The 1999 Volvo Environment Prize was awarded to Dr. Monkombu Sambasivan Swaminathan, India, UNESCO- Cousteau Professor in Ecotechnology, for his outstanding research and devoted work in turning Indian food production from a deficit to a much increased supply, combining modern science in plant breeding with appropriate government policy. In his work, Dr. Swaminathan has increasingly integrated the principles of ecological sustainability with those of economic efficiency and social equity in farm technologies with emphasis on the disadvantaged and poor in order to eradicate poverty.