Any such entity may submit as many nominations as it sees fit.
• All nominations are confidential, and the identities of the nominators and the nominating organization are kept in strict confidence. Individuals may generate nominations, but the nomination must be endorsed by, and submitted through, an academic institution, private or public organization, or governmental unit. Self-nominations will not be considered.

Selection Criteria

• The World Food Prize Secretariat assists the Selection Committee by reviewing all nominations for appropriateness and completeness and then forwarding them to the Selection Committee.
• The Selection Committee then reviews the nominations and recommends the recipient and first alternate it deems most worthy for the award based on the Prize criteria. Recommendations are forwarded through the President of the Foundation to the Foundation’s Chairman of the Board of Directors and Council of Advisors for final approval.

For more information, visit World Food Prize Foundation.