Simon Groot, honored with the 2019 World Food Prize, will present the 2019 Norman Borlaug lecture “First: The Seed” at 8 p.m. Monday in the Great Hall of the Memorial Union.

The annual Norman Borlaug lecture is named after the agronomist from Cresco, Iowa, who won the Nobel Peace Prize for his agricultural work in 1970. After he received his award, Borlaug helped found the World Food Prize to help recognize the achievements of others.

The World Food Prize is the most prominent global award recognizing achievements made by people who have advanced human development by improving the quality, quantity or availability of food in the world, according to an Iowa State news release.

Groot is a sixth-generation seedsman and founder of East-West Seed, a company based on the idea that a high quality and well adapted vegetable seed could change the lives of the poor, according to the news release.

Groot has been focusing on making these vegetable seeds available to farmers in tropical countries throughout Africa, Latin America and Asia. Through the enhancement of vegetable production, the farmers are then able to earn higher incomes.

Manju Reddy, professor in the food science and human nutrition department, organizes the poster display session prior to the lecture for students to showcase their own research and how it is related to the world food issue.

“It is an honor for students to present and interact with many scientists in various disciples and also possibly with [World Food Prize] laureates,” Reddy said. “Prior to the lecture, judges will evaluate the posters and three awards in each undergraduate and graduate category will be given at the end of the lecture.”

A reception and a student poster display will be hosted before Groot’s lecture. The display will be at 7 p.m. in the South Ballroom of the Memorial Union. These posters will address world food issues and are submitted by undergraduate and graduate students.

This event is presented by the food science and human nutrition department and the Nutritional Sciences Council.