Dikhyaa Mohanty 
Odisha can be happy that Dr. Swati Nayak, a scientist from the state, would receive the renowned Norman Borlaug Field Award, 2023, in Des Moines, Iowa, the following month. Her selection as the prize’s laureate was revealed by the World Food Prize Foundation on September 19 during New York Climate Week. The prize is granted to outstanding scientists under the age of 40 who seek to end poverty and provide food security, as well as those who demonstrate the traits that made Dr. Norman Borlaug, the Nobel Peace Prize winner and leader of the Green Revolution, stand out.
The foundation has hailed Nayak, who is currently serving as the South Asia Regional Lead for Seed System and Product Management at the Manila-based CGIAR- International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), as a champion of inclusive agricultural extension and technology transfer, essential for equitably bridging the gap between scientific advancements and tangible benefits on farmers’ fields.
She champions rural innovation models that prioritize sustainable farming practices and business growth. She has received widespread praise for her skillful leadership in validating and expanding participatory field research and extension methodologies, and national institutions have extensively copied her work. She is a trailblazer in extension and field research and an inspiration to a lot of individuals, particularly women, who are following in her footsteps.
She will be the first person from Odisha and the third Indian to win this renowned honor. A scientist from the nation has been chosen for the honor for the second year in a row. The prize winner for 2022 was Dr. Mahalingam Govindaraj, Senior Scientist for Crop Development with HarvestPlus at Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT.
