WorldVeg plant pathologist Lourena Arone Maxwell has been recognized by the World Food Prize Foundation as one of its 2026 Top Agri-food Pioneers (TAP), joining a global cohort of innovators transforming food systems through science, leadership, and impact.
The TAP list recognizes 40 individuals – including scientists, policymakers, community builders and entrepreneurs – who are delivering bold, science-based solutions to global food security challenges. The third annual TAP cohort spans 30 countries across six continents and reflects a diverse range of expertise, from crop and livestock research to climate resilience, nutrition and emerging technologies.
Lourena was recognized for her leadership in advancing sustainable crop protection and strengthening plant health systems through biological solutions that reduce reliance on synthetic pesticides while improving farmer resilience.
Click to read: Helping nature fight back: How biocontrol and biofumigation support safe, climate-smart vegetable production.
A pioneer in sustainable crop protection
The recognition comes as global agriculture faces growing pressures from climate change, emerging pests and diseases, environmental degradation and the need to safely and sustainably feed a growing population. Lourena’s work contributes directly to addressing these challenges by advancing biologicals, crop protection tools derived from living organisms or natural materials. These serve as sustainable alternatives to chemical pesticides, supporting safer, more resilient and environmentally responsible farming systems.
At the World Vegetable Center (WorldVeg), Lourena leads research on next-generation plant protection approaches that integrate biological innovation, diagnostics and systems-based management. Her work combines green nanotechnology, biochar and biologicals to improve soil and plant health, contributing to more sustainable and resilient vegetable production systems.
As founder and project lead of the recently launched WorldVeg–Biologicals Consortium, Lourena has pioneered a new collaborative framework to accelerate biological innovation for vegetable bringing together researchers, industry leaders, policymakers, and farmers to advance the development, validation and adoption of biological crop protection solutions.
The Consortium serves as a model for public-private partnership, helping bridge the gap between scientific innovation and practical application in farmers’ fields.
Visit the official WorldVeg-Biologicals Consortium website.
Lourena has also played a pioneering role in her home country Mozambique, where she supported the registration of Mozambique’s first biopesticide. She also established the country’s first Plantwise plant clinics – community-based agricultural advisory services that provide farmers with diagnosis and management advice for crop pests and diseases. These efforts have helped farmers gain access to improved plant health services and environmentally sustainable pest management options.
Lourena received the news that she had been recognized by the World Food Prize Foundation while in Bogor, Indonesia, preparing to host a two-day workshop to establish the Taiwan- ASEAN Pest and Disease Surveillance Network. This regional initiative, funded by Taiwan’s Ministry of Agriculture, aims to strengthen early detection, monitoring and information sharing on vegetable pests and diseases across Southeast Asia.
Lourena said: “Being selected as a 2026 Top Agri-food Pioneer by the World Food Prize Foundation is a privilege, and I am humbled to be part of a global network of trailblazers transforming food systems.
“This recognition reflects the collective efforts of the many farmers, partners, and colleagues I have had the honor of working with in developing biological solutions and advancing plant health for sustainable agriculture,” she continued.
“Through the WorldVeg-Biologicals Consortium, we are working to break down silos and accelerate biological innovation for vegetables. I am excited to continue advancing research and partnerships that help shape the future of agriculture.”
Marco Wopereis, Director General of WorldVeg said: “Lourena is a true pioneer in sustainable crop protection. Through her leadership of the WorldVeg-Biologicals Consortium and her work to advance biological solutions for farmers, she has built partnerships that connect science, policy and practice in ways that can deliver real-world impact.
“Her achievements demonstrate how innovation, collaboration and a strong commitment to farmers can strengthen food systems, improve resilience and contribute to a more sustainable and food-secure future. This award is thoroughly deserved.”
Field exercise disease diagnosis and epidemiology field. Photo credit to Sorawit Limsiriwat.
TAP is the second recent recognition of a WorldVeg scientist by the World Food Prize Foundation. In October 2025, Dr Derek Barchenger, leader of the WorldVeg global pepper breeding program, was awarded the World Food Prize Foundation’s Norman E. Borlaug Award for Field Research and Application. The award – endowed by the Rockefeller Foundation – honors exceptional agricultural researchers under the age of 40 who demonstrate field-based innovation and impact in the spirit of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Norman Borlaug, considered the father of the Green Revolution.
The 2026 TAP awardees will be formally recognized during the Norman E. Borlaug International Dialogue, to be held in Des Moines, Iowa, USA, in October.
