60 Years Fighting Hunger…60 Years Fighting Hunger…Personal RecollectionsPersonal Recollections Norman E. BorlaugNorman E. Borlaug

Borlaug Farm andBorlaug Farm andBoyhood School houseBoyhood School house

Raised in a Norwegian community in northeast Raised in a Norwegian community in northeast Iowa, on 100-acre mixed crop and livestock farmIowa, on 100-acre mixed crop and livestock farm

Attended this one-room school house for the first Attended this one-room school house for the first eight years.eight years.

Mexican Government-Rockefeller Foundation

Multidisciplinary research focus to increase yields and production

Train a multidisciplinary corps of young Mexican scientists

Get research results to farmers as soon as possible

RF staff to work themselves “out of a job”

Cooperative Agricultural Program1943-1960

Shuttle Breeding and Multi-location Shuttle Breeding and Multi-location International Testing Produced the International Testing Produced the

Broadly Adapted Mexican Wheat that Broadly Adapted Mexican Wheat that Triggered the Green RevolutionTriggered the Green Revolution

*Days getting *Days getting longerlonger

•Days gettingDays getting shorter shorter

* Initial period after sowing* Initial period after sowing

1,200 Km1,200 Km

29º29º

19º19º

FAO/Rockefeller/Mexican Government Training ProgramTraining Program

Started in late 1960

Young scientists from North Africa, Near- and Middle-East

In-service training in all the disciplines

Trainees took HYV semidwarf seed technology back home

International multi-location yield nurseries

Wheat Seed Shipments Wheat Seed Shipments to Asiato Asia

1965: 250 tons to Pakistan; 1965: 250 tons to Pakistan;

200 tons to India200 tons to India

1966: 18,000 tons to India1966: 18,000 tons to India

1967: 42,000 tons to Pakistan; 1967: 42,000 tons to Pakistan;

21,000 tons to Turkey21,000 tons to Turkey

Profiles in CourageProfiles in Courage

Malik Khuda Baskh BuchaMalik Khuda Baskh BuchaMinister of Agriculture, Minister of Agriculture,

PakistanPakistan

C. SubramaniamC. SubramaniamMinister of Agriculture, Minister of Agriculture,

IndiaIndia

Chinese LeadershipChinese Leadership

He KangHe KangMinister of AgricultureMinister of Agriculture

1978-901978-90

Chou En-LaiChou En-LaiPrime MinisterPrime Minister

1949-761949-76

Deng-XiaopingDeng-XiaopingParamount LeaderParamount Leader

1978-891978-89

FertilizerFertilizer NutrientNutrient CerealCereal

WheatWheat RiceRice IrrigationIrrigation Use Use TractorsTractors ProductionProduction million hamillion ha million tmillion t millions millions million tmillion t

Green Revolution:Green Revolution:Changes in Factors of Production in Changes in Factors of Production in

Developing Countries of AsiaDeveloping Countries of Asia

M ha / % areaM ha / % area

Adoption ofAdoption ofModern varietiesModern varieties

19611961 0 / 0%0 / 0% 0 / 0%0 / 0% 8787 22 0.20.2 30930919701970 14 / 20%14 / 20% 15 / 20%15 / 20% 106106 1010 0.50.5 46346319801980 39 / 49%39 / 49% 55 / 43%55 / 43% 129129 2929 2.02.0 61861819901990 60 / 70%60 / 70% 85 / 65%85 / 65% 158158 5454 3.43.4 85885820002000 70 / 84%70 / 84% 100 / 74%100 / 74% 175175 7070 4.84.8 962962

Source: FAOSTAT, July 2002 and author’s estimated on modern variety adoption, based Source: FAOSTAT, July 2002 and author’s estimated on modern variety adoption, based on CIMMYT and IRRI data.on CIMMYT and IRRI data.

World Cereal* Production–Areas Saved World Cereal* Production–Areas Saved Through Improved Technology, 1950-2000Through Improved Technology, 1950-2000

CEREAL PRODUCTIONCEREAL PRODUCTION 1950 1950 650650 million tonnesmillion tonnes 2000 2000 1,9001,900 million tonnesmillion tonnes

1,81,80000

1,41,40000

1,01,00000

600600

19501950 19601960 19701970 19801980 19901990 20002000

LAND LAND SPAREDSPARED1.1 billion ha1.1 billion ha

LAND USED LAND USED 660 million ha660 million ha

Mill

ion

hect

ares

Mill

ion

hect

ares

200200

* Uses milled rice equivalents* Uses milled rice equivalentsSource: FAO Production Yearbooks and AGROSTATSource: FAO Production Yearbooks and AGROSTAT

AgroforestryAgroforestryHara Farms, HaryanaHara Farms, Haryana

Locally, 15,000 tons of timber logs a day are converted into ply, Locally, 15,000 tons of timber logs a day are converted into ply, wood board, flush doors, etc, in 400 processing facilitieswood board, flush doors, etc, in 400 processing facilities

over the last 15 years worth US$ 500 million a yearover the last 15 years worth US$ 500 million a year

Poplar, 50 t/ha/year, 10-year cyclePoplar, 50 t/ha/year, 10-year cycle Poplar, mangoes, wheatPoplar, mangoes, wheat

Wildlife Coming Back Wildlife Coming Back in the USAin the USA

High-Yield Agriculture & Forestry High-Yield Agriculture & Forestry Will Help Protect African WildlifeWill Help Protect African Wildlife

Africa is the Africa is the Greatest Greatest WorryWorry

High population growth, even

with AIDS

200 million hungry and malnourished people

Declining soil fertility and little

application improved technology

Rural isolation—lack of roads and transport

Poor education and health services

KmKm KmKmUSA USA 20,98720,987 GuineaGuinea 637637FranceFrance 12,673 12,673 GhanaGhana 494494JapanJapan 9,1029,102 NigeriaNigeria 230230ZimbabweZimbabwe 1,5861,586 MozambiqueMozambique 141141South AfricaSouth Africa 1,4021,402 TanzaniaTanzania 114114BrazilBrazil 1,0641,064 UgandaUganda 9494IndiaIndia 1,0041,004 EthiopiaEthiopia 6666ChinaChina 803803 Congo, DR 59Congo, DR 59

Source: Encyclopedia Britannica, 2002Source: Encyclopedia Britannica, 2002

Kilometers of paved roads per Kilometers of paved roads per million people in selected countriesmillion people in selected countries

Lack of Infrastructure Is Lack of Infrastructure Is Killing AfricaKilling Africa

Sasakawa-Sasakawa-Global 2000 Global 2000 Program Program

Zambia

Mozambique

Malawi

Sudan

Mali

Guinea

Active

Concluded

NigeriaEthiopia

Eritrea

Uganda

Tanzania

Burkina Faso

Gha

naTo

goB

eninStarted in 1986

At present covers 10 countries in eastern, central and western Africa.

SG 2000 Demonstration PlotsSG 2000 Demonstration Plots

Moderate amounts ofModerate amounts of

fertilizerfertilizer

Improved varietiesImproved varieties

Good stands Good stands

Timely planting &Timely planting & weedingweeding

Sasakawa-Global 2000 Sasakawa-Global 2000 Maize Demonstration YieldsMaize Demonstration Yields

Ghana

t/ha

t/ha

* Primarily using hybrids* Primarily using hybrids

Nigeria* Mali/Burkina Faso

MozambiqueUganda Ethiopia* Malawi*0

1

2

3

4

5

6 Demontration PlotsDemontration Plots

National AverageNational Average

• Opaque-2 gene—Purdue University discovery (1963) – high lysine – high tryptophan

• CIMMYT Conversion from soft to hard grain at CIMMYT (1970-78)

• Need to manage the opaque-2 gene in seed production

Quality Protein Maize (QPM)Quality Protein Maize (QPM) A Non-GMO Forerunner

Conservation TillageConservation Tillage• Saves labor

• Restores organic

matter

•Controls weed

• Reduces erosion

• Conserves moisture

Controversy over Controversy over Genetically Modified Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)Organisms (GMOs)

We’re all related—We’re all related—what does “Foreign what does “Foreign DNA” really mean?DNA” really mean?

Mother nature is also Mother nature is also a biotechnologist !a biotechnologist !

BIOTECHNOLOGYBIOTECHNOLOGYAND FOODAND FOOD

GMOs for 21st CenturyGMOs for 21st Century

Insect Insect and and

DiseasDiseasee

ResistancResistancee

NutritionaNutritionall

QualityQuality

AbioticAbioticStressesStresses

HerbicidHerbicidee

ResistanResistancece

Genetic Yield Genetic Yield PotentialPotential

Bt CottonBt Cotton7 million ha around the 7 million ha around the world; 4 million small world; 4 million small farmersfarmers

Excellent control of boll Excellent control of boll wormworm

Major reduction in Major reduction in insecticide useinsecticide use

Substantial reductions Substantial reductions in poisoning of farmersin poisoning of farmers

Significant increase in Significant increase in farmer profitsfarmer profits

My My “Biotechnology“Biotechnology

Dreams” Dreams”Transfer rice’s immunity to the Transfer rice’s immunity to the rusts (rusts (PucciniaPuccinia spp.) to other spp.) to other cereals—wheat, maize, cereals—wheat, maize, sorghum, barley, etcsorghum, barley, etc

Transfer bread wheat’s proteinsTransfer bread wheat’s proteins——gliadin and glutenin—for making gliadin and glutenin—for making

superior dough for leavened superior dough for leavened bread to bread to other cereals, especially rice other cereals, especially rice and maizeand maize

Dark Clouds Gathering in Dark Clouds Gathering in World Wheat EconomyWorld Wheat Economy

Per capita Per capita production production declining declining since 1997since 1997

International International germplasm germplasm exchange &exchange &testing decliningtesting declining

New diseaseNew diseasethreatsthreatsemerging, emerging, e.g. stem ruste.g. stem rust

Soybean Rust EpidemicSoybean Rust Epidemic

Two species; Asian type most Two species; Asian type most aggressiveaggressive2001—Only small area in South 2001—Only small area in South America infectedAmerica infected2003—Brazilian producers lost 2003—Brazilian producers lost US$ 1.3 billion (lost yield and US$ 1.3 billion (lost yield and fungicides)fungicides)2004—Expected to affect most 2004—Expected to affect most regions of South Americaregions of South America2005-06—Expected to reach 2005-06—Expected to reach North AmericaNorth AmericaCould cause US$ 4.5 billion in Could cause US$ 4.5 billion in damage to U.S. soybean cropdamage to U.S. soybean crop

Need to RestoreNeed to Restore Public Research Funding Public Research Funding

Green Revolution was the result of “public Green Revolution was the result of “public goods” research and investmentgoods” research and investment

Biotechnology is primarily driven by the Biotechnology is primarily driven by the private sectorprivate sector

Maintaining a balance between public and Maintaining a balance between public and

private research is essential and healthyprivate research is essential and healthy

Public institutions focus on problems of the Public institutions focus on problems of the poor, help prepare future scientists, and help poor, help prepare future scientists, and help assure that the public interest is protected. assure that the public interest is protected.

Agriculture and PeaceAgriculture and PeaceOnly 8% of countries with Only 8% of countries with the lowest levels of hunger the lowest levels of hunger are mired in conflictare mired in conflict

56% of countries with 56% of countries with highest levels of hunger highest levels of hunger have civil conflicthave civil conflict

World military budgets in World military budgets in 2004 exceed US$ 900 billion 2004 exceed US$ 900 billion annually (USA accounts for annually (USA accounts for 56% of total)56% of total)

In 2000, international donor In 2000, international donor support to agriculture support to agriculture reached lowest level in reached lowest level in historyhistory

CUTTING ADULT ILLITERACYCUTTING ADULT ILLITERACY

Male320 million

Female550 million

TOTAL = 870 million people+ 120 million primary school age children not in school

“You Cannot Build Peace on Empty Stomachs.”

John Boyd OrrNobel Peace LaureateFirst FAO Director General