Dr. Boddupalli Maruthi Prasanna, one of the world’s foremost authorities in maize science, has been named to the 2025 Top Agri-Food Pioneers (TAP) list by the World Food Prize Foundation. The honor recognizes his decades of groundbreaking work that has shaped the future of food security and agricultural resilience across the Global South.

Currently serving as Distinguished Scientist and Regional Director for Asia at CIMMYT (the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center), Dr. Prasanna has led global breeding programs to deliver climate-resilient, disease-tolerant, and nutritionally enhanced maize varieties. These innovations are tailored for smallholder farmers across Africa, Asia, and Latin America—regions that face the sharpest edge of food insecurity and climate stress.

His contributions go beyond science. Recently appointed Managing Director of the Borlaug Institute for South Asia (BISA), Dr. Prasanna has also championed robust seed systems, sustainable intensification, and integrated pest management—crucial in the fight against fall armyworm and other crop diseases that threaten staple food crops.

Over a 30-year career, he has become a respected voice in agricultural capacity building and policy reform, training the next generation of scientists, strengthening national research systems, and enabling collaboration across public and private sectors.

“Dr. Prasanna’s work represents the intersection of science, equity, and impact. His leadership has redefined how maize innovation reaches and benefits millions,” the Foundation noted.

He will be formally recognized at the 2025 Norman E. Borlaug International Dialogue, to be held October 21–23 in Des Moines, Iowa—where global leaders converge to shape the future of food and agriculture.

The TAP list, now in its second edition, celebrates global changemakers solving critical food and ag challenges with scalable, real-world solutions. Dr. Prasanna’s selection underscores India’s deepening role in leading agricultural transformation beyond its borders.