Dr. Norman Borlaug received the 1970 Nobel Peace Prize for his work on wheat breeding, is considered the Father of the Green Revolution, and is widely believed to have helped save the life of more people than any other person in the history of the world (~1 billion people).
There is a movment underway to pass H. R. 4924, the Congressional Tribute to Dr. Norman E. Borlaug Act of 2006, this act would culminate in the awarding of the Congressional Gold Medal, our nation’s highest civilian honor on this great American (and adopted Texas of the last 20 years).
From the resolution:
6. In the immediate aftermath of World War II, Dr. Borlaug spent 20 years working in the poorest areas of rural Mexico. It was there that Dr. Borlaug made his breakthrough achievement in developing a strain of wheat that could exponentially increase yields while actively resisting disease.
7. With the active support of the governments involved, Dr. Borlaug’s `green revolution’ uplifted hundreds of thousands of the rural poor in Mexico and saved hundreds of millions from famine and outright starvation in India and Pakistan.
8. Dr. Borlaug’s approach to wheat production next spread throughout the Middle East. Soon thereafter his approach was adapted to rice growing, increasing the number of lives Dr. Borlaug has saved to more than a billion people.
If ever someone was deserving of the honor, it is Dr. Borlaug.
How wonderful. How very small I feel.
Left by dianne on December 4th, 2006 at 7:14 pm