h h h A Farmer’sh Fight When Texas A&M professor Dr. Norman Borlaug first set out to battle starvation in the world, the world doubted his chances. Decades later, many of the hungry have been fed, the skeptics are silenced, the planet is thankful … and Borlaug? He’s still battling. By David Ferrell ’02 32 TEXAS AGGIE | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2008 AGGIENETWORK.COM Dr. Norman Borlaug displays some of the many awards he has received for his life’s work, including, in his left hand, the 1970 Nobel Peace Prize. AGGIENETWORK.COM JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2008 | TEXAS AGGIE 33 A Farmer’s Fight h h Texas A&M established the Norman Borlaug Institute for International Agriculture in the fall of 2006. Housed h on the eastern edge of campus,h the organization hopes to emerge as a worldwide leader of agricultural development through teaching and scientific initiatives. So what? Institutions often at- claimed 160 million lives over the course that he has garnered over the years. tach lofty mission statements to new of 100 years, and there was no reason to He has also been presented with the programs. Such declarations sound expect anything to curb that statistic. two highest civilian honors bestowed good in theory, but they don’t really But then this hard-working farmer by the U.S. government—earning the guarantee an ability to do anything as from the heartland began leading a Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1977 quixotic as change the world—espe- slow yet steady global crusade against and the Congressional Gold Medal last cially through a discipline as humble food shortage. Amazingly, after years of year. Borlaug is just the fifth person as agriculture. balancing relentless experiments with in history to collect all three of those But this isn’t empty rhetoric. And it gentle diplomacy, something incredible awards. You might have heard of isn’t about glamour. The people behind happened—people began eating again. the others: Martin Luther King, Jr.; this endeavor have a seriousness that Borlaug and his team created a new Mother Teresa; Nelson Mandela; and matches their commitment. More im- method for breeding high-yielding Elie Wiesel. portant, they have a legitimate capability wheat varieties that stood up to disease, As Dr. Elsa Murano, A&M System vice to meet their goals and impact the hu- climate variations and other factors, chancellor and dean of agriculture and man race. After all, the institute’s name- making it possible to grow the crop in life sciences, will attest, it’s difficult to sake has quietly made that a personal developing countries that, until that assess her colleague’s life and fully ex- habit of his for more than 60 years. time, had been unable to adequately do plain what it’s meant to human history. If, by chance, you are not familiar with so on their own. “Scientist, teacher, humanitarian, Dr. Norman Borlaug, you are sadly not The wheat first appeared in Mexico, Nobel laureate, Father of the Green alone. For some reason, aging scientists then in Asia and eventually in Africa. Revolution—these terms describe Dr. don’t register easily within our cultural That genetically engineered wheat is Norman Borlaug,” said Murano. “How- conscience, no matter how influen- now widely credited with saving more ever, these words can’t begin to capture tial they are. And in terms of positive than a billion lives—greater than one out the magnitude of his accomplishments influence, there are few individuals in of every seven people alive today. The and impact globally.” the history of mankind who have been movement was dubbed the Green Revo- Borlaug, however, isn’t too concerned greater. Norman Borlaug is no doubt a lution, and Borlaug was championed as with reflecting on past success or defin- legendary name, even if it isn’t a house- its “father.” ing his legacy. There simply seems to be hold one. So while mainstream America might no time for him to rest on his laurels— His career took root in the earth’s shrug at the mention of Borlaug’s name, not with so much left to do. most unforgiving terrain, worlds away knowing citizens are quite familiar with As he excitedly indicates from the from America’s amber waves of grain. the meaning that it carries. As wide- living room of his home in a quiet north When Borlaug’s work began taking spread fame eludes him, recognition has Dallas neighborhood, there is still a shape in the mid-1940s, the planet’s been justifiably dramatic. great deal to fight for. And at age 93, he population was reeling under the cruel He won the Nobel Peace Prize in continues to lead the way, carrying the forces of famine. Starvation had already 1970, just one of countless accolades torch he picked up long ago. >> “Scientist, teacher, humanitarian, Nobel laureate, Father of the Green Revolution ... However, these words can’t begin to capture the magnitude of his accomplishments and impact globally.” h h 34 TEXAS AGGIE | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2008 AGGIENETWORK.COM ABOVE AND ABOVE LEFT: Borlaug has taught one semester at Texas A&M every year since 1984 as the university’s Distinguished Professor of International Agriculture. LEFT: In recent years, Borlaug has worked to end malnutrition in Africa by implementing his proven agricultural technology there. AGGIENETWORK.COM JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2008 | TEXAS AGGIE 35 Planting the Seeds the individual seasons. had scarcely traveled more than a few Norman Ernest Borlaug was born to But in addition to witnessing the natu- miles away from his rural upbringing. Norwegian-American parents in the ral beauty of an agricultural life, Borlaug Yet that environment was all he needed spring of 1914. Raised on a small farm was also forced to experience the dark to discover his destiny. in northeast Iowa, Borlaug grew up social and economic realities that Borlaug learned the value of educa- intrigued by the ways in which nature plagued it during the Great Depression. tion early on in his town’s one-room could affect everyday life. Borlaug—a teenager by that point—saw schoolhouse. In addition to being “The biological world, as it impinged local banks crumble, farmers lose their exposed to the foundations of science, on agricultural production and farming land and markets fail under the strain of attending school in that place and time methods, just seemed interesting to me,” those difficult times. instilled in him an appreciation for com- said Borlaug. As Borlaug puts it simply, “I saw the munity and cooperative behavior. He keenly watched as animals would plight of the farm people in that part It was during school that he also de- hibernate or fly south for the winter of Iowa.” veloped a passion for something else and, ultimately, return in the spring. He For him, that part of Iowa was all he that now seems slightly ironic for a saw firsthand how to plant, grow and knew. The man who would eventually Nobel Peace Prize winner—wrestling. harvest crops. And he marveled at the leave a green thumbprint on the rest of He loved the sport, and he still credits distinct differences between each of the world was, at that time, a boy who it for teaching him to always give his 36 TEXAS AGGIE | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2008 AGGIENETWORK.COM A Farmer’s Fight As he pursued a bachelor’s degree country’s population. Borlaug quickly in forestry, Borlaug worked at a coffee realized that such a drastic situation shop and made money parking cars on would require bold action. campus. His big break came during the He wanted to apply progressive summers, though, when he got a job as scientific methods to the problem, but a ranger with the U.S. Forest Service— his new ideas faced uncertain resistance. something he truly enjoyed and planned After all, he was a hotshot American to pursue full-time after graduation, who had no direct experience with the until fate changed those plans. Mexican struggle and who didn’t even As he approached graduation, Borlaug speak the language. learned that, due to financial con- Eventually, though, his commitment straints, there would be no job available and work ethic convinced others to buy in the Forest Service for a few months. into his methods. It took several years While he waited, Borlaug figured he and countless experiments, but by the would attend some extra classes on the mid-1950s, Mexico had tripled its pro- Minnesota campus, including a lec- duction by growing a new, high-yielding ture by Dr. Elvin Stakman, head of the wheat variety that could resist disease school’s plant pathology department. and breaking. By all accounts, it was a The lecture focused on a fungus that magnificent success. attacked several varieties of plants and But Borlaug was far from finished. trees. While that likely wouldn’t capture He next looked to take his discovery most people’s interest, Borlaug was to an Asian continent that was rapidly entranced by the subject matter. succumbing to the effects of poverty. Stakman spoke dramatically about To make his concept globally viable, the potential for science to “eradicate Borlaug began teaching agricultural the miseries of hunger and starvation scientists from around the world how from this earth.” Borlaug instantly to implement his practices. Borlaug made the decision. He abandoned the enjoyed instructing young students who plan for the Forest Service and instead were unexposed to institutional bureau- enrolled in Minnesota’s graduate pro- cracies and open to new ideas. gram for plant pathology. “We’re going to teach you to be reb- It would prove to be a critical turn- els,” he would tell them on the first day Borlaug stands beside President ing point, both for Borlaug and for the of training.