Norman Borlaug, American agronomist and Nobel Laureate, passed away last week, aged ninety-five. Borlaug’s contributions to agriculture led to a Green Revolution, enabling countless millions to be fed, who otherwise would have starved. These efforts also refuted doomsday contentions that humanity could not feed itself; Borlaug’s dedication and genius trumped pessimism and anti-growth pronouncements. For more on Borlaug’s work, see “Billions Served,” and “Father of Green Revolution Dies.”
Humanity’s answer wasn’t fewer people; it was more food. Borlaug provided that answer, and has inspired others to continue his work.
Here’s a video biography of Borlaug:
A man so accomplished would have students and fellow researchers who loved him. So much, that they composed a rap song for him, in celebration of his accomplishments. To my knowledge, he’s the only Nobel Laureate with a song composed in his honor. And if not the only, then surely the finest.
For music Monday, here’s a link to the Norman Borlaug rap, with lyrics below.
I don’t know what you been told
about farming and food in days of old,
but listen and take this to the bank:
If there’s food in your tummy then you’d better thank
N-O-R-M-A-N
Norman Borlaug, thank you, man
Straight out of Iowa Norman came,
then traveled the world, saw suffering and pain.
Millions of people were starving, yo
in Pakistan, India, Mexico.
But just a few years after Norman came,
they all had bumper crops of grain.
Norman found the great solution,
known as the Green Revolution.
Billions of people are alive today
because of work done by the man named
Norman
CHORUS:
Norman Borlaug, you may be
the greatest man in history.
Using science and your brain
to stamp out hunger, woe and pain.
Creating new varieties
of plants with new technologies.
You’re the man we look up to.
That is why we’re thanking you.
But then some people started to panic,
telling the farmers to go organic.
Technophobes started making a mess
of Norman Borlaug’s great success.
Green groups thought they found the cure
in stinky piles of cow manure,
telling their governments not to send
fertilizer aid to our African friends.
So Norman came back to defend
high-yield agriculture with his friend,
Jimmy Carter, ex-president,
to help all the African residents.
CHORUS
Norman and Jimmy hopped in a plane
to help the Africans grow more grain.
Soon the men were able to triple
corn yields that the Greens had crippled.
Feeding the planet is his game
and yet he does not have much fame.
Got the highest scientific acclaim,
and now you better know his name is
Norman
And he’s still working in the fields,
helping the farmers increase their yields.
With fertilizer, water and better plant breeding
he’s making sure that farmers are feeding
children and their families
with corn and rice, cassava and peas.
The man has saved so many lives.
That’s why they gave the Nobel Prize to
Norman
If you don’t know, You better ask somebody
About Norman
Norman Borlaug
Father of the Green Revolution
Nobel Peace Prize Winner
Forgotten Benefactor of Humanity
CHORUS