Has there been anyone else in history credited with saving a billion people? Yesterday Norman Borlaug received the Congressional Gold Medal, America’s highest civilian award. This humble and unpretentious microbiologist and plant breeder is credited with saving over a billion lives through the “Green Revolution.” Dr. Borlaug has spent his professional life introducing crop breeding methods to developing countries that dramatically increased crop yields and saved over a billion people from starvation. And he is still going strong at 93 years of age.

Winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970, Dr. Borlaug has been awarded numerous prizes for his achievements in revolutionizing agriculture production and feeding the hungry. CEI was honored in 2004 when he accepted CEI’s Prometheus Award at its Annual Dinner.

His inspiring speech at that event can be viewed here. A tribute by Gregg Easterbrook appears here.