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.
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.
