Netherlands vegetable seed developer winsWorld Food Prize10 June 2019, by David Pitt

This Feb 11, 2019 photo provided by World Food PrizeFoundation shows Simon Groot in Amsterdam,Netherlands. The seed developer from the Netherlandscredited with introducing high quality disease-resistantvegetable seeds to more than 60 countries including thePhilippines, Thailand and Indonesia is the 2019 recipientof the World Food Prize. Simon Groot, a sixth generationseedsman, began his search to create better vegetableseeds to help farmers in Southeast Asia in 1981. Groot'saward was announced Monday, June 10, 2019 at theU.S. Department of State. (MarcelBakker/marcelbakker.com via AP)

A seed developer from the Netherlands creditedwith introducing high quality disease-resistantvegetable seeds to more than 60 countries

including the Philippines, Thailand and Indonesiawas awarded the 2019 World Food Prize onMonday.

Simon Groot, a sixth generation seedsman, beganhis search to create better vegetable seeds to helpfarmers in Southeast Asia in 1981 at age 47 afterhis family's company was taken over by a largercorporation.

He had learned 16 years earlier on his first trip toIndonesia that vegetable seeds developed for thetemperate climate of Europe did poorly whenplanted in the tropics. He thought there was a hugeopportunity to introduce hybrid vegetables to theregion, which lacked vegetable seed developersworking to adapt hybrids to the local climate.

"It was neither charity nor business. It was apassion for good seeds," said Groot, now 85. "Ithad always bothered me that I noticed the seedquality in that part of world was so much below ourstandards and below achievable standards and asa seedsman I couldn't stand that the farmers therewere just deprived of decent seeds."

At the time, farmers in Southeast Asia typicallysaved seeds from season to season to plantbecause seeds available for purchase were oftenexpired lots from Europe and North America andpoorly adapted to their climate. They were stuckwith low yields, quality that varied greatly fromseason to season, and plants susceptible to a widevariety of diseases.

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Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, center, greets guestduring the announcement of the World Food PrizeLaureate at the State Department, Monday, June 10,2019. Simon N. Groot of the Netherlands, founder of East-West Seed, will receive the 2019 World Food Prize. (APPhoto/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

Groot partnered with seed trader Benito Domingoof the Philippines and put together a team of seedresearchers and breeders from WageningenUniversity in the Netherlands and the University ofthe Philippines. With a few years, they developed ahybrid bitter gourd that was commerciallysuccessful. They then adapted a tomato variety,followed by eggplants, pumpkins and leafyvegetables.

The early successes led to the creation of the East-West Seed Company, which now has more than970 improved seed varieties of 60 vegetable crops.

Over the past four decades, the innovations led tothe creation of a tropical vegetable seed industrygeared toward small-holder farmers now spreadinginto Asia, Africa and Latin America.

It's estimated that the company's seeds benefit 20million farmers a year in more than 60 countries,said Kenneth Quinn, the former U.S. ambassadorto Vietnam who has been the president of the DesMoines, Iowa-based World Food Prize Foundationsince 2000.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, right, listens asPresident of the World Food Prize Foundation and formerU.S. Ambassador to Cambodia, Kenneth M. Quinn, left,speaks during the announcement of the World FoodPrize Laureate at the State Department, Monday, June10, 2019. Simon N. Groot of the Netherlands, founder ofEast-West Seed, will receive the 2019 World Food Prize.(AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks during theannouncement of the World Food Prize Laureate at theState Department, Monday, June 10, 2019. Simon N.Groot of the Netherlands, founder of East-West Seed, willreceive the 2019 World Food Prize. (AP Photo/PabloMartinez Monsivais)

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Secretary of State Mike Pompeo applauds during theannouncement of the World Food Prize Laureate at theState Department, Monday, June 10, 2019. Simon N.Groot of the Netherlands, founder of East-West Seed, willreceive the 2019 World Food Prize. (AP Photo/PabloMartinez Monsivais)

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stands on stage duringthe announcement of the World Food Prize Laureate atthe State Department, Monday, June 10, 2019. Simon N.Groot of the Netherlands, founder of East-West Seed, willreceive the 2019 World Food Prize. (AP Photo/PabloMartinez Monsivais)

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, left, with President ofthe World Food Prize Foundation and former U.S.Ambassador to Cambodia, Kenneth M. Quinn, right,during the announcement of the World Food PrizeLaureate at the US State Department, Monday, June 10,2019. Simon N. Groot of the Netherlands, founder of East-West Seed, will receive the 2019 World Food Prize. (APPhoto/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, center, with AssistantSecretary of State for Economic and Business AffairsManisha Singh, left, and President of the World FoodPrize Foundation and former U.S. Ambassador toCambodia, Kenneth M. Quinn, right, pose during theannouncement of the World Food Prize Laureate at theState Department, Monday, June 10, 2019. It wasannounced that Simon N. Groot of the Netherlands,founder of East-West Seed, will receive the 2019 WorldFood Prize. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

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"Farmers' daily lives were uplifted and consumersbenefited from greater access to nutritiousvegetables," Quinn said. "You put all those togetherand he's a truly remarkable individual with worthyaccomplishments that should be recognized."

Groot's award was announced during a ceremonyat the U.S. Department of State hosted bySecretary of State Mike Pompeo.

"The remarkable improvements made in thesetropical vegetable seeds helped small farmers indeveloping nations produce more food andimportantly get more income for themselves andtheir families curbing hunger and stimulatingeconomic growth wherever these seeds went,"Pompeo said.

Groot will receive the $250,000 World Food Prizeduring an Oct. 17 award ceremony at the IowaCapitol.

Nobel Peace Prize laureate Norman Borlaugcreated the prize in 1986 to recognize scientistsand others who have improved the quality andavailability of food.

© 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.APA citation: Netherlands vegetable seed developer wins World Food Prize (2019, June 10) retrieved 11May 2022 from https://phys.org/news/2019-06-netherlands-vegetable-seed-world-food.html

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