There are no miracles in agricultural production.
Interpretation
Agricultural success relies on hard work and scientific practices, not luck or chance.
Norman Borlaug's quote emphasizes the importance of scientific progress and diligent effort in agriculture rather than attributing success to miraculous events. It reflects the belief that sustainable agricultural production is the result of consistent application of scientific knowledge and techniques, which counteracts misconceptions about farming being solely reliant on natural occurrences or luck.
In practice
In a speech about farming sustainability, one might quote, 'There are no miracles in agricultural production' to emphasize the necessity of science in farming.
During the past three years spectacular progress has been made in increasing wheat, rice, and maize production in several of the most populous developing countries of southern Asia, where widespread famine appeared inevitable only five years ago
We must recognize the fact that adequate food is only the first requisite for life. For a decent and humane life, we must also provide an opportunity for good education, remunerative employment, comfortable housing, good clothing, and effective and compassionate medical care.
We are 6.6 billion people now. We can only feed 4 billion. I don't see 2 billion volunteers to disappear.
Nevertheless, the number of farmers, small as well as large, who are adopting the new seeds and new technology is increasing very rapidly, and the increase in numbers during the past three years has been phenomenal.
Africa needs roads. Roads bring know-how and fertilizer to farmers and ideas and business for commerce.
This is a basic problem, to feed 6.6 billion people. Without fertilizer, forget it. The game is over.
About thirty years ago there was much talk that geologists ought only to observe and not theorise; and I well remember some one saying that at this rate a man might as well go into a gravel-pit and count the pebbles and describe the colours. How odd it is that anyone should not see that all observation must be for or against some view if it is to be of any service!
We cannot even predict what kinds of emergent properties would appear when animals begin interacting as part of a brain-net. In theory, you could imagine that a combination of brains could provide solutions that individual brains cannot achieve by themselves.
Experiments with animals have long been handicapped by our anthropocentric attitude: We often test them in ways that work fine with humans but not so well with other species.
Quantum mechanics is certainly imposing. But an inner voice tells me that this is not yet the real thing. The theory says a lot, but does not bring us any closer to the secrets of the "Old One." I, at any rate, am convinced that He is not playing at dice.
No particular theory may ever be regarded as absolutely certain.... No scientific theory is sacrosanct.
Most man only care for science so far as they get a living by it, and that they worship even error when it affords them a subsistence.
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