The Green Revolution was led by Norman Borlaug, an agronomist who was hired to head a wheat improvement programme established by the Rockefeller Foundation and the Mexican Government at the age of 30. The programme was established in an attempt to transform Mexico into a self reliant country in the production and distribution of cereal grains. Borlaug developed semi dwarf, high yield and disease resistant wheat varieties and combined them with new agricultural production techniques to achieve the goal of improving Mexico's cereal production levels by the 1950s. At the end of the programme, Mexico did not only become self sufficient in food production but also became a major exporter of wheat.
Borlaug introduced the new varieties of wheat as well as the new agricultural production techniques to other countries including China, Asia and Pakistan; spurring a significant increase in farm yield in these nations. This remarkable increase was labelled “The Green Revolution”. Famine became a thing of the past in countries across the world due to the discoveries made during the wheat improvement programme. From then on Borlaug became known as the Father of the Green Revolution.
Sub-Saharan Africa is the only place in the world where there is less food per person year after year. Today, farmers in the region are forced to contend with challenges their parents never encountered. As the continent’s population grew, they were forced to cultivate their land more intensively giving way to a reduction of nutrients in the soil and an increase in disease and pest infestations. As a result of these agricultural maladies as well as the rise of harsh weather conditions in Africa, millions of people on the continent are living with starvation everyday.
Starvation was a threat to majority of the developing world until the dawn of the Green Revolution in the 1940s. This prolonged effort to improve crop yield swept through Asia and Latin America, giving small farmers a measure of security for the first time ever. In 1970, Norman Borlaug, a Rockefeller Foundation scientist and the founding father of the Green Revolution, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his ground-breaking efforts. By the 1980s, the Green Revolution had single handedly increased the percentage of food produced in the developing world. It is worthy to note that the Green Revolution, though a success in other parts of the world, eluded the African continent. At Notore, we believe in change that counts that is why we are championing the Green Revolution in Africa.
An excerpt from www.gatesfoundation.org
Improved seeds and fertiliser were the two major ingredients behind the success of the Green Revolution in Asia and Latin America. Improved seeds were developed by scientists who created seed varieties with significantly greater yield potential while maintaining the natural characteristics of the crops.
Fertiliser was equally as important in the Asian and Latin American Green Revolution. It enabled improved seeds to reach their full potential and culminated in an increment of food produced in Asia and Latin America over the next few years.