by Joan Mitchell, CSJ
Norm Borlaug is famous for saving a billion lives. An Iowa farm kid who became a plant pathologist, Borlaug took a job in Mexico to increase grain production. Farmers there raised only half the grain the country needed. Dr. Borlaug raised two crops a year for 13 years to develop hearty, rust-resistant wheat varieties that started a green revolution around the world.
Each year the World Food Prize honors leaders who continue the work of feeding the world. David Nabarro and Lawrence Haddad received the prize for identifying child nutrition as key in ending hunger. The first 1,000 days are essential to child development.
As a teen, Dr. Nabarro volunteered for a year at Youth Action in York, England. A passion to serve took root in him. He became a doctor like his father and spent his entire career promoting child health. Nabarro has a gift for getting people together. “I find that if you give people space to work together, absolute magic comes out of it,” he says.
Born in South Africa to Lebanese immigrants, Dr. Lawrence Haddad moved with his parents to London. When his father left the family, he moved with his mother, grandmother, and infant sister to state-sponsored housing, learning first-hand the importance of a safety net system for families.
Volunteering with his mother at a Save the Children charity shop opened Haddad’s eyes to humanitarian work. He became an economist and researched the most effective ways to end hunger. Adequate food in the first years of life pays off $16 for every $1 invested, he reports, telling businesses and governments, “if you don’t invest in nutrition at a very early age you are killing off your consumer base and your future economic workforce.”
Because of Dr. Nabarro’s and Dr. Haddad’s work, nutrition for mothers and children from pregnancy to a child’s third birthday is a global priority today. Their relentless leadership and advocacy has inspired countless others and reduced the number of stunted children by ten million in just five years. Better nutrition also empowers women and reduces poverty and inequality.
- Who works to end hunger in your area, especially among mothers with young children?