The World Food Prize Foundation

What The World Food Prize Foundation does

The World Food Prize Foundation is a private, nonprofit charitable organization established in 1990 by Iowa businessman John Ruan, Sr. to serve as the permanent organizational home for the World Food Prize, which was created in 1986 by Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Dr. Norman E. Borlaug. Headquartered at 100 Locust Street in Des Moines, Iowa, the foundation's core product is the World Food Prize, a $250,000 annual award recognizing individuals who have advanced the quality, quantity, or availability of food in the world; it is widely described as the "Nobel Prize for Agriculture and Food." The foundation operates an award portfolio that includes the Borlaug Field Award (for researchers under 40, endowed by The Rockefeller Foundation), the Norman Borlaug Medallion, the Top Agri-food Pioneers list, and the Robert D. Ray Iowa SHARES Award, alongside youth awards and the Innovate for Impact Challenge.

The foundation's business model is donation-funded: it is a 501(c)-style nonprofit that does not publicly disclose revenue and does not generate product revenue, instead operating on charitable contributions and endowments. Its go-to-market centers on the annual Norman E. Borlaug International Dialogue (over 1,400 participants from 65+ countries) and the newer DialogueNEXT regional events (Mexico 2024, India 2025, Africa 2026), which together convene scientists, policymakers, agribusiness leaders, and youth. Distribution of programs spans the global Borlaug Dialogue, the Global Youth Institute, the Borlaug-Ruan International Internship placing students at international research centers, the USDA Wallace-Carver Fellowship, and public tours of the LEED Platinum-certified Hall of Laureates building in Des Moines.

Underlying technology is non-proprietary and limited to standard nonprofit communications infrastructure (website, podcast, email, social media, virtual event platforms like Accelevents). The organization holds no patents or trademarks in its portfolio. Partnerships form a key operational layer, with active co-development relationships with CGIAR and its constituent centers (ILRI, ICIPE, CIMMYT, the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, the International Potato Center, IRRI, WorldFish), One Acre Fund, Hello Tractor, and AGRA. Leadership comprises Tom Vilsack (CEO), Mashal Husain (President), and Ambassador Kenneth Quinn (President Emeritus), with governance by a Board of Directors and a Council of Advisors.

Name

The World Food Prize Foundation

Legal name

The World Food Prize Foundation

Website

https://worldfoodprize.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The World Food Prize Foundation is a private nonprofit that awards the $250,000 World Food Prize, known as the Nobel Prize for Agriculture, and runs the annual Borlaug Dialogue, regional DialogueNEXT events, and youth food-security education programs for scientists, policymakers, and students worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Awards and Food Security Recognition

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Museums (712110)

akta.pro primary industry

Nutrition & Food Security (Global Health) NGOs (HLAJAKAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Agriculture, Food & Nutrition Congresses (THAHAJAI), Foundation/NGO & Philanthropic Scholarships (EDAIAOAH)

Keywords

• Food security awards
• Agricultural recognition programs
• Youth agriculture education
• International food dialogue
• Agricultural innovation events

Headquarters

HQ city

Des Moines

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The World Food Prize Foundation administers the $250,000 World Food Prize and other awards (Borlaug Field Award, Norman Borlaug Medallion, Top Agri-food Pioneers, Educator Award, Robert D. Ray Iowa SHARES Award, Youth Awards) recognizing individuals who advance the quality, quantity, and availability of food in the world. It convenes the annual Norman E. Borlaug International Dialogue in Des Moines and regional DialogueNEXT events, and operates youth education programs including the Global Youth Institute, Borlaug-Ruan International Internship, and USDA Wallace-Carver Fellowship. The foundation also manages the LEED Platinum-certified Hall of Laureates building in Des Moines as a venue for exhibits, tours, and events.

Product overview

The World Food Prize Foundation operates a portfolio of interconnected programs centered on recognizing excellence in global food security and agricultural innovation. The core offerings include the World Food Prize award (the 'Nobel Prize of Food and Agriculture') and the Borlaug Field Award for young researchers. The Foundation convenes major dialogue platforms including the annual Norman E. Borlaug International Dialogue in Des Moines and the regional DialogueNEXT events. Its youth programming includes the Global Youth Institute, Borlaug-Ruan International Internship, and USDA Wallace-Carver Fellowship. The organization also manages the Hall of Laureates building, operates the Iowa Hunger Summit, and produces the World Food Prize Podcast. Together, these programs connect global leaders, researchers, policymakers, and youth to advance sustainable food systems worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Norman E. Borlaug International Dialogue: The annual premier global platform bringing together scientists, agribusiness leaders, and executives to foster collaboration and innovation in addressing global hunger.
• DialogueNEXT
• World Food Prize Youth Programs

Products and services

• World Food Prize The flagship annual award of $250,000 recognizing individual achievements that have advanced the quality, quantity, or availability of food in the world, often called the Nobel Prize of Food and Agriculture. Awarded annually since 1987.
• Borlaug Field Award

Quantifiable outcome

• The foundation has recognized laureates from countries including Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Cuba, Denmark, Ethiopia, India, Mexico, Sierra Leone, Switzerland, UK, UN, and USA
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• AGRA (Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa)majorOthers · 30 June 2026AGRA received the Norman E. Borlaug Medallion in 2026 in recognition of twenty years of work supporting smallholder farmers across the African continent. The award acknowledges AGRA's role in building the systems, partnerships and farmer networks that underpin African food security.
• International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 June 2026ILRI is hosting field visits as part of the DialogueNEXT Africa immersion events, showcasing African agricultural innovations. The organization is led by Appolinaire Djikeng, a 2024 Top Agri-food Pioneer.
• International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 June 2026ICIPE is hosting field visits as part of the DialogueNEXT Africa immersion events. Dennis Beesigamukama, a 2024 Borlaug Field Award recipient, is a Postdoctoral Fellow at ICIPE.
• CIMMYT (International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 June 2026CIMMYT is hosting field visits as part of the DialogueNEXT Africa immersion events. The organization is a key partner in CGIAR's global agricultural research network.
• Alliance of Bioversity International and CIATcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 June 2026The Alliance is hosting field visits as part of DialogueNEXT Africa immersion events. Wanjiru Kamau-Rutenberg, Managing Director for Africa at the Alliance, was named a 2026 Top Agri-food Pioneer.
• International Potato CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 June 2026The International Potato Center is hosting field visits as part of the DialogueNEXT Africa immersion events. Joyce Maru is the Regional Director for Africa at the center.
• WorldFishminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 June 2026WorldFish is participating in the DialogueNEXT Africa immersion events, showcasing African agricultural innovations.
• International Rice Research Institute (IRRI)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 June 2026IRRI is participating in the DialogueNEXT Africa immersion events, showcasing research innovations.
• CGIARcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCGIAR is a global partnership engaged in research about crops, agriculture, climate change, and nutrition. Sandra Cristina Kothe Milach serves as Chief Scientist of CGIAR and participated in DialogueNEXT Africa.
• One Acre FundminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEric Pohlman, 2015 Borlaug Field Award recipient and CEO/Co-founder of One Acre Fund, participated in DialogueNEXT Africa to discuss agricultural innovations.
• Hello TractorminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJehiel Oliver, 2024 Top Agri-food Pioneer and Founder/CEO of Hello Tractor, participated in DialogueNEXT Africa. Hello Tractor provides technology solutions for smallholder farmers.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/worldfoodprize
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/WorldFoodPrize
• Facebookfacebook.com/worldfoodprize
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-world-food-prize-foundation

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about The World Food Prize Foundation