The president of the African Development Bank, Akinwumi Adesina, won the 2017 World Food Prize. He also won $250,000. He won for his work in increasing food production in Africa. He changed many laws and made it easier for farmers to get loans. He also helped farmers grow things in a more modern way. Mr Adesina won the prize, "for driving change in African agriculture for over 25 years and improving food security for millions across the continent".

The 1970 Nobel Peace Prize winner created the World Food Prize. He created crops that were better at fighting disease. They helped to stop famine in Asia. Mr Adesina "grew up in poverty" in Africa. He did his best at school and got a Ph.D. He became a top banker and became Nigeria's Minister of Agriculture. Adesina used his experience to help millions of people in rural Africa to get out of poverty.