American Council on Science and Health

Borlaug Urges Scientists To Speak Out For Biotechnology -- Or Else

At a recent gathering in his honor, 1970 Nobel Peace prizewinner Norman Borlaug, Ph.D., said, "Scientists must develop a thick skin and speak out for science, especially biotechnology." The silent "or else" at the end of his sentence spoke volumes about his concern for the future. The famed father of the Green Revolution is worried that biotechnology, which he sees as transforming the way we feed ourselves and protect the natural environment, may be nipped in the bud if the scientific community doesn't rise to its vigorous public defense.

For his part, he promised to continue the crusade for science and agriculture he has been on his entire professional career. "I've had lots of battle scars from the environmentalists over the years for the positions I've taken," Borlaug said. "But we need biotech now, so I'll probably get some more."

This year alone, the indefatigable researcher has logged more miles than in any previous year of the 56 he has devoted to improving world agriculture. At every stop along the way, he has spoken out for the benefits of basic scientific research applied to agricultural problems in a new way.

"Forty years ago, we threw away the textbooks of the time when we were beginning to look at wheat varieties in Mexico," Borlaug explained. "Instead, we went from region to region, looking at what the farmers did and how they did it, what worked and what didn't." By combining the best of what they found, Borlaug and his fellow Rockefeller Foundation-funded agronomists and researchers were able to develop the rust-resistant wheat varieties that enabled India, and subsequently China, to not only feed their people but also become the world's largest wheat producers.

"In the 1960s, the whole agronomic system needed to be modernized, not just the technology" Borlaug said. "For most people today, life is much better than it was. There are lots of wonderful things happening out there."

As for the future, Borlaug can be described as soberly optimistic, confident that society will continue to back new technologies but only if they clearly understand the benefits. But he did quote Thomas Jefferson's observation that "ease and security are the drugs that destroy man's initiative, and nations, when they are well fed, become apathetic and lethargic."

Hence his call for scientists to speak up and speak out.

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