Dr. Norman Borlaug, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970 for his work on the production of grain crops, high-performance "helped to provide bread a people hungry " died on September 12, 2009, at the age of 95. Zamorano mourn his loss, not only as a world-renowned agricultural scientist and role model, but as an enduring and supportive friend of our school.
Born in the United States Cresno, Iowa, Dr. Borlaug attended the University of Minnesota, where he earned a BA (1937), MA (1939) and Ph.D. (1942). During the forties, Dr. Borlaug went to Mexico as part of a Rockefeller Foundation program to help Mexican farmers improve their crops. His success in producing what became known as "dwarf wheat", a strain resistant to diseases that quadrupled the productivity of wheat fields - prevented famine and turned Mexico into a nation self-sufficient in food production. His later work led to similar developments with other grains, including rice and corn, and inspired many to refer to Dr. Borlaug as "the founder of the Green Revolution."
time was during his work in Mexico that Dr. Borlaug heard about the newly formed Pan American Agricultural School, better known as Zamorano. He visits several times in the mid-forties, often accompanied by a colleague, Dr. Edward Wellhausen, an expert on corn production. Both spoke with Zamorano's founding director, Dr. Wilson Popenoe, famous botanist and explorer, and observed the growth and progress in school. Dr. Borlaug and Dr. Wellhausen were deeply conscious of the need for trained agronomists and crop experts in Latin America, and both strongly supported Zamorano mission: to provide agricultural education through rigorous study in classrooms and learning through practical experience, to train young people as individuals disciplined, committed to improving the world in Latin America and beyond it.
Over the decades, when Dr. Borlaug traveled to Honduras, a frequent visitor Zamorano. In December 1987 he directed the opening speech to a generation of graduates of just over 100 students, who gave him a lengthy standing ovation. Two years later, when Dr. Borlaug was in Tegucigalpa to assist the Honduran Ministry of Agriculture, Dr. Simon Malo, then rector of Zamorano, Dr. Borlaug was invited again to visit campus and tour the school. "Dr. Borlaug was obviously very aware of the good work and mission of Zamorano and asked many questions about our various programs and about Zamorano graduates. I realized that there would be no better time than this, so in the end of the visit, as we walked the airport, I asked the great man if he would join the Board of Zamorano. It was a pleasure to hear him say, 'yes, definitely'. "
Since 1990 until the end of 1995, while he was a member of the Board, Dr. Borlaug visited Zamorano about six times per year. Lectured on campus and classes and supported many outreach efforts of the school, including those in support of small farmers, bean and corn production practices, crop diversification and storage of seeds and grains. As it relates to Dr. Evil, "Borlaug will particularly enjoyed meeting the students. He thought that they were talented Zamora and workers and provide them a lecture enjoyed whenever he could. "
Today, 42 students attend Zamorano thanks to full scholarships granted by the Ryoichi Sasakawa Fellowship Program / Norman Borlaug, developed by the Nippon Foundation in cooperation with Zamorano. The name it bears is also the founder of the Nippon Foundation, Sasakawa Ryoichi, since the program began in 2002, and awarded full scholarships to 116 graduates Zamorano, many of them from some of the poorest communities of Latin America and Haiti. Another component covers Zamorano graduate internships in Laos and Ethiopia to teach agricultural practices sustainable largely the same way as did Dr. Borlaug. Zamorano forward to working with the Nippon Foundation to send more graduates to these internships next year. Zamorano
Dr. Borlaug received the last time in February 2003, when he traveled to the campus as President of the Sasakawa Africa Association, a program that works to achieve food security in sub-Saharan Africa. That day, Dr. Borlaug spoke about the blessings and limitations of current agricultural practices, the need for new discoveries and methods of sustainable, ecologically sound, and more than anything else, the promise that every single student carries within it to help feed the world and improve the quality of life of people. As Rector of Zamorano, Dr. Kenneth Hoadley notes: "I will never forget his address Dr. Borlaug. He managed to each student Zamorano was the edge of your seat. I've never seen anyone move more students as he did that day. "
After his retirement from the Board, Dr. Borlaug joined the International Advisory Council Zamorano and continued to play an active role in promoting the School until his death. The graduate of Zamorano, Mario Nufio, who served as Minister of Natural Resources of Honduras, and who is currently a member of the Board Zamorano, recalls Dr. Borlaug as a great believer in the unique approach of learning by doing for Zamorano. "He had a saying often liked to include his speeches:" To make the land produce one must go out to the fields, getting their hands dirty and sweaty work. This is the language that they understand the plants and animals '. Dr. Borlaug was pleased with the fact that this belief was an integral part of teaching philosophy Zamorano. It has helped train many of our graduates who now work following their footsteps. "
On behalf of the entire community of Zamorano express our condolences to the family of Dr. Borlaug, a great agricultural scientist and leader who inspired Zamorano all by his example, his achievements and his presence, and who will be missed greatly here, as throughout the developing world.
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