War-torn beginnings to women's empowerment: My journey with Norman Borlaug

I was born in the midst of the Indo-Pakistan war in December 1971. Bombs were falling, and my father hid my pregnant mother under a heavy, wooden table to protect his family — to protect me. Just a few years earlier, an Iowan had brought his miracle wheat from Mexico to confront the mass famine affecting that same Indo-Pakistan region.

It would, however, take me 35 years to learn his name. It would take me 35 years to understand his impact. Just as he changed my country's future and saved millions from starvation, Dr. Norman Borlaug would eventually change my future and professional trajectory.

A citizen of the world who was raised in Pakistan, Tanzania, Thailand and the Philippines, I had witnessed tremendous poverty and hunger all around me. But, ironically, it wasn't until I came to the American heartland of Iowa and joined the World Food Prize Foundation in 2008 that I understood the devastation of hunger and the impact an Iowan had once made on the Indian subcontinent — Borlaug, the man who saved more than a billion lives around the world.

More: From the archives: Sept. 12 marks anniversary of Nobel laureate, Iowa native Norman Borlaug's death

While he died shortly after I joined the World Food Prize Foundation, I am grateful — no, indebted to him — and proudly carry forward his legacy, intertwining my purpose and efforts with his life’s mission.

In honor of Borlaug’s 110th birth anniversary today, in recognition of the 10th anniversary since the unveiling of his statue in the U.S. Capitol and in celebration of International Women’s History Month, the World Food Prize Foundation is launching DialogueNEXT on March 26 in Washington, D.C.’s U.S. Institute of Peace — a place of gathering that is dedicated to the proposition that a world without violent conflict is possible and essential for global security.

Women play a fundamental role in that movement. From the first International Women's Day celebrated in 1911 to landmark achievements such as the Women’s Right to Vote in 1920, the Equal Pay Act in 1963, and the Violence Against Women Act in 1994, each milestone signifies progress — and now women are at the forefront of striving to complete the global agricultural revolution that Dr. Borlaug started.

The World Bank reports that almost half of the world's farmers are women, with many, especially in regions like Sub-Saharan Africa, shouldering sole responsibility for farming operations. Recognizing the significance of women in agriculture extends beyond statistics — it's about acknowledging their expertise, resilience and contributions to sustainable food systems. Empowering women in agriculture not only ensures food security but also fosters economic development, social equity and environmental sustainability.

Through my vision for DialogueNEXT, we will amplify the voices of women in agriculture and drive positive change in our global food systems. DialogueNEXT also traces the footsteps of Borlaug’s journey to diverse corners of the globe and creates a meaningful DIALOGUE that identifies critical NEXT steps in global food security.

More than just a forum, DialogueNEXT is a call to action, a commitment to taking that action across borders and finding solutions. After all, agriculture offers one of the most promising routes to promoting understanding and building linkages across national, political, religious and ethnic differences.

While I never met Borlaug, I am honored to know him through the vision and voices of his legacy-keepers like Ambassador Terry Branstad, Ambassador Kenneth Quinn, Paul Schickler, Wendy Wintersteen and the entire Ruan family. Were it not for the vision and foresight of John Ruan Sr., John Ruan III, Janis Ruan and now the third generation, led by John Ruan IV and Rachel McLean, the World Food Prize Foundation would not exist.

All of these individuals taught me the pageant of Dr. Borlaug’s incredible journey that took him from his family farm in Cresco, Iowa, to the University of Minnesota, then to Mexico, South Asia and eventually to Africa. Through DialogueNEXT, we — the next generation that he inspired — are elevating the voices of women in agriculture, building on the Foundation’s four decades-long effort to inspire breakthrough achievements in alleviating hunger and paving the way for the next Norman Borlaug, wherever SHE may be.

Mashal Husain is chief operating officer of the World Food Prize Foundation.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: From war to women's empowerment: My journey with Norman Borlaug