Agriculture
The Green Revolution implemented advances in agricultural science to raise food production levels, particularly in developing countries. These advances are associated with the spreading use of high-yield varieties (HYV) of wheat, rice, and corn developed through advanced methods of genetics and plant breeding.
Yield Increases
The Green Revolution can be traced back to a 1940 request from Mexico for technical assistance from the United States to increase wheat production. By 1944, with the financial support of the Rockefeller Foundation, a group of U.S. scientists were researching methods of adapting the new high-yield variety (HYV) wheat that had been successfully used on American farms in the 1930?s to Mexico?s varied environments.
A major breakthrough is attributed to Norman Borlaug, who by the late 1940?s was director of the research in Mexico. For his research and work in the global dissemination of the Mexican HYV wheat, Borlaugwon the 1970 Nobel Peace Prize.
From wheat, research efforts shifted to rice production. Through the work of the newly created International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines, an HYV rice was developed.
This so-called miracle rice was widely adopted in developing countries during the 1960?s. Later research has sought to spread the success of the Green Revolution to other crops and to more countries.
Approximately one-half of the yield increases in food crops worldwide since the 1960?s are attributable to the Green Revolution. Had there not been a Green Revolution, the amount of land used for agriculture would undoubtedly be higher today, as would the prices of wheat, rice, and corn, three crops that account for more than 50 percent of total human energy requirements.
There is a concern, however, that the output benefits of the Green Revolution have had some negative equity and environmental effects.
Equity and Environmental Issues
The Green Revolution has promoted input intensive agriculture, which has, in turn, created several problems. In theory, a small-scale farmer will get benefits from planting the HYV seeds that are similar to those reaped by a large farm. In practice, however, small-scale farmers have had more difficulty in gaining access to Green Revolution technology.
To use the new seeds, fields need adequate irrigation and the timely application of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. In many developing countries, small-scale farmers? limited access to credit makes the variety of complementary inputs difficult to obtain.
Greater use of fertilizers is associated with rising nitrate levels in water supplies. Pesticides have been linked to community health problems. Long-term, intensive production has resulted in compaction and salinization of soil and other problems.
Because agriculture is increasingly dependent on fossil fuels, food prices have become more strongly linked to energy supplies of this type. This issue raises concerns about the sustainability of the new agriculture.
Biotechnological approaches to generating higher yields, the expected future path of the Green Revolution, will raise an additional set of equity and environmental concerns.
- Asian Agriculture
Asian AgricultureLand constraints and growing population and urbanization throughout Asia underscore the need for environmentally sound technologies to sustain agricultural growth. The first agricultural revolution occurred in Asia and involved the domestication...
- Irradiated Seeds Combat World's Most Serious Wheat Disease
By Francie Diep In Kenya, two new varieties of wheat are resistant to a fungus that defeated even Norman Borlaug's resistant plants. Wheat Stem Rust-Resistant Plants Grow at Eldoret University in Kenya Greg Webb / IAEA Kenyan farmers last week got...
- Top 6 Cities Leading The Green Building Revolution
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- Agricultural Sector Of Indian Economy
India's economy the most important part of India's agricultural world. In India, the agricultural working class, the only means left about two thirds. Financial year 2006-07 as economic data, it was stated that 18 percent agriculture, India's...
- The Full Development Of Agricultural Technology Allows A Unique Output, For The Post-quintal Of Maize By The Number Of Hectares Of Land, And War, Beca
"Green Revolution 1960-1970 year," India is a new world food problems, specific issues: proposed new rice varieties, then, in view of productivity growth, but resistance to disease and needs more fertilizer use, the country still Self - fully meet the...
Agriculture
Green Revolution
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| Green Revolution |
Yield Increases
The Green Revolution can be traced back to a 1940 request from Mexico for technical assistance from the United States to increase wheat production. By 1944, with the financial support of the Rockefeller Foundation, a group of U.S. scientists were researching methods of adapting the new high-yield variety (HYV) wheat that had been successfully used on American farms in the 1930?s to Mexico?s varied environments.
A major breakthrough is attributed to Norman Borlaug, who by the late 1940?s was director of the research in Mexico. For his research and work in the global dissemination of the Mexican HYV wheat, Borlaugwon the 1970 Nobel Peace Prize.
From wheat, research efforts shifted to rice production. Through the work of the newly created International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines, an HYV rice was developed.
This so-called miracle rice was widely adopted in developing countries during the 1960?s. Later research has sought to spread the success of the Green Revolution to other crops and to more countries.
Approximately one-half of the yield increases in food crops worldwide since the 1960?s are attributable to the Green Revolution. Had there not been a Green Revolution, the amount of land used for agriculture would undoubtedly be higher today, as would the prices of wheat, rice, and corn, three crops that account for more than 50 percent of total human energy requirements.
There is a concern, however, that the output benefits of the Green Revolution have had some negative equity and environmental effects.
Equity and Environmental Issues
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The Green Revolution has promoted input intensive agriculture, which has, in turn, created several problems. In theory, a small-scale farmer will get benefits from planting the HYV seeds that are similar to those reaped by a large farm. In practice, however, small-scale farmers have had more difficulty in gaining access to Green Revolution technology.
To use the new seeds, fields need adequate irrigation and the timely application of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. In many developing countries, small-scale farmers? limited access to credit makes the variety of complementary inputs difficult to obtain.
Greater use of fertilizers is associated with rising nitrate levels in water supplies. Pesticides have been linked to community health problems. Long-term, intensive production has resulted in compaction and salinization of soil and other problems.
Because agriculture is increasingly dependent on fossil fuels, food prices have become more strongly linked to energy supplies of this type. This issue raises concerns about the sustainability of the new agriculture.
Biotechnological approaches to generating higher yields, the expected future path of the Green Revolution, will raise an additional set of equity and environmental concerns.
- Asian Agriculture
Asian AgricultureLand constraints and growing population and urbanization throughout Asia underscore the need for environmentally sound technologies to sustain agricultural growth. The first agricultural revolution occurred in Asia and involved the domestication...
- Irradiated Seeds Combat World's Most Serious Wheat Disease
By Francie Diep In Kenya, two new varieties of wheat are resistant to a fungus that defeated even Norman Borlaug's resistant plants. Wheat Stem Rust-Resistant Plants Grow at Eldoret University in Kenya Greg Webb / IAEA Kenyan farmers last week got...
- Top 6 Cities Leading The Green Building Revolution
July 25, 2013 by Beth Buczynski Unless they?re from Kansas or North Carolina, most people agree that green building makes sense?environmentally and financially. Instead of nagging people to unplug their appliances after use or use air conditioning sparingly,...
- Agricultural Sector Of Indian Economy
India's economy the most important part of India's agricultural world. In India, the agricultural working class, the only means left about two thirds. Financial year 2006-07 as economic data, it was stated that 18 percent agriculture, India's...
- The Full Development Of Agricultural Technology Allows A Unique Output, For The Post-quintal Of Maize By The Number Of Hectares Of Land, And War, Beca
"Green Revolution 1960-1970 year," India is a new world food problems, specific issues: proposed new rice varieties, then, in view of productivity growth, but resistance to disease and needs more fertilizer use, the country still Self - fully meet the...