Mr. Sunny Verghese, Co-founder and Group CEO of Olam
Olam has announced the opening of entries for the second International Olam Prize for Innovation in Food Security, setting off another hunt for potentially ground-breaking scientific research into food security, which could revolutionarise the agricultural industry.
First launched in 2014 by global agri-business leader, Olam International, in conjunction with its highly respected scientific partner, Agropolis Fondation, the Olam Prize for Innovation in Food Security recognises an innovative scientific research project for its potential impact on the availability, affordability, accessibility and adequacy of food.
The winning research project for the 2016/2017 edition will receive $50,000 unrestricted funding to support its further development.
The laureates may also have the opportunity to work with Olam to develop the practical application of their innovation with the company, whose expertise in agricultural supply chain spans 47 products in 70 countries.
Sunny Verghese, Co-Founder and Group CEO at Olam, said: “Despite being a global agri-business, we do not have all the answers as to how we are going to feed more than 1 billion extra people by 2030.
But there are research teams across the world that are uncovering new insights and techniques every day. Through this prize, we hope to support and scale-up a breakthrough innovation that will ultimately prevent people going to bed hungry without depleting our natural resources.”
Applications are welcomed from research projects in nutrition science, plant science, soil science, agricultural sciences or other field of scientific research, impacting food security.
Academic or research institutions, civil society organisations and the private sector can submit research anywhere in the world and focused on innovation for food security in developed and/or developing countries and any part of the agricultural supply chain.
The Olam Prize will be judged by an independent jury of 12 experts and awarded in conjunction with the Agropolis Louis Malassis International Scientific Prizes for Agriculture and Food.
The deadline for submission of applications is 11:59pm (CET) on January 25, 2017.