The Rotary Club of Madras East on 8th August 2019 presented the MS Swaminathan Award for Environment Protection to President of the World Food Prize Foundation, Mr. Kenneth M Quinn.
The award was given to Mr. Quinn for his immense contribution to global food security and sustainability.
The annual award that is presented in cooperation with FMCG player CavinKare aims at recognizing individuals or company or non government organization that has directly or indirectly helped in improving environmental protection & awareness in any part of the globe.
Mr. Quinn, who was also ex- U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom of Cambodia, is globally popular for his works on Food and Agriculture with a main focus on the supply of nutritious food.
Mr. Quinn after accepting the award told people that "The single greatest challenge for the future is whether sustainable & nutritious food can be fed to around 9 to 10 billion people who will be in the earth by 2050”.
Praising M S Swaminathan for his contribution to farming sector, Mr. Quinn said 'green revolution' that increased food production & reduced poverty, is the only significant movement in the history of the human race.
He added that the Rotary International which conferred its highest award for 'global understanding & peace' upon US agronomist Norman E Borlaug, must also confer the same honour upon M S Swaminathan.
Justice Prabha Sridevan, former Judge of Madras High Court, who presented the award, quoted Tamil poet Subramanya Bharathi that if a person does not get food then the world should be destroyed.
He added "Instead of destroying the planet, Mr. Quinn is destroying the hunger”.
