Kanayo Nwanze has a track record of scientific research to advance agricultural development

Rome, 4 June 2012 –The President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Kanayo F. Nwanze was awarded an honorary doctorate of science, honoris causa, at thespring convocation ceremony of McGill University held on 1 June. McGill is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada and is considered one of world's most prestigious universities. The University confers honorary degrees as a way of recognizing a person’s contributions to a specific field, or to society in general. As a scientist, Nwanze has an impressive track record of research and publications, and thorough knowledge of current development issues and challenges.

Addressing the Class of 2012 at the Faculty of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences at the university, Nwanze said: “As a research scientist, it gave me joy when my papers were accepted for publication. I enjoyed sharing what I had discovered – so be sure someone learns something from you and comes to know how to do it better than you did. In other words, “pass it on”. Knowledge is a gift that grows only when it is shared,” he said.

Nwanze is currently the President of IFAD, a United Nations specialized agency and international financial institution with a mission of enabling poor rural people to overcome poverty. Prior to IFAD he served as Director-General (1996-2006) of the Africa Rice Centre (WARDA) a member of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), and held several senior positions at the International Crop Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) from 1979-1996. Recently, he was awarded Chevalier dans l’Ordre du Mérite Agricole from France in recognition of his valuable contribution to improve food security in the rural areas of developing countries.

IFAD is dedicated to eradicating rural poverty in developing countries. Seventy-five per cent of the world's poorest people - 1.4 billion women, children and men - live in rural areas and depend on agriculture and related activities for their livelihoods.

Working with poor rural people, governments, donors, non-governmental organizations and many other partners, IFAD focuses on country-specific solutions, which can involve increasing poor rural peoples' access to financial services, markets, technology, land and other natural resources.

---

Press release No.: IFAD/39/2012

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) works with poor rural people to enable them to grow and sell more food, increase their incomes and determine the direction of their own lives. Since 1978, IFAD has invested almost US$14 billion in grants and low-interest loans to developing countries through projects empowering about 400 million people to break out of poverty, thereby helping to create vibrant rural communities. IFAD is an international financial institution and a specialized UN agency based in Rome – the United Nations’ food and agriculture hub. It is a unique partnership of 168 members from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), other developing countries and the Organisation for Economic Co‑operation and Development (OECD)