Two individuals awarded World Food Prize for their efforts in safeguarding crucial seeds in an Arctic Circle storage facility

Cary Fowler and Geoffrey Hawtin, the masterminds behind the creation of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, have been named the 2024 World Food Prize laureates for their groundbreaking work in safeguarding the world’s agricultural diversity. The announcement was made on Thursday in Washington, with the winners set to receive the prestigious award this fall in Des Moines, Iowa.

Fowler, the U.S. special envoy for Global Food Security, and Hawtin, an agricultural scientist from the UK, will split a $500,000 award for their efforts in establishing the seed vault, which now houses 1.25 million seed samples from almost every country in the world. The seed vault, located on a Norwegian island in the Arctic Circle, was designed to protect crop seeds from political upheaval and environmental changes.

The importance of seed vaults in ensuring the viability of agricultural crops, especially in the face of a changing climate, cannot be overstated. Fowler and Hawtin’s vision and dedication to this cause have had a direct impact on addressing hunger around the world, as highlighted by Secretary of State Antony Blinken during the announcement of their award.

In an interview, Fowler reflected on the initial skepticism surrounding the idea of a seed vault in Norway, calling it “the craziest idea anybody ever had.” However, with the increasing threats posed by climate change, the need for a secure backup seed vault has become more pressing than ever.

Fowler and Hawtin hope that their recognition as World Food Prize laureates will help raise awareness and funding for seed bank endowments worldwide. As they continue to advocate for the importance of these operations in ensuring a plentiful food supply for future generations, their work serves as a reminder of the critical role that agricultural diversity plays in global food security.