Celebrated soil scientist and food security activist Pedro Sánchez dies

A dedicated agricultural scientist, Pedro Sánchez’s motivation came not from what he could discover in a lab but from a determination to make life better for others, especially smallholder farmers, those who knew him say.

Sánchez, who held research and programmatic roles from Florida to the Philippines with a focus on improving soil and alleviating food insecurity, died on Jan. 12 in Florida at the age of 85. Admirers have called the 2002 World Food Prize laureate a “giant in the field” and a “tireless advocate for food security.”

His legacy, according to those Devex spoke to, can be found across the world, from the millions of acres of land made arable by his bold approaches to agriculture and the lives saved as a result, to more than doubling food production in 12 African countries alone.