He donated the Nobel Prize money to the National Peace Council, the World Movement for World Federal Government and a number of similar organisations.
John Boyd Orr was born one of six children to a quarry owner, to an intellectual family devoted to reading books and discussing various subjects ranging from politics through to metaphysics and religion. He graduated Biology and Medicine at the Glasgow University.
He assumed direction of the Aberdeen Nutrition Institute, which he developed after the war, and despite his administrative duties, still led the Institute’s research activity, initially related to agriculture and animal nutrition. Then in the 1930s, he undertook research on infant nutrition with breast milk, as well as the nutrition of children and poor people. He soon became a promoter of a healthy diet. His report from 1936 later became the core of the United Kingdom’s food policy. Professor of Agriculture at Aberdeen University (1942–1945). In 1945, he became rector of the University of Glasgow only to become its chancellor a year later.
Appointed President of the FAO in 1945. However, Boyd found his leadership of the FAO difficult for the lack of funds and authority. Despite the constraints faced, Boyd Orr he did his best to improve world production and equitable food distribution. Under the auspices of the FAO, he established in International Emergency Food Council (1946) to remedy post-war food deficits. He travelled throughout the world to win support for a more comprehensive aid plan, but his proposal to set up a World Food Board failed. Neither the UK, nor the US were willing to support his idea. Faced with the fact that the FAO was unable to overcome the challenges, Boyd Orr resigned and took up a career in business. Within three years, he earned a bigger income that he had ever made on scientific research. He was informed of his Nobel Prize award by his banker.
