In recognition of his relentless efforts to improve the livelihoods of poor smallholder farmers in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, Dr. William Dar, Director General of the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), was conferred the prestigious Agriculture Leadership Award 2014 at the Seventh Agriculture Leadership Summit, held in New Delhi recently. Under the chairmanship of Prof. M.S. Swaminathan, the national organising committee of the Agriculture Leadership Awards 2014 conferred the honour on Dr Dar, according to a release here by ICRISAT.
“The survival of one billion people will depend upon us finding answers to hunger, poverty and malnutrition. I humbly dedicate this Life Time Achievement Award to the smallholder farmers of Asia and sub-Saharan Africa,” Dr. Dar said after receiving the award.
Dr. Dar now joins an illustrious list of past recipients of the award who include - Dr. Verghese Kurien, the Father of India’s White Revolution, Dr. R.S. Paroda, former Director General of the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR), Dr. R.B. Singh, Chancellor of the Central Agriculture University, Dr. Prem Lal Gautam, Chairperson, Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Authority, and Dr. Amrita Patel, Chair, National Dairy Development Board.
