Agricultural scientist William Dar gets award

Noted agricultural scientist William D Dar, who heads a city-based international research institute, has been conferred with the prestigious "Excellence in Agricultural Leadership Award".
The award was given by the Association of Agricultural Technology in Southeast Asia (AATSEA) to the 60-year-old educationist, who is Director General of the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT).
Dar was honoured on November 28 during the second international conference on "Integration of Science and Technology for Sustainable Development" held in Bangkok, ICRISAT said in a release here today.
"I have dedicated my life and career to help empower small-holder farmers in Asia and Africa and alleviate their socio-economic conditions and to contribute to feeding the poor," Dar said at the award ceremony.

Dar also spoke at the conference, where he highlighted the challenges faced by agriculture due to global warming and the increasing demand for safe and nutritious food, the release added.