WASHINGTON, D.C. – Research and education are the best tools for fighting hunger and environmental destruction in the Third World, says a Nobel prize-winning crop breeder.
But with so much research in developed countries being dominated by biotechnological innovations, the basic crop development that third world farmers need most might become rare, said Norman Borlaug.
“Research is an ongoing thing. It has to be,” said Borlaug at the recent National Association of Agricultural Journalists convention.
Borlaug and his research team developed disease-resistant dwarf wheat with high yield potential that could be grown in India and Pakistan. The Indian subcontinent was hit many times by terrible famines after the Second World War because local crop varieties yielded poorly even in good years. With fertilizer, Borlaug’s varieties yielded more, lessening the severity of subsequent famines. For his work he was awarded the 1970 Nobel peace prize.
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Borlaug, looking fit and spry and far younger than his 85 years, is a strong supporter of high-yield agriculture. He believes that only if farmland is used to its utmost yield potential will hungry people in developing nations leave rainforests and sensitive environmental areas alone.
He supports the use of modern fertilizers and modern techniques.
But he worries that the biotech focus of many researchers won’t help farmers in the Third World, where they might not be able to afford biotech crops or the chemicals designed to accompany the new varieties.
What they really need is traditional crop development, said Borlaug. With crops bred especially for growing conditions in developing nations, farmers will have a chance to feed their people and keep hunger at bay.
The other area that could help farmers is more education and extension work. Borlaug said American farmers were similar to African farmers in the early 20th century, and had the same problems.
“We were an undeveloped nation.”
Education a goal
But after the 1930s depression, when the American government was horrified by the poverty and hunger farm families faced, a network of universities was established dedicated to improving farmers’ skills and resources.
Professional agrologists were trained with new, high-yield methods that they then transferred to farmers in the field. The result was a large increase in yields and the beginning of a long period of increased production.
Borlaug thinks the same can be accomplished in Africa. He recently helped set up an agrologist training program in Ghana, where president Gerry Rawlings has strongly backed agricultural education.
