I don't suppose more than a tiny fraction of people have heard of Norman Borlaug, who has died aged 95, but he is credited with saving some 245 million lives, an almost incredible figure.
Borlaug developed disease resistant wheat, the principal characteristic of which was that it was short and so in heavy rain the tops didn't fall over into the water. This revolutionised production in Mexico, Pakistan and India, doubling yields when combined with modern growing techniques and staving off certain famine.
245 million. Quite an achievement.
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