Source: Tom Phillips, 785-532-6154, twp1@k-state.edu

Wednesday, Oct. 6, 2010

PRESIDENT OF INTERNATIONAL FUND FOR AGRICULTURE TO VISIT K-STATE

MANHATTAN -- The president of the International Fund for Agriculture will visit Kansas State University Oct. 7 and 8.

Kanayo F. Nwanze will receive a Distinguished Alumnus Award from the department of entomology. He also will present the seminar "Role of Agricultural Research in International Food Security" at 1:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 8, in the Town Hall Room of the Leadership Studies Building. The seminar is free and open to the public.

Nwanze has served as the fifth President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development since April 2009. A Nigerian national, he has a strong record as an advocate and leader of change. He has more than 30 years of experience across three continents in poverty reduction through agriculture, rural development and research.

Under Nwanze's leadership, the International Fund for Agricultural Development has stepped up its advocacy efforts to ensure that agriculture is a central part of the international development agenda, and that the concerns and needs of small farmers and other poor rural people are recognized by governments around the world. In recognition of Nwanze's intellectual leadership on issues of food security, he was asked to chair the World Economic Forum's Global Agenda Council on Food Security in 2010.

Prior to joining the international agency, Nwanze was director-general of the Africa Rice Center for a decade, and was instrumental in introducing and promoting New Rice for Africa -- a high-yield, drought- and pest-resistant rice variety developed specifically for the African landscape. He also transformed the center from a West African association to a national organization with an international reputation for excellence. He has served in senior positions at a number of research centers affiliated with the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research in Africa and Asia, or CGIAR, and he was instrumental in the establishment of the Alliance of CGIAR Centers.

Nwanze earned a bachelor's in agricultural science from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, in 1971, and a master's in 1973 and doctorate in 1975, both in entomology, from K-State. He has published extensively, is a member of several scientific associations and has served on the executive boards of various institutions.

"Dr. Nwanze's achievements and impact point to his personal drive to serve and also to the ability of K-State to train professionals who are equipped to do great things locally and internationally," said Tom Phillips, professor and head of the department of entomology.

Nwanze's seminar will be followed by a reception to meet friends, guests and colleagues.