b"YUAN LONGPING (1930 - 2021) - CHINESE AGRONOMISTHe graduated from Southwest Agricultural College in 1953. In the 1960s, after reading of similar research that was underway successfully in maize and sorghum, Longping took on the task of hybridizing rice to increase its yield. After finding a few individuals of male-sterile, he subsequently proved that production of hybrid rice was possible. Longpings discovery increased rice yields by 20%. At present, around 50% of China's total number of rice paddies grow Longping's hybrid rice, and these hybrid rice paddies yield 60% of the total rice production in China. Hybrid rice now feeds about 70 million more people annually. Since he was the first scientist to successfully alter the self-pollinating characteristics of rice to allow for large-scale hybrid rice pro-RICHARD KEITH DOWNEY,duction, Longping is known as the father (1927 - TODAY) - CANADIANof hybrid rice. Hybrid rice has since been AGRICULTURAL SCIENTISTgrown in dozens of countries in Africa, As one of the originators of canola,America, and Asiaboosting food secu-he became known as the Father ofrity and providing a robust food source in Canola. In 1951 he started workingareas with a high risk of famine.for Agriculture Canada, becoming in 1993 a Senior Research Scientist Emeritus. In 1993, he started his ownMONTY JONES (1951TODAY)firm and is president of CanoglobeSIERRA LEONE PLANT BREEDER Consulting Inc.Jones began his career at the Rice He worked with BaldurResearch station in Sierra Leone, where Stefansson to develop a variety ofhe worked as a breeder for 13 years. In rapeseed that could be used as an1991, Jones became the principal breeder edible oil. This is known as canolaof the West Africa Rice Development and is one of Canadas top edible oilsAssociation (WARDA), now known as and one of the largest oilseed cropsAfricaRice Centre. There, he was head of in the world. He is the breeder andthe team that successfully crossed the co-breeder of 13 rapeseed/canolaAsian and African rice species (Oryza varieties and five condiment mustardsativa and Oryza glaberrima), resulting in varieties. the high-yielding NERICA variety. He did In 1998, Downey Street at athis in collaboration with fellow African research and development park inscientists and other scientists from Saskatoon was named in his honor.Asia, Europe and the US. The NERICA Throughout his career he receivedvariety is bred for conditions in Africa numerous honors and awards,with the ability to resist weeds, survive including the 1997 Recognitiondroughts and thrive in poor soils. It is Award of the Canadian Seed Tradea crop capable of increasing farmers Association, in 2002 the Canadianharvests by 25 to 250 per cent. Jones Agricultural Hall of Fame and in therice stands to benefit 20 million farmers same year the Queen Elizabeth IIand 240 million consumers in West Africa Golden Jubilee Medal alone. Together with Longping he won the 2004 World Food Prize during the International Year of Rice declared by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. DECEMBER 2022SEEDWORLD.COM /45"