To: UAS List 
Subject: World Food Prize and Nobel Prize


This week has been unusually good for Indians.

I am sure some economists in this group be able to summarize Amartya Sen's
contributions especially in the "development economics" field. What is his
greatest contribution? One thing I knew was he has changed the way world
bank consideres the developmental crieteria.

Some more info on World food prize.

-Dinakar

WASHINGTON (AP)  A small-town Indian farmer who built his country's
largest seed distribution company will receive the 1998 World Food Prize,
donors announced Tuesday.

The $250,000 prize, which in 12 years has become the top international
award recognizing contributions to the world food supply, is to be
presented formally to B.R. Barwale in Des Moines, Iowa, on Thursday.

``Today, I am a man with a suit and tie, but basically I'm a simple Indian
farmer from a small town'' of Mumbai, India, said the 67-year-old Barwale,
who still lives on the family farm there.

Prize founder Norman E. Borlaug, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970 for
his work in developing high-yielding grain, introduced Barwale at a news
conference.

Barwale is chairman of Maharashtra Hybrid Seeds Co. The company, known as
Mahyco, is the world's largest producer of hybrid cottonseed and, with its
production of more than 300 varieties of rice, wheat, corn, sorghum and
other seeds, has contributed to India's becoming food self-sufficient in
recent years. It sells seeds to farmers throughout India and plans to
expand into Africa.

The World Food Prize is awarded annually by the private World Food Prize
Foundation based at Iowa State University College of Agriculture in Ames,
Iowa.

``B.R. Barwale has dedicated his life to improving agricultural
productivity in India,'' said John Ruan, an Iowa trucking company owner
who has endowed the prize and oversees the foundation.

``His vision to see the private sector take the lead in India's seed
industry has literally transformed the country's food production system.
His achievements serve as a great example to other developing nations
striving to become food self-sufficient,'' said Ruan.

Elizabeth Dole, head of the American Red Cross, praised Barwale for his
work in staving off hunger, saying, ``My heart goes out to families who
watch helplessly as their children fail to thrive.''

Barwale said it is ``absolutely possible'' to feed India's population,
which will soon exceed 1 billion.

But Borlaug said this will depend on how rapidly the population grows. He
also said it will be easier for India and Africa to increase food
production than for northern areas of China, where the climate does not
allow multiple crops per year.

Since 1986, the World Food Prize has honored individuals for vital
contributions to improving the quality, quantity or availability of food.
Previous winners include Dr. M.S. Swaminathan, architect of India's
``Green Revolution'' (1987); He Kang, former Minister of Agriculture in
China (1993), and Dr. Muhammad Yunus, founder of the Grameen Bank in
Bangladesh (1994).