Gordon Conway and Katy Wilson from Ag4Impact took part in the annual World Food Prize ceremony in Des Moines, Iowa

The World Food Prize - 2012 Borlaug Dialogue 

From 17th-19th October, Gordon Conway and Katy Wilson from Ag4Impact attended the annual World Food Prize ceremony in Des Moines, Iowa - the home of Norman Borlaug, the father of the Green Revolution.  

This years theme was 'Partnerships & Priorities: Transforming the Global Food Security Agenda' which asked several critical questions:

• What are some of the lessons learned from past partnerships?
• Where do we want to be and how do we best leverage partnerships to get there?
• How is the traditional food security agenda being transformed with new models of collaboration around the world?

Beginning Wednesday, Oct. 17, the three-day dialogue addressed the questions above by exploring topics such as:

• Setting the Stage – What will a future landscape of a hungry world look like and how will we feed it sustainably? 
• Water and Environment – How can agriculture become a part of the conservation solution and not the problem?
• Feeding Capacity – Studying past successes and future opportunities for academia to influence the global conversation
• Nutrition Value – Integrating nutrition across the entire value chain from production to consumer
• Working Capital – Leveraging global financial tools to empower smallholder farmers and entrepreneurs
• Measuring Success – From stockholder to smallholder, what are the common indicators for a successful partnership? 
• Game Change – Emerging technologies shaping the future of food & agricultural development
• Waste Not, Want Not – Increased productivity is only one part of the food security equation. What are the advancements in minimizing waste in the supply chain, especially in post-harvest loss?
• Spread the Word – The role of the media in informing the public and bringing food security issues to the forefront

These and other critical issues were explored through keynote presentations and lively and engaging "conversation" sessions which featured the expertise and diverse perspectives of governmental leaders, policymakers, CEOs and executives from agribusiness and NGOs, scientific and academic experts, development leaders and young leaders from around the world.

Watch Gordon speakng here 

Gordon also launched his new book 'One Billion Hungry: Can We Feed the World' at a side event within the margins of the World Food Prize.  A full write up of this launch will be available shortly.

For more information and photos of the event, go to the World Food Prize website.