There are just over 7 billion people in the world today, and by 2050, our population is predicted to reach 9 billion.
When I started this work, I just wanted to go back to my country and help them grow food. - Sanjaya Rajaram
Indian wheat scientist Sanjaya Rajaram says that makes food research some of the most important work being done today – work that should be shared with the public.
“When I started this work, I just wanted to go back to my country and help them grow food,” Rajaram says.
He grew up on a small farm in a poor region of northern India and then moved to Mexico to work with Norman Borlaug on crossing wheat strands to grow in different climates and resist rust.
“Picking traits out of millions of plants is very challenging […] but I took the challenge because I needed traits from both spring and winter wheats. […] I still go back to my home to share knowledge.”
Rajaram is this year’s World Food Prize Laureate. During this River to River interview, host Ben Kieffer talks with Rajaram about his research, working alongside Norman Borlaug, and his childhood in India.
