In a global effort to
feed humanity, it was one man’s scientific intellect that sowed the seeds. This
morning, Alltech, a global leader in animal health and nutrition, posthumously
awarded the Father of the Green Revolution, the late Dr. Norman E. Borlaug,
with the 23rd annual Alltech 2014 Medal of Excellence for saving more than one
billion people from starvation and paving the path to feeding more than 9
billion by 2050. Approximately three months after what would have been his
100th birthday, Borlaug’s granddaughter, Dr. Julie Borlaug Larson, accepted the
award on his behalf during the opening session at Alltech’s 30th Annual Alltech
International Symposium, “What If?” in Lexington, Kentucky, USA.
Borlaug Larson, who
is the associate director for external relations at the Borlaug Institute for
International Agriculture at Texas A&M University is continuing her
grandfather’s legacy by developing agricultural partnerships between public,
private and philanthropic groups to raise funds and further efforts to support
agricultural sustainability.
The Alltech Medal of
Excellence is awarded each year during the opening session of Alltech’s
International Symposium to individuals whose remarkable business acumen has
changed the global food industry. A video presented during the session featured
Borlaug in the late stages of his life, speaking of solving the world’s hunger
epidemic, “We’re going to need you to be ready... not with guns and daggers,
but with science and technology.”
Through an
agricultural research position in Mexico, Borlaug developed semi-dwarf,
high-yield, disease-resistant wheat varieties, and during the mid-20th century,
introduced these high-yielding varieties, combined with modern agricultural
production techniques, to Mexico, Pakistan and India. As a result, Mexico
became a net exporter of wheat by 1963. Between 1965 and 1970, wheat yields
nearly doubled in Pakistan and India, greatly improving food security in those
nations. Later, Borlaug helped apply these methods of increasing food
production to Asia and Africa, ultimately helping to end much starvation around
the world. His techniques and practices set the stage for scientists to
determine the best way to feed the growing world population of greater than 9
billion by 2050. Borlaug is a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom,
the Congressional Gold Medal and the Nobel Peace Prize for his contributions to
increasing world peace through food security. He died in 2009 at the age of 95.
During the opening
session, Alltech also recognized the tenacity and philanthropy of Lopez Lomong,
one of the Lost Boys of Sudan turned two-time Olympian runner, inspirational
speaker and author of The New York Times best-selling autobiography Running for
My Life, with the 2014 Alltech Humanitarian Award. Dr. Pearse Lyons of Alltech
presented the award and said, “The purpose of life is a life of purpose. This
award goes to a man who never let regrets take the place of his dreams. Today,
we award his endeavor, his passion and his incredible accomplishments.”
Lomong accepted the
award and said, “The moment I made it to the Olympics I said, I’m no longer
Lopez Lomong... I’m no longer a refugee... I’m now an American. I want to give
back to the American people who never gave up on us, and continue to help millions
of people across the world through education, health care, nutrition and clean
water. We can take everything we learn here, [at Alltech’s Symposium], and go
out and inspire the world.”
Lomong, born in South
Sudan, was separated from his family at age six after being kidnapped by
soldiers during a Sunday morning Mass. Three weeks later, he escaped the
children’s prison and the watch of prison guards and running as fast as he
could eighteen miles a day. He took refuge in Kenya at Kakuma Refugee Camp
before coming to the United States at age sixteen. While on his escape Lomong
saw Olympic runner Michael Johnson win a gold medal on a black and white
television in a refugee camp, and that’s what sparked his dream to one day
compete in track and field in the Olympics. Sure enough, after becoming a U.S.
citizen, Lomong’s dream came true and he qualified for the 2008 Summer
Olympics, carrying the flag for the United States during the 2008 Summer
Olympics Opening Ceremony. Running for My Life, was published in 2012.
Bringing in more than 2,000
attendees from 60 countries across the globe to Lexington, Kentucky, Alltech’s
30th Annual International Symposium is one of the world’s leading events in
agribusiness. One-day pass registration is still available by visiting www.alltech.com/symposium. The event ends
May 21, 2014. To stream select sessions online, visit www.youtube.com/alltechexperience.
This blog is maintained by The Global Miller staff and is supported by the magazine GFMT which is published by Perendale Publishers Limited.
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