(Des Moines, IA) -- An Ohio State University Professor of soil science has been awarded the 2020 World Food Prize. Dr. Rattan Lal has earned global acclaim for his research into protecting and improving soil quality, while at the same time encouraging conservation. The Des Moines-based World Food Prize opted for a virtual award ceremony this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The 2020 World Food Prize award to me is recognition of the importance of protecting and restoring health of the finite and fragile soil resources through sequestration of soil organic carbon by adoption of conservation-effective measures,” said Lal.
Dr. Lal is being recognized for promoting innovative soil-saving techniques benefiting the livelihoods of more than 500 million smallholder farmers, improving the food and nutritional security of more than two billion people and saving hundreds of millions of hectares of natural tropical ecosystems.