This year’s World Food Prize Laureate is credited for leading a global food safety movement.
Huub Lelieveld, a scientist from the Netherlands, spent decades bringing together researchers, policymakers and industry leaders to strengthen food safety standards around the world.
Lelieveld tells Brownfield his passion for food safety began at a young age.
“I started being in food production when I was 3 years old,” he said. “Worked with my father out in the food factory and it was shortly after the war.”
Lelieveld founded the Global Harmonization Initiative in 2004 to bring together scientists and food safety experts from around the world and promote science-based standards for the safe movement of food. His work helped prevent millions of cases of foodborne illness while making it easier to move food across borders and deliver humanitarian aid.
He says winning the World Food Prize is a prestigious honor.
“First of all, I was amazed and surprised,” Lelieveld said. “It’s amazing. Overwhelming.”
The World Food Prize was established in 1986 by Iowa native Dr. Norman E. Borlaug, whose work to boost wheat production in developing countries earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970.
Lelieveld is the 57th World Food Prize Laureate and will receive $500,000 as part of the award.
