Nayak was awarded the Norman E. Borlaug Award for Field Research and Application in 2023. She was recognized for her innovative approach to engaging smallholder farmers in rice seed systems, from testing and deployment to equitable access and adoption of climate-resilient and nutritious rice varieties. Nayak is the current lead for cereal seed systems under the key initiative SeedEqual of CGIAR, a worldwide research partnership focused on agricultural food systems. Nayak has organized more than 10,000 extensive on-farm trials for more than 500 rice varieties, working with thousands of smallholder farmers across diverse ecosystems in different countries across Asia and Africa. Her grassroots experience paved the way for her to be appointed to head the first-ever dedicated Indian government initiative for women farmers. This process has empowered farmers, women and men, to maximize their yields, minimize their environmental footprint, and secure their economic future. She promotes rural innovation models that emphasize sustainable agricultural technologies and enterprise development.

(Photo: International Rice Research Institute)