India's Society for Plant Research honored Velu Govidan, a wheat breeder, with the "2016 Young Scientist Award for Agriculture".

Figure: Velu Govindan, a wheat breeder who has advanced the development of nutrient-rich millet and wheat varieties with higher yield potential, disease resistance and improved agronomic traits, has won the 2016 Young Scientist Award for Agriculture presented by India’s Society for Plant Research. CIMMYT/Xochiquetzal Fonseca

Govidan is working with the HarvestPlus project at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT). His remarkable work includes the development of high-yielding, nutritious wheat varieties tolerant to rust diseases and climate change-induced heat and drought stress.

"I'm so honored," said Govindan. "It's a terrific vote of confidence for the work we're doing at CIMMYT and through HarvestPlus to develop nutritious staple crops that significantly reduce hidden hunger and help millions of people lead better, more productive lives in the global south."

Scientists at CIMMYT seek to combat micronutrient deficiency, also known as hidden hunger, through biofortification of crops. According to CIMMYT, about two billion people globally suffer from hidden hunger, characterized by iron-deficiency anemia, vitamin A deficiency, and zinc deficiency.

Read the news release in CIMMYT.