by Toby Benham
Born on the 25th March
1914, Norman Borlaug has been described as the man that has saved more human
lives than anyone who has ever lived. This truly inspirational man devoted his
life to help solving world hunger by developing new types of wheat. He was
quoted saying, “We are 6.6 billion people now. We can feed 4 billion. I don’t
see 2 billion volunteers to disappear”. As well as being the labelled “the
father of the green revolution”, Borlaug won the Nobel peace prize in 1970.
After growing up in Iowa, Borlaug went
to the University of Minnesota to study Forestry, in between two stints working
for the US forestry service. He later returned to the University to do a
masters and PhD in plant pathology. This led to him taking a job in Mexico as
geneticist and plant pathologist. Not only did this move mean leaving his job
at highly respected chemical company DuPont (who had offered to double his
salary), he temporarily left behind his pregnant wife and young daughter. His
work in Mexico included research in genetics, plant breeding, plant pathology,
entomology, agronomy, soil science and cereal technology. This was very
successful leading to production of a high yielding, short strawed, disease
resistant wheat. He arranged for the new cereal strains to be put into
extensive production.
His work was especially influential in
India and Pakistan. In fact, between 1965 and 1970, wheat yields nearly doubled
in these countries, helping to provide security for feeding expanding
populations. Prime Minister Singh and President Patil, both of India, paid
tribute saying, “ Borlaug’s life and achievement are testimony to the far
reaching contribution that one man’s towering intellect, persistence and
scientific vision can make to human peace and progress”.
He died at the age of 95 in 2009 to
lymphoma. I hope that after reading this that you can appreciate what an
extraordinary man Norman Borlaug was, as well as the great contribution he made
not only to science, but to the world’s population. One of the greatest
scientists and humanitarians that has ever lived; “the man that saved a billion
lives”.