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 per cent. At present, around 50 per cent of China's total number of rice paddies grow Longping's hybrid rice, and these hybrid rice paddies yield 60 per cent 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 production, Longping is known as the father of hybrid rice. Hybrid rice has since been grown in dozens of countries in Africa, RICHARD KEITH DOWNEY,America, and Asiaboosting food (1927 - TODAY) - CANADIANsecurity and providing a robust food AGRICULTURAL SCIENTISTsource in areas with a high risk of famine.As one of the originators of canola, he became known as the Father of Canola. In 1951 he started working for AgricultureMONTY JONES (1951TODAY)Canada, becoming in 1993 aSIERRA LEONE PLANT BREEDER Senior Research Scientist Emeritus.Jones began his career at the Rice In 1993, he started his own firmResearch station in Sierra Leone, and is president of Canoglobewhere he worked as a breeder for Consulting Inc.13 years. In 1991, Jones became the He worked with Baldurprincipal breeder of the West Africa Stefansson to develop a varietyRice Development Association (WARDA), of rapeseed that could be usednow known as AfricaRice Centre. as an edible oil. This is known asThere, he was head of the team that canola and is one of Canadas topsuccessfully crossed the Asian and edible oils and one of the largestAfrican rice species (Oryza sativa and oilseed crops in the world. He isOryza glaberrima), resulting in the the breeder and co-breeder of 13high-yielding NERICA variety. He did rapeseed/canola varieties andthis in collaboration with fellow African five condiment mustard varieties. scientists and other scientists from Asia, In 1998, Downey Street atEurope and the US. The NERICA variety a research and developmentis bred for conditions in Africa with the park in Saskatoon was namedability to resist weeds, survive droughts in his honour. Throughout hisand thrive in poor soils. It is a crop career he received numerouscapable of increasing farmers harvests honours and awards, includingby 25 to 250 per cent. Jones rice stands the 1997 Recognition Award of theto benefit 20 million farmers and 240 Canadian Seed Trade Association,million consumers in West Africa alone. in 2002 the Canadian AgriculturalTogether with Longping he won the 2004 Hall of Fame and in the same yearWorld Food Prize during the International the Queen Elizabeth II GoldenYear of Rice declared by the Food and Jubilee Medal Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. EUROPEAN-SEED.COMIEUROPEAN SEED I 29"