UN food agency announces winners of its 'Rice is Life' photo contest

A Vietnamese and a Chinese photographer have won the International Year of Rice global photography contest launched by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) as part of its campaign to improve production and access to the vital crop that feeds more than half the world's people.

Vu Nguyen of Viet Nam won first prize in the Professional Photographers Category and Liu Meizi Ninon came first in the Amateur Photographers Category, the Rome-based agency announced today. They were selected from some 500 contestants who were invited to capture the "Rice is Life" theme in photographs, highlighting its crucial importance to world agriculture, food security, society and culture.

The prize, a Nikon digital camera, will be presented on the occasion of World Food Day 2004 at a ceremony at FAO headquarters on 14 October.

In the professional category Alessandro Tosatto of Italy won second prize and Ko Zin Min of Myanmar third, while in amateur photographers Chang Ching-Weng of China came in second and Md Rashid Un Nabi of Bangladesh third.

The best works will be displayed later this autumn in an exhibit in Rome.