The Bright Side of Norman Borlaug’s Green Revolution John Tjostem Norman Borlaug’s gift to world’s malnourished was short straw, rust resistant, rapid maturity, high milling quality, wheat that thrives in a wide range of climate conditions and produces fantastic yields. Dr. Borlaug says of his critics, “If they lived just one month amid the misery of the developing world, as I have for fifty years, they'd be crying out for tractors and fertilizer and irrigation canals and be outraged that fashionable elitists back home were trying to deny them these things.”
Dr. Norman Borlaug’s paper, “Ending world hunger, The promise of biotechnology and the threat of anti-science zealotry”, was published in the year 2000 in the Journal of Plant Physiology. Dr. Borlaug discussed the importance of genetically modified crops (GMOs). He highlighted their vast potential for developing disease and pest resistance, herbicide tolerance, drought and salinity tolerance, enhancing fertilizer and water use efficiency, and improving the nutritional quality of food crops. Dr. Borlaug confirmed the ability of innovative agricultural technology to feed the planet’s exploding population, even a future population of 10 billion. He expressed concerns about whether the products of biotechnology research would be allowed to be used by farmers in the face of anti-biotechnology extremists who create popular bias against the use of GM products. Anti-GMO activists like Vandana Shiva and Jeremy Rifkin have lobbied effectively to slow the pace of biotechnology. Their anti-science position is destructive to the very environment that they profess to conserve. Dr. Borlaug concludes, “If the naysayers do manage to stop agricultural biotechnology, they might actually precipitate the famines and the crisis of global biodiversity they have been predicting for nearly 40 years.” Recognizing that 800-850 million fellow humans go to bed hungry every night, the most charitable position that we can take for these misguided anti-GMO folks, are the words of Jesus from the cross. “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” Developed countries have birthrates lower than replacement. In a number of developing countries, industrialization is leading to a higher living standard and a concomitant fall in birthrates. Today’s population growth is mainly due to increased longevity resulting from a reduction in childhood mortality. This is a good thing. We should heed Dr. Borlaug’s admonition to assist the third world with economic development. If this is done the world population may stabilize between 9 and 10 billion. We need to believe that the potential exists for all the nations of the world to industrialize so all the world's citizens can enjoy a first world’s living standard for millennia to come. Modern American agriculture is the most sustainable and the most environmentally friendly form of agriculture on the planet. My position draws plenty of flak from sustainable agriculture folks and organic farmers. Out of a concern for our grandchildren’s generation, I have penned an essay, A Recipe for a Sustainable Future, which is on my web site, http://scienceandthing.blogspot.com/. I propose that biotechnology and nuclear fission power are key ingredients to a sustainable future. My assertions, developed from farm roots, are backed-up with data and examples. Finally, there is much more to admire about Norman Borlaug than there is to criticize. He is a giant among giants. Norman Borlaug is one of just seven people to have won the Nobel Peace Prize, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and the Congressional Gold Medal. The others are Mother Teresa, Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Jr., Elie Wiesel, Muhammad Yunus, and Aung San Suu Kyi. Dr. Borlaug also holds our nations highest award in science. A life size bronze casting of Norman Borlaug stands in our Nation’s Capitol. Norman Borlaug has been called "the father of the Green Revolution", "agriculture's greatest spokesperson" and "The Man Who Saved a Billion Lives". With pride we can say that this great humanitarian grew up and developed his values right here in Northeast Iowa.