By Li Hongmei

The Nobel Peace Prize has drawn another record number of nominations this year, with 278 candidates proposed. That's up from the 259 nominations put forth last year, which also set a record.

Among candidates for the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize is a significant choice from China, put forth by Norway's former agriculture minister, Trygve Slagsvold Vedum.

He thinks the Nobel Peace Prize should be shared by Chinese agricultural researcher Yuan Longping and Indian Mankombu Sambasivan Swaminathan, an internationally renown genetics expert and agricultural researcher. Both men, Vedum argues, have made heroic strides in improving the production of food. Access to food and water are fundamental human rights and a basis for peace and development, Vedum told newspaper Aftenposten recently.

"If there's unrest around food, there's unrest around everything," said Vedum, who, as a member of the Norwegian Parliament, is among politicians around the world who are eligible to make Nobel nominations.

There are of course 277 other nominations. The Nobel Committee never identifies actual candidates but those making nominations can publicize them.