Mr. Edson Lobato is a Brazilian soil fertility scientist who received the 2006 World Food Prize for his role in helping transform the Cerrado into productive cropland. Adding to the contributions of fellow 2006 World Food Prize Laureates, Dr. A. Colin McClung of the United States, and Alysson Paolinelli of Brazil, Lobato helped make agricultural development possible in the Cerrado, a region named from Portuguese words meaning “closed, inaccessible land.”

Edson Lobato received degrees from the National School of Agronomy (Agronomy Engineering, 1964) and Southern Illinois University (M.S., Agronomy, 1973).

In 1964, he began his career in soil fertility research through a program sponsored by the International Research Institute, the U.S. Agency for International Development, and the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture. His work centered on phosphate inputs to improve soil fertility in the Cerrado soils, as well as the application of lime as a soil amendment.

Based on the outstanding talent he displayed during this time, he received a U.S. Agency for International Development fellowship in 1972 to study soil fertility in the United States. Upon his return to Brazil the following year, he was hired as a researcher at the newly established Brazilian Corporation of Agricultural Research (EMBRAPA). He was soon placed in charge of coordinating several EMBRAPA programs, including outlining a plan for the Cerrado Agricultural Research Center.

From 1975 through 2004, Lobato remained a central figure in soil fertility research and evaluation at the EMBRAPA Cerrado Center, serving in a variety of positions including technical director. According to EMBRAPA President Silvio Crestana, Lobato’s work to enhance soil quality and counteract water stress “made it possible to incorporate the Brazilian Cerrado, the world’s last agricultural frontier, into food and fiber production.”

Lobato also led and advised other researchers at the EMBRAPA Cerrado center in programs to evaluate the feasibility of projects to develop the Cerrado. He guided the center through an expansion of its work to include sustainable agricultural practices and the environmental impact of development.

Throughout this time, Lobato collaborated with farmers and extension technicians to implement the technologies and practices pioneered at EMBRAPA. He has authored more than 80 publications relating to soil fertility and soil management in the Cerrado and published “Cerrado: Soil Correction and Fertilization,” which became a standard reference for farmers, researchers, and students seeking solutions to soil fertility problems.

Professor Wenceslau J. Goedert of the University of Brasilia commended Lobato for “his knowledge and experience…that made possible the transformation of the Cerrado Region into a major world food production area. His contribution to world food production is extraordinary.”

Source: THE WORLD FOOD PRIZE