Hyderabad, India – In recognition of his relentless efforts to improve the livelihoods of poor smallholder farmers is Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, Dr William Dar, Director General of the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), was conferred the prestigious Federation of Asian Biotech Associations (FABA) Special Award 2014.Dr Dar was chosen by a team of global experts to receive this honor for his notable contributions to science and sustainable agriculture, and his transformational leadership at ICRISAT that turned the institute into a forward-looking global center of excellence. His institutional innovations in agricultural biotechnology, genomics, and agribusiness incubation and in fostering public-private partnerships, guided by the strategic framework of Inclusive Market-Oriented Development (IMOD), have led to significant impacts in the dryland tropics of Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.
The award was presented to Dr Dar by Nobel Laureate and eminent German virologist Dr Harald zur Hausen, during the Valedictory Ceremony of the BioAsia 2014 on 19 February at the Hyderabad International Convention Center, Hyderabad.
“I dedicate this award to the smallholder farmers of Asia and sub-Saharan Africa,” Dr Dar said in his acceptance speech at the event.
“I have been ICRISAT’s servant-leader for the last 14 years, during which we have strived to translate high-end science into development and economic opportunities for smallholder farmers. In the past few years, we have also elevated the game of agribusiness science. Almost 75% of the hybrid products of crops such as sorghum, millet and pigeonpea in the Indian market are coming from ICRISAT germplasm and breeding materials. At ICRISAT, we reinvent ourselves and innovate to efficiently contribute to the economic prosperity of smallholder farmers,” Dr Dar added.
ICRISAT is currently mentoring and handholding 200 agribusinesses throughout India with support from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). While the success rate of agribusiness incubation across the world remains at 20%, ICRISAT has managed to succeed to the level of 80%.
Sharing valuable insights with the dignitaries and participants at the event, Dr Dar said, “India, in order to be the global leader, must invest in and strengthen genome science in terms of agriculture. This will help improve the health and living standards of the poor people and feed the country’s growing population.”
ICRISAT is a global leader in genomic science in agriculture, currently leading the genome sequencing of pigeonpea, chickpea and pearl millet.
The ‘FABA Special Award’ was instituted in 2010, to recognize and honor eminent personalities for their significant contributions to bio-technology and life sciences. FABA is a non- profit registered organization under the Indian Societies Act, formed in 2005 with the objective of creating a common platform for development of biotechnology across the globe particularly in the Asian countries. BioAsia: The Global Biobusiness Forum is an annual international event offering a platform for convergence of the business leaders, policy makers and investors. – Press Release
