Yuan Longping

Yuan Longping (; Pinyin: Yuán Lóngpíng; born September 7, 1930) is a Chinese agricultural scientist and educator, known for developing the first hybrid rice varieties in the 1970s. His "hybrid rice" has since been grown in dozens of countries in Africa, America, and Asia—providing a robust food source in high famine risk areas. He is called "The Father of Hybrid Rice". His contribution to mankind is enormous. By his achievement, the earth is able to produce extra rice equivalent to the food requirement of tens of millions of people.

At present, as much as 60 percent of China's total rice grown is Yuan Longping’s hybrid rice species. More rice so produced is enough to feed 60 million people. Worldwide, 20% of rice comes from the rice species created by hybrid rice following his methodology.

The "Super Rice" Yuan is now testing yields 30 percent higher than those of common rice.

A famous economist, Don Paarlberg claimed the Yuan’s achievement as a victory over the threat of famine and that Yuan was ushering us into a world with ample food.

Biography

Mr. Yuan was born in Beijing, China. He loves playing Mahjong and the Erhu (a Chinese bowed instrument), swimming, sudoku, and motorcycling.

Born in 1930 and a graduate from the Southwest Agriculture Institute in 1953, Yuan began his teaching career at an agriculture school in Anjiang, Hunan Province.

He came up with an idea for hybridizing rice in the 1960s, when a series of natural disasters...
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