Daniel Hillel

Dr. Daniel Hillel is the winner of the 2012 World Food Prize. He was awarded for conceiving and implementing micro-irrigation in arid and dry land regions. He has pioneered a method of bringing water to crops in arid land regions. World Food Prize was established in 1987 by Nobel Peace Prize winner and Green Revolution champion Norman Borlaug, for pioneering a “radically innovative way of bringing water to crops in arid and dry-land regions.” Dr. Hillel will be formally presented with the $250,000 award in October in Des Moines, Iowa.

Indians who won the World Food Prize

• In 1987, Prof. M.S. Swaminathan for Introducing high-yielding wheat and rice varieties to India starting India’s Green Revolution.
• In 1989, Dr. Verghese Kurien who turned the milksheds of India into the Amul cooperatives that produce, process, and market milk in the urban centres of that country.
• In 1996, Dr. Gurdev Khush with Dr. Henry Beachell, for developing "miracle rice" varieties that doubled rice production in Asia since their development.
• In 1998, Dr. B.R. Barwale, the Founder of independent seed company Mahyco, strengthening seed supply and distribution throughout India.
• In 2000, Dr. Surinder K. Vasal with Dr. Evangelina Villegas, for developing high quality protein maize (QPM).
• In 2005, Dr. Modadugu Vijay Gupta for evelopment and dissemination of low-cost techniques for freshwater fish farming (using tilapia species) by the rural poor.