Adelaide-born or raised public figures from Guy Sebastian to Natasha Stott Despoja — and others who quietly served their communities for years — have been recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List for 2019. Among them is GHD Professor and global agriculture expert, Derek Byerlee, who co-teaches both GHDP614 Food and Agriculture for Development and GHDP761 Food Policy and Global Food System.
Original article by Paula Thompson.
He grew up on a mixed farming property in the Flinders Ranges, but Dr. Derek Byerlee’s parents quickly realised their son wasn’t destined for life on the land.
Instead, he went on to make a significant contribution to global food security. Dr Byerlee has been made an Officer of the Order of Australia for his distinguished service to agricultural economics, particularly to sustainable development, poverty reduction and food security.
“I grew up on a sheep-wheat farm near Eurelia about 25 kilometres north of Orroroo,” he said. “My parents, and my mother in particular, recognised that I would not make a good farmer but had academic potential.” Dr. Byerlee studied Agricultural Science at the University of Adelaide and after completing his study, he left Australia in 1968 to pursue a doctoral degree in the US.
“After that I taught at Michigan State University and spend most of the next 20 years living and working in developing countries including Sierra Leone, Mexico, Pakistan, and Ethiopia,” he said.
Dr. Byerlee worked for 17 years for the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center in Mexico.
The center’s work has been a driving force for crop yield improvements across the globe. “This centre was the home of the semi-dwarf wheat varieties that ushered in the green revolution in Asia, as well as improved maize varieties used widely in Africa,” Dr. Byerlee said.
Dr. Byerlee now teaches food and agriculture at Georgetown University in Washington DC.
He said receiving the Queen’s Birthday honour came as a great surprise.
“I am proud to be a recipient and very proud of my roots in SA. “I would like to recognise the strong support of my family both in Australia and here in Washington in achieving this award.”