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Dr. Norman Borlaug


Position: Senior Consultant, CIMMYT;  President, Sasakawa Africa Association

Education: Ph.D., M.S. Plant Pathology, B.S. Forestry, University of Minnesota

Notable: 1970 Nobel Peace Prize recipient; Leader of the Green Revolution; Recipient of approximately 200 honorary doctoral degrees and other academic, achievement, civic, government and scientific awards

The Green Revolution and now plant biotechnology are helping meet the growing demand for food production, while preserving our environment for future generations.
The Green Revolution and now plant biotechnology are helping meet the growing demand for food production, while preserving our environment for future generations.
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BIOTECH CROPS CAN HELP FARMERS MEET FOOD DEMANDS OF GROWING GLOBAL POPULATION
Nobel Laureate and Father of Green Revolution Dr. Norman Borlaug Encourages Leaders to Make the Biotechnology Benefits Available to Third-World Farmers

In 1970, Dr. Norman Borlaug received the Nobel Peace Prize for greatly improving food security in third-world countries such as Mexico, Pakistan and India by helping farmers increase yields through the introduction of new crop varieties and modern production techniques.

Thirty-five years later, Dr. Borlaug is confident that plant biotechnology benefits will continue to increase crop production and enable farmers worldwide to meet the food demands of a global population that is currently growing by more than 73 million people each year.

“I have devoted my life to the global challenge of providing adequate food production for a growing world population,” says Dr. Borlaug who, even in retirement, continues to serve as senior consultant to the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) headquartered in Mexico.  “The Green Revolution and now plant biotechnology are helping meet the growing demand for food production, while preserving our environment for future generations.”

In 2005, 8.5 million farmers in 21 countries grew 222 million acres (90 million hectares) of biotech crops — which represents a consistent double-digit growth rate every single year since biotech crops were first commercialized in 1996. Biotechnology benefits are proving beneficial to sustainable agriculture.  “This technology is helping farmers throughout the world produce higher yield, while reducing pesticide use and soil erosion,” says Dr. Borlaug.  “The benefits and safety of biotechnology has been proven over the past decade in countries with more than half of the world’s population.

“The advances of the Green Revolution took scientific advances and changes in economic policies by leaders to allow for the adoption of the Green Revolution technologies by millions of hungry farmers,” continues Dr. Borlaug, who cautions consumers in the developed world to not be easily swayed by the scare stories of doomsayers.  “What we need is courage by the leaders of those countries where farmers still have no choice but to use older and less effective methods.”

© 2005 Monsanto Company.  All rights reserved. The copyright holder consents to the use of this material and the images in the published context only and solely for the purpose of promoting the benefits of agricultural biotechnology.

Video Transcript



I have devoted my life to the global challenge of providing adequate food production for a growing world population.  Forty years ago, a Green Revolution was started using improved seed and fertilizer, helping dramatically increase the harvest while sparing forest and natural areas from the plow.  It took both the scientific advances and the changes in economic policies by leaders to allow for the adoption of the Green Revolution technologies by millions of hungry farmers.

Over the past decade, we have been witnessing the success of plant biotechnology.  This technology is helping farmers throughout the world produce higher yield, while reducing pesticide use and soil erosion.  The benefits and safety of biotechnology has been proven over the past decade in countries with more than half of the world’s population.  What we need is courage by the leaders of those countries where farmers still have no choice but to use older and less effective methods.  The Green Revolution and now plant biotechnology are helping meet the growing demand for food production, while preserving our environment for future generations.

© 2005 Monsanto Company.  All rights reserved. The copyright holder consents to the use of this material and the images in the published context only and solely for the purpose of promoting the benefits of agricultural biotechnology.