Cary Fowler

Early life Fowler was born in 1949 to Morgan, a General Sessions judge, and Betty, a dietician.

Global Crop Diversity Trust Cary Fowler in front of the Seed Vault being built on Spitsbergen, showing the kind of containers used for the seeds. Fowler served as the Executive Director of the Global Crop Diversity Trust from 2005 to 2012. Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon described the vault as an “inspirational symbol of peace and food security for the entire humanity.” and an Honorary Doctorate from the Norwegian University of Life Sciences. He received the Right Livelihood Award with Pat Mooney in 1985 for his work in agriculture and the preservation of biodiversity. Fowler has also received the Vavilov Medal from the Russian Academy of Agricultural Sciences.

At a May 9, 2024 ceremony at the U.S. Department of State, the World Food Prize Foundation announced that Fowler had been selected as a 2024 World Food Prize Laureate, alongside Dr. Geoffrey Hawtin, for their work on seed genetics and the Svalbard Global Seed Vault.

Media Fowler has made many media appearances, including the CBS news show 60 Minutes.

Personal life In 2012, Fowler married author, gardener, and seed saving advocate Amy Goldman. He has two children and is a melanoma and testicular cancer survivor.