The Norman Borlaug Institute for Global Food Security

Norman Borlaug (1914-2009)

Dr Norman Borlaug
Dr. Norman Borlaug
Nobel Peace Prize Laureate 1970

American agricultural scientist Norman Borlaug dedicated his life to alleviating world hunger and in the 1940s helped initiate what became known as the “Green Revolution” —a series of technological advances in crop production that enabled many developing countries to overcome the threat of famine and, in some cases, become agriculturally self-sufficient.

Dr Norman Borlaug

“Civilization as it is known today could not have evolved, nor can it survive, without an adequate food supply”

Borlaug received his Ph.D. in plant pathology and genetics from the University of Minnesota in 1942. He took up an agricultural research position in Mexico, where he developed semi-dwarf, high-yield, disease-resistant wheat varieties. During the mid- 20th century, Borlaug led the introduction of these high-yielding varieties combined with modern agricultural production techniques to Mexico, Pakistan, and India. As a result, by 1963 Mexico became a net exporter of wheat. Between 1965 and 1970, wheat yields nearly doubled in Pakistan and India, greatly improving the food security in those nations. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970 in recognition of his contributions to world peace through increasing food supply. Later in his life, he helped apply these methods of increasing food production to Asia and Africa.

A unique opportunity for the University of Nottingham and Rothamsted Research

In the foreseeable future, plants (and especially cereals) will continue to supply much of our increased global food demand. It is likely that an additional one billion metric tons of grain will be needed annually by 2025 to feed the world, with most of this increase coming through yield improvements on existing productive land. Meanwhile, we cannot ignore our need to mitigate climate change and therefore the manner in which we increase food production becomes vitally important, with an emphasis on environmentally sustainable solutions for food production.

Dr Borlaug and Prof Goulding
Dr. Norman Borlaug with
Rothamsted's Prof. Keith Goulding

Rothamsted Research and the University of Nottingham have made a decision to fortify and augment their existing working collaboration to provide, for the UK and the rest of the world, a partnership for a new and Greener Revolution. That is, one which builds on Dr Norman Borlaug's first green revolution by increasing crop productivity and quality whilst nurturing our agricultural environment. The complementary expertise of the UK's leading agricultural and food orientated University and the world's longest running agricultural research Institute will be melded together to establish the Norman Borlaug Institute for Global Food Security.

Dr Borlaug and Prof Pickett
Dr. Norman Borlaug with
Rothamsted's Prof. John Pickett

This initiative is in fact a re-launch of the Norman Borlaug Institute. The original Institute was established at De Montfort University in Leicester and launched by Dr. Norman Borlaug himself. Changes in the overall strategic plan of De Montfort University in the early 2000s led to the Norman Borlaug Institute needing a new fixed base. Dr Norman Borlaug himself actually suggested Rothamsted Research and the University of Nottingham as being the logical homes for this endeavour.

Professor Maurice Moloney - Director, RRes and of NBI-GFS

Professor Jerry Roberts - Associate-director NBI-GFS

 

 
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