Alysson Paolinelli, an agronomist and former Minister of Agriculture, was responsible for the tropical agricultural revolution that transformed Brazil into a global food power. In January, Paolinelli officially became a Peace Nobel Prize Nominee, having received more than 100 letters of support from institutions from 28 countries.
Until the 1970s, Brazil was a net importer of primary food products. With the work developed by Paolinelli, the country was able to reduce the cost of food as a share of household expenditure, allowing other destinations for income.
This historic turnaround made cultivation possible in the Cerrado – a vast tropical biome of Savanna, with almost 2 million km². The positive changes happen until today, promoting sustained economic growth, social improvement, healthier living, and advances in well-being for rural and urban populations.
At 84, the former Minister stands out for his trajectory full of historical milestones for the development of Brazilian agriculture. He was responsible for founding the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa) and a heavy supporter of science, academic research, and using technologies in the agricultural sector.
“It is necessary to have a clear vision of the biomes to set the conditions that allow producing well without degrading natural resources,” says Paolinelli.
In 2020, the Nobel Prize Award went to the World Food Programme, the humanitarian relief arm of the United Nations, which distributes food aid to 90 million people per year in 80 countries.
Until September, the organizing committee will debate and scrutinize the nominees. The Swedish Academy will announce the result from 2021 in December.