Belgian bioengineer Bram Govaerts contributes to reducing hunger and malnutrition while fostering greater global stability by improving food security. Reason enough for the Belgian Christophe Plantin Prize to recognise and commend him for his valuable contributions.
Bram Govaerts pursued his bioengineering studies at KU Leuven. In Mexico, at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), Bram Govaerts initially concentrated on developing high-yielding, disease-resistant wheat varieties. Now, his focus has shifted towards enhancing the biodiversity of both cultivated crops.
The goal is to employ innovative techniques to create sustainable food security and resilient farming systems in regions most affected by global climate disruption. By using the appropriate tillage techniques, crop rotation and land cover, farmers have already come a long way. However, the strongest assurance of this progress lies in CIMMYT's bio-diverse seed bank, which holds an impressive 28,000 maize varieties and 140,000 wheat varieties. For each extreme weather event—be it drought, heat, or flooding—tailored solutions are crafted. Which drought-resistant variety from the seed bank can be crossed with field crops to optimise yields? Are raised seedbeds or trenches viable options in the event of excessive rainfall?
Mitigating climate shocks in this manner can lead to widespread positive effects on food supply, as well as on migration pressures and global stability. This is not only relevant in the fragile Global South but has implications worldwide.
