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CHICKASAW COUNTY Another IAGenWeb Project |
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FAMOUS CHICKASAWIANS - B - |
| NORMAN E. BORLAUG |
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Norman was born in the small Norwegian-American community of Saude, near Cresco in Iowa. He grew up on his father's small grain and livestock farm, and attended a one-teacher one-room schoolhouse for eight grades. After graduating from Cresco High School he studied at the University of Minnesota where he earned B.S. in forestry (1937), M.S. in forest pathology (1941) and Ph.D. in plant pathology and genetics (1942). After three years of research work at E.I. du Pont de Nemours in Delaware, Dr. Borlaug joined the Rockefeller Foundation cooperative project with the Mexican Ministry of Agriculture as head of the wheat research and improvement program. In 1966 his "Quiet Revolution in Wheat Improvement" created world around interest and the Rockefeller and Ford foundations, in cooperation with the Government of Mexico, established the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) at El Batan near Mexico City. In 1970 he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his "Green Revolution" which helped Pakistan, India and a number of other countries improve their food production. Since then he has continued working tirelessly in saving millions from starvation and suffering. He has been honored with about forty honorary doctorate degrees and numerous awards by governments, academic institutions and citizens' groups around the world. |