One year ago: Norman Borlaug That danger was stymied by the work
of scientist Norman Borlaug, whose revolutionary grain-farming
techniques brought agricultural self-sufficiency to developing
countries around the world. Borlaug died one year ago. Borlaug
collected thousands of strains of wheat from around the globe
and tediously crossbred them to produce varieties that were much
higher yielding and resistant to the diseases that were
destroying crops. In 1960, before his techniques were widely
adopted, the world produced 692 million tons of grain for 2.2
billion people. By 1992, largely as a result of Borlaug's
pioneering approach, it was producing 1.9 billion tons for 5.6
billion people -- using only 1% more land. For his work, he
became one of only five people in history to score the trifecta
of humanitarian achievement, winning the Nobel Peace Prize, the
Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Gold Medal.
On Borlaug's 90th birthday, former President Carter said that he
"has been demonstrating pr