Agronomist

Agronomists (called agrologists in Canada) are scientists who specialize in agronomy, which is the science of utilizing plants for food, fuel, feed, and fiber. [http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/agronomy] They apply science to the benefit of society in ways such as increasing the availability of food, maintaining soil resources, designing sustainable food production systems, protecting human health, and developing bioenergy. [ [http://www.ImAnAgronomist.net I'm An Agronomist! ] ]

Important agronomists

Norman E. Borlaug

Norman E. Borlaug led the introduction of semi-dwarf high-yield, disease-resistant wheat varieties and 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 the food security in those nations. These collective increases in yield have been labeled the Green Revolution, and Borlaug is often credited with saving over a billion people from starvation.The phrase "over a billion lives saved" is often cited by others in reference to Norman Borlaug's work (e.g. [http://agriculture.senate.gov/Hearings/hearings.cfm?hearingid=1523&witnessId=4333 here] ). According to [http://www.worldfoodprize.org/about/douglas.htm Jan Douglas here] , Executive Assistant to the World Prize Foundation, the source of this number is Gregg Easterbrook's 1997 article "Forgotten Benefactor of Humanity", the article states that the "form of agriculture that Borlaug preaches may have prevented a billion deaths."] He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970 in recognition of his contributions to world peace through increasing food supply. In 1986, he established the World Food Prize to recognize individuals who have improved the quality, quantity or availability of food around the globe.

Perry G. Holden

Perry G. Holden was the first professor of agronomy in the United States. Through his various outreach programs to promote the use of hybrid corn seeds he became known as the "corn evangelist". [ [http://www.ciras.iastate.edu/history.asp History] of the Iowa State University Extension Service.] While at Iowa State University, Perry Holden developed important plant breeding techniques. These plant breeding techniques resulting in amazing yield increases that improved the quality of life for farmers while lowering the cost of food.

References

Further reading

*http://www.ImAnAgronomist.net
*The Man Who Fed the World: Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Norman Borlaug and His Battle to End World Hunger by Leon Hesser, Durban House Publishing, 2006.