The Man Who Saved Billion Lives

When he was just a little boy, he saw lots of hungry people in his neighbourhood. He decided he wanted to change that. He wanted to provide all people from around the world with enough food so no one would be hungry. This is the amazing story of a great human being. His name was Norman Borlaug, and he reportedly saved a billion people.

Norman was born in 1914 in a small, rural town in America. He didn’t have many opportunities but he worked hard and graduated in 1942 with a PhD in plant pathology and genetics. After university, he went to Mexico to start work as a researcher. It was in Mexico that he discovered and developed new varieties of wheat that could provide more food. He used his research in wheat to successfully improve the living conditions for people all over the world, especially India, Pakistan and areas of Africa. He also saved many people in China because the techniques that he developed were able to produce more rice.

He won many awards during his lifetime, including the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970. He continued working around the globe, increasing food production, improving scientific awareness, and helping to stop hunger and suffering in many countries. Before his death in 2009, he became known as the father of the Green Revolution. But, considering his many achievements, few people recognise the name Norman Borlaug.