Historical Event on 12/10/1969

Norman Borlaug, the Iowa-born crop expert, whose research on new strains of high-yielding rice and wheat has led to a Green Revolution in developing countries, was awarded the Nobel peace prize today. Working at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center of Mexico since 1944, Borlaug, 56, has directed a team of agronomists working on the development of new crop plant strains that have allowed Third World farmers to multiply yields dramatically. His organization has trained farm technicians from 29 countries, including India, Pakistan and Turkey, enabling them to move steadily toward the goal of self-sufficiency in food production.