Dr. Norman Borlaug, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and Chair of the Sasakawa Africa Association passed away on September 12 at the age of 95. While he was alive, he often said “A lack of food contributes directly to a loss of human dignity.”

I first met Dr. Borlaug in 1974 when he was in the Himalayas searching for the origins of wheat. I particularly remember how amazingly suntanned he was. Ten years later, at the time of the Ethiopian famine, our foundation asked him to cooperate with us and with former US President Jimmy Carter in devising a plan to increase food production in Africa.

At that time, he replied that he was 71 years old and had left the front lines of famine relief. To that, my father, Ryoichi Sasakawa, said to him, “I’m even 15 years older than you. Come work with me.” It was this appeal that gave the start to the Nippon Foundation-established Sasakawa Global 2000.

When we began our work, the World Bank and international organizations coldly informed us that food self-sufficiency was impossible for Africa. However, thanks to Dr. Borlaug’s rich experience, phenomenal knowledge and the humanity with which he could lead, we were able to increase food production in sub-Saharan Africa by as much as 2-4 times.

In 1997, we received thanks from Ethiopian president Meles because his country had overcome its famine and was actually beginning to export its surplus to Kenya. In 2001, SG 2000 staff was asked by the World Bank to visit a Tanzanian agricultural project in order to provide advice. The SG 2000 project has thus received high marks on the global stage. This is a direct result of Dr. Borlaug’s diligence.

Among Nobel Peace Prize laureates, there are very few who can boast of as concrete and far-reaching a record as Dr. Borlaug. I worked with him for more than 20 years, and in that time found that one of his strengths lay in the way he maximized the capabilities of the people he was trying to help. I can see him, covered in sweat and mud, sitting in a circle with workers from an African field as they shared a meal.

Dr. Norman Borlaug. I will treasure the things that you taught me. As the Sasakawa Africa Association continues to work toward a world without famine, we pledge to do our utmost in support of African agricultural development. As I say goodbye, I pray for your eternal peace.