Yuan Long Pin Awarded the Highest Medal on Agriculture in France

Professor Yuan Longpin, the founder of hybrid rice, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and director of China National Hybrid Rice R&D Center, was recently awarded the highest medal for agriculture reward in France. The award established in 1883 is given to honor those who have outstanding accomplishments in agriculture. The French Ambassador handed the award to Prof. Yuan in a ceremony at the French embassy in Beijing for his contribution to hybrid rice and world food security. China can now cultivate hybrid rice that yield 7.2 to 9 tons per hectare which is 20% higher than the normal high yielding rice varieties. Hybrid rice is now cultivated in other Asian countries including Vietnam, India, Thailand and the Philippines with an average increase of 2 tons per hectare compared to the inbred varieties.

In his speech, Prof. Yuan considered the medal a motivation for him to work even harder and that science should not be constrained by national boundaries. He believed that since hybrid rice could increase rice yield by 2 tons per hectare, cultivating it would feed 400 million people every year. Promoting hybrid rice cultivation throughout the world is of great importance to food security and peace.

For details, see the article at http://english.agri.gov.cn/ga/np/201003/t20100324_1686.htm