Remembering World Food Prize Laureate Simon Groot: A Seedsman Who Transformed Lives Through Innovation and Humility
08 July 2025, US: The World Food Prize Foundation has extended its heartfelt condolences following the passing of Simon Nanne Groot, the 2019 World Food Prize Laureate and a pioneer in the global vegetable seed industry. Groot passed away in his hometown of Enkhuizen, the Netherlands, at the age of 90.
Groot, a sixth-generation seedsman, was widely respected for transforming the lives of smallholder farmers across Asia, Africa, and Latin America through access to quality vegetable seeds. His work enabled millions of farmers to increase their incomes and helped ensure access to nutritious food for hundreds of millions of consumers.
“Simon Groot was a man of quiet determination and profound vision,” said Mashal Husain, President of the World Food Prize Foundation. “I will never forget the humility he displayed when receiving the Prize—his unwavering focus was not on personal accolades but on farmers and seeds. He believed that something as small as a seed could unlock a better future for millions.”
In 1982, Groot founded East-West Seed in the Philippines, becoming the first to establish a market-oriented vegetable seed company focused on the needs of smallholder farmers. His vision was rooted in the belief that access to improved seeds, paired with training, could dramatically transform rural livelihoods. Over the next four decades, he built a seed industry that served over 80 tropical countries, combining rigorous plant breeding with farmer education.
Recognizing that quality seeds alone were not enough, Groot launched East-West Seed’s Knowledge Transfer program, training tens of thousands of farmers annually in modern agricultural practices. This holistic approach led to significant improvements in yields, income, and nutrition, particularly among women farmers who formed a key part of the company’s client base.
“Simon was a bundle of great energy and spirit,” recalled Dr. Gebisa Ejeta, Chair of the Laureate Selection Committee and 2009 World Food Prize Laureate. “He was a positive force in demonstrating the role of the private sector in lifting the poor out of poverty and improving nutrition in vulnerable communities.”
Groot’s influence extended beyond his company. He helped shape the region’s seed sector by co-founding the Asia and Pacific Seed Association and supporting the World Vegetable Center through a consortium of vegetable breeders. For his contributions, he was honored with the Order of Sikatuna in the Philippines and appointed Officer of the Order of Orange-Nassau in the Netherlands.
Thomas J. Vilsack, Chief Executive Officer of the World Food Prize Foundation, said: “Access to quality seeds is the foundation of farming, and no one championed that truth more passionately than Mr. Groot. He reached farmers with the fewest resources and the greatest need. Though he is no longer with us, his legacy lives on in every harvest and in every farmer he empowered.”
Groot’s children continue to uphold his legacy, with three of his four children now in leadership positions at East-West Seed, which remains a family-owned business.
The World Food Prize Foundation will pay tribute to Groot during the 2025 Laureate Award Ceremony, to be held on October 23.
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