Green Revolution Introduction
The Green revolution in India refers to the period when Indian Agriculture was transformed into a system due to the adoption of modern procedures and technology such as the use of HIY seeds, irrigation facilities, tractors, pesticides, and fertilizers. Due to its success in producing more agricultural products, the Green Revolution technology was spread throughout the World in the 1950 and the 1960s. This significantly increases the number of calories produced per acre of agriculture. Read the article below to know more about the Green Revolution.
What is the Green Revolution?
The Green Revolution is the term that describes modification in agricultural techniques in many parts of the developing countries between 1940 and the 1960s. The Green Revolution aims to minimize famine in many nations and largely increase food production, by effectively terminating subsistence agriculture and replacing it with commercial agriculture. The idea behind the Green Revolution was to transfer many of the systems, ideas, and technology of Western farming into Asian agriculture, though researching and utilizing the resources Asian countries had. The Green Revolution was immensely funded by the Rockefeller Foundation, the Ford Foundation, and some other major agencies.
Green Revolution Definition
The Green Revolution is defined as the increase in food production immensely in developing countries by the use of artificial fertilizers, pesticides, and high-yield crop varieties.
Where Was the Green Revolution Originally Introduced In India?
The technologies of the Green revolution in India were originally introduced in the states of Punjab, Haryana, and western Uttar Pradesh These states fall under the Indo-Gangetic plains. Here, the state Punjab and Haryana come under the Trans Indo-Gangetic plains and western UP in the middle and upper Indo-Gangetic plains. These plains about 7000 years ago are believed to be formed by alluvium transported from the Himalayas by the Indus and Ganges river systems.
The soils in the region are generally sandy loam to loam in texture, deep alluvium, poor in organic matter content, and alkaline in reaction. During the pre-green revolution period, the cultivation of rice in this region was limited to a small area. With the introduction of the green revolution, wheat and rice emerged as the major cropping system in this region.
What Changes Were Brought By Green Revolution In India?
The Green Revolution covering the period from 1967-68 to 1977-78 transformed the situation of Indian country from a food deficient to one of the World’s leading agricultural nations. Until 1967, the government largely emphasized expanding the farming areas. But the Indian population was growing at much faster rates than the food production. This resulted in immediate and severe actions to increase the field. This action was introduced in the form of the Green Revolution. The term Green Revolution was largely applied to successful agricultural techniques in many developing countries. India is one of the developing countries where the Green Revolution was most successful.
What Are The Three Main Elements of the Green Revolution?
The three main elements of the Green Revolution are as follows.
1. Expansion of Farming Areas on a Continuous Basis
The area of land under cultivation drastically increased from 1947. But this was not adequate to meet the rising demand. Other efficient methods were also required. Also, the land under the cultivation had to continue. Therefore, Green Revolution was continued with this quantitative expansion of farming areas
2. Double Cropping in the Existing Farming Areas
Double cropping was the main feature of the Green Revolution. In place of one crop season per year, the decision was made to introduce two crop seasons each year. The one cropping season per year relied on the fact that there is only a natural monsoon each year. But the decision was made to have two cropping seasons per year i.e. one natural monsoon and the other an artificial monsoon.
The artificial monsoon emerges in the form of immense irrigation facilities. Dams were constructed to seize large volumes of natural monsoon which had earlier been wasted. Simpler irrigation facilities were also introduced.
3. Using HIY Seed with Improved Genetics
This is the most important scientific aspect of the Green Revolution. The Indian Council for Agricultural research was restructured in 1965 and then again in 1973. The Green Revolution introduced new strains of High yielding varieties seeds, specifically wheat and rice but also millets and corn. The most renowned HIY seed was the K68 diversification of wheat.
How the Green Revolution Played A Significant Role In The World?
The Green Revolution played a significant role in providing food for the steadily growing population of the world. During the 1950s and 1960s, Norman Borlaug (Father of Green Revolution) and his co-workers introduced dwarf wheat strains while working at The International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre in Mexico. Dwarf strains have a high Harvest Index (Measurement of Crop Yield) which means that they provide more of their energy resources into seeds rather than leaves, stems, and other plant structures. More importantly, these plants proved to be more reactive to fertilizer than the standard varieties of wheat.
Mexico had become self-sustained in wheat by the late 1950s. These new varieties were adopted by countries such as India and Pakistan who enlarged their wheat yields by 1968. New dwarf varieties of corn and rice were also introduced during this period. With this, we are now aware that in all situations the same gene has been modified by breeding. This recommends that using biotechnological methods to find and modify important genes responsible for agriculturally valuable agronomic traits would result in worthwhile changes across multiple species. The Green Revolution played a major role in doubling the world’s grain supply in the 20th century without increasing the farming areas.
Advantages of Green Revolution
The Green Revolution is associated with the following advantages to the world.
1. Consistent Food Supply
According to the research made by Oxfam, the world is in a position to produce almost 20% more food than what is presently required to provide every person with a balanced diet. This is possible due to the steadiness in the growth of a crop offered by the Green Revolution. The level of crop production levels was able to triple in just two decades with just one new strain of wheat.
2. Cheaper Consumer Price
The Green Revolution enabled farmers to produce more from their existing farming areas, creating bigger harvests with an equal quantity of work. This minimized production cost, which eventually lowered consumer costs, while profits of the farmers actually rose.
3. Opportunity To Safeguard The Environment
As we are in a position to produce more food from our existing farming areas through the Green Revolution, there is less requirement to convert other types of land into more croplands to feed a growing population. Even though the population of humans has doubled since the 1960s, our food production rates have tripled. Simultaneously, the rate of land conversion has been minimized to just 10%.
4. Created More Jobs
The most common type of job that is available in the developing world is the agricultural sector. Two out of three jobs worldwide are impacted directly or indirectly by agricultural work. With more jobs, the people enjoy more income. With more income, there is an opportunity to create a growing economy. This created more opportunities for people to pull themselves out of poverty over time.
5. Created an Opportunity To Harvest More From A Single Field
The Green Revolution largely benefited Indians. With the Indian annual rainy season, it was impossible to grow more than one crop annually. That eventually led to famine in the 1960s, which completely devastated the country. The new farming techniques offered by the Green Revolution enabled some regions to maximize their output, which provided the Indian people with more access to staple crops such as rice, corn, millet, and wheat.
Did You Know?
Carbon emission has largely increased due to the green revolution.
The breeding of high-yielding varieties focused mainly on cereal and staple crops.
In 1960, India was facing a famine situation. This compelled the country to join the Green Revolution.
New varieties of wheat and other grains were significant to the Green Revolution.
In 1963, Dr.Norman Borlaug first introduced genetically modified high-yielding wheat to India.
Conclusion
Thus in order to conclude we can say that, the introduction of HYV seeds and other advanced agricultural inputs through the green revolution proved to be a successful experiment in the country. It proved to be successful because it helped in becoming India a self-sufficient country in terms of food grains which is very necessary to feed the growing nation.
FAQs on Green Revolution In India
1. What was the Green Revolution in India?
The Green Revolution in India was a period of major agricultural transformation that began in the mid-1960s. It involved the introduction of new, high-yielding varieties (HYV) of seeds, particularly for wheat and rice, and the increased use of chemical fertilisers, pesticides, and controlled irrigation. The primary objective was to increase food grain production to make India self-sufficient and overcome frequent food shortages.
2. Who is known as the father of the Green Revolution?
Globally, American agronomist Dr. Norman Borlaug is considered the "Father of the Green Revolution." In the Indian context, the title "Father of the Green Revolution in India" is given to Dr. M. S. Swaminathan, whose visionary leadership was instrumental in adapting and implementing these new agricultural technologies to fit India's conditions.
3. When did the Green Revolution officially start in India?
The Green Revolution in India was officially launched in 1965-68 under the leadership of Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri and later Indira Gandhi. The period from 1967 to 1978 is often referred to as the first phase of the revolution, which transformed India from a food-deficient nation to one of the world's leading agricultural producers.
4. What were the main components of the Green Revolution strategy?
The Green Revolution was not just about one change but a package of initiatives. The main components were:
- High-Yielding Variety (HYV) Seeds: Introduction of genetically modified seeds, especially for wheat and rice, that could produce significantly more grain.
- Chemical Fertilisers and Pesticides: Increased use of chemical inputs to provide essential nutrients to the soil and protect crops from pests and diseases.
- Irrigation Infrastructure: Expansion of irrigation facilities like canals, dams, and tube wells to ensure a reliable water supply, which was crucial for the new HYV seeds.
- Farm Mechanisation: Introduction of modern machinery like tractors, threshers, and harvesters to improve efficiency.
- Credit and Services: Providing farmers with access to credit to buy seeds and fertilisers, along with government support for research and extension services.
5. Which crops were the main focus of the Green Revolution in India?
The Green Revolution initially focused primarily on increasing the production of food grains. The most significant success was seen in wheat production. Following the success with wheat, the technologies were applied to rice cultivation. While there were some gains in other crops, the revolution's main impact was concentrated on these two staple food grains.
6. What were the major positive impacts of the Green Revolution?
The Green Revolution had several profound positive impacts on India. It led to a massive increase in agricultural production, making the country self-sufficient in food grains and ending its reliance on imports. This ensured food security for a growing population, reduced the threat of famine, increased farmers' incomes in certain regions, and helped create buffer stocks of food that could be used during shortages.
7. What were the negative consequences or criticisms of the Green Revolution?
Despite its successes, the Green Revolution has been criticised for several negative consequences. These include:
- Environmental Damage: The intensive use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides led to soil degradation, water pollution, and a loss of biodiversity.
- Depletion of Groundwater: The high water demand of HYV crops led to the over-extraction of groundwater, causing water tables to fall dramatically in many regions.
- Increased Inequality: It primarily benefited wealthy farmers who could afford the expensive inputs like HYV seeds, fertilisers, and machinery, thus widening the gap between rich and poor farmers.
- Regional Disparities: The revolution was most successful in states with better irrigation and infrastructure, like Punjab, Haryana, and Western UP, leading to uneven regional development.
8. Why were Punjab, Haryana, and Western Uttar Pradesh the first to benefit most from the Green Revolution?
These regions were the epicentre of the Green Revolution's success primarily because they had the necessary prerequisites. They already possessed a well-developed irrigation network from canals and tube wells, which was essential for the water-intensive HYV crops. Furthermore, farmers in these areas were generally more prosperous and could afford the high initial investment in seeds, fertilisers, and machinery. The presence of agricultural universities also ensured better access to knowledge and technology.
9. How did the Green Revolution affect small and marginal farmers?
The Green Revolution had a mixed and often challenging impact on small and marginal farmers. While the technology was scale-neutral, its application was not. Small farmers often lacked the capital to invest in the required inputs like HYV seeds, chemical fertilisers, pesticides, and assured irrigation. As a result, many could not adopt the new technology, or they fell into debt trying to do so. This widened the economic disparity between them and large, commercial farmers who reaped the majority of the benefits.
10. Was the Green Revolution only about using High-Yielding Variety (HYV) seeds?
No, this is a common misconception. While HYV seeds were the cornerstone of the revolution, they were part of a comprehensive package. These seeds could only achieve their high-yield potential when supported by adequate irrigation, chemical fertilisers, and pesticides. Without this complete package, the seeds would not perform effectively. Therefore, the Green Revolution was a systemic change involving technology, inputs, and agricultural practices, not just a single innovation.
11. What is the "Evergreen Revolution" and why is it considered necessary?
The term "Evergreen Revolution" was coined by Dr. M. S. Swaminathan to describe a new path for agricultural progress that increases productivity without causing ecological harm. It is considered necessary to address the negative environmental and social consequences of the original Green Revolution. The focus of the Evergreen Revolution is on sustainability, promoting farming practices like integrated pest management, soil health enhancement, water conservation, and preserving biodiversity, ensuring long-term food security for future generations.
