5 The Green Revolution and Development

Green Revolution: Rise of The Third World

Norman Ernest Borlaug “Father of Green Revolution”

American agricultural scientist and plant pathologist Norman Ernest Borlaug was born on March 25, 1914, close to Saude, Iowa, U.S. and died on September 12, 2009, Dallas, Texas. He won the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1970. He was famous for being the “Father of the Green Revolution,” Borlaug laid the foundation for agricultural technological advancements that reduced hunger throughout the world.

At the University of Minnesota, Borlaug majored in plant biology and forestry and graduated with a PhD in Plant Pathology in 1942. He started with the DuPont company in 1942 but was shortly hired as a research scientist in charge of wheat improvement for the Cooperative Mexican Agricultural Program (MAP) run by the Rockefeller Foundation in Mexico, where he worked from 1944 to 1960. Borlaug wanted to help poor farmers who were struggling with damaged and low-yielding crops.

In his experiments with innovative wheat types, Borlaug developed strains that were resistant to disease and could tolerate the severe environment. His techniques helped develop contemporary plant breeding. His work was built on earlier discoveries of how to cause genetic changes in plants. By focusing on the desired genes in the seeds, Borlaug would breed the beneficial traits of various strands.

To create the ideal seed for planting, he would repeatedly go through the process of separating the various traits in the seeds. Borlaug experimented with unique wheat varieties in an effort to help poor farmers who battled with sick and low-producing crops by developing disease-resistant strains of wheat that could endure the harsh environment. His techniques helped develop contemporary plant breeding. His work was built on earlier discoveries of how to cause genetic changes in plants (Encyclopedia Britannica. 2023).

Borlaug described his observations of the environment in Mexico and pointed out how the ground is extremely dead and unproductive, which makes it more challenging to grow seeds. The usage of numerous fertilizers and pesticides was necessary for the conservation of the new seed varieties. This caused a wide range of unpredicted environmental impacts, which we will go on to explain, not only in Mexico but world wide as the Green Revolution had global reach in agricultural practice (Kuvaas, 2020).

“The Father of the Green Revolution” a presentation K. Michel Marroquin García; Marco A. Sardea; and Tammy Cunningham, [YouTube]. For personal, educational purposes only. All rights reserved to copyright holders.

The Environmental Effects of the Green Revolution

The Green Revolution had major impacts on the health of the soil. The excess of fertilizers brought along by the Green Revolution has had and continues to have a significant negative impact on the land and environment. These plant variations also led to a significant increase in the usage of pesticides, which have a negative impact on both the environment and human health. The environmental harm that these contaminants generated was sometimes caused by farmers who were not properly trained in the usage of these fertilizers and chemicals. Due to the improper use of these harsh chemicals, many water sources became severely polluted, which had negative effects on the environment as well as the people who relied on these water sources. The Green Revolution also led to several industrial projects, such as new highways and dams, which damaged the environment. Many Indigenous people were forced to abandon their communities and move throughout their entire lives, which also led to the destruction of forests (Kuvaas, 2020).

Impacts of Green Revolution

● Enhancing agricultural production

● Increase in acre yield

● Independence in terms of import

● Employment

● Relief to the farmers

Advantages and Disadvantages of the Green Revolution

Table 5.1

Advantages and Disadvantages of the Green Revolution

The Effects of the Green Revolution on the Health of Our Current Society/Community

The Green Revolution has effects on nutrition today. Improved availability and lower prices of staple foods dramatically improved the energy and protein consumption of the poor. Studies carried out showed that in India there was an increase in rice production, which represents a third in the energy and protein consumption of both farmers and the population in general (Ceccon, 2008). The last two decades have seen a rapid increase in the number of providers of alternative agricultural technologies, particularly seed-based technologies. The new technologies of genetic erosion in seeds represent a high degree of genetic uniformity, this limited genetic base makes the population more vulnerable in terms of diseases and pests. The various genetic spoilages of food make it more difficult to fight disease (Ceccon, 2008).

The objective of the Green Revolution was to satisfy the great demand for food by relying on efficient production processes. Modernization was used, which brings inputs such as fertilizers, pesticides, biofuels, among others. A clear example is agrochemicals, which have a record of the damage they cause to humans, this agrochemical causes various health conditions, ranging from pulmonary edema, kidney failure, vomiting, among others (Mirafuentes de la Rosa & Salazar. 2022). Chemical products used in production processes are invisible enemies. This leads to health risks for people who are in contact directly or indirectly and are expensive risks that are not assumed by food producing companies.

Impacts of the Green Revolution on Different Countries

Mexico

According to Kuvaas (2022), although Mexico served as the foundation for the Green Revolution, the majority of knowledge about it focuses on the Green Revolution in India. The technological framework for India’s Green Revolution was developed as a result of Mexico’s Green Revolution. Many of the programs created in Mexico during the Green Revolution influenced the initiatives and work carried out in India. The Mexican Agricultural Program (MAP), which was created during the Green Revolution, served as the model for all the work carried out in developing nations. While the Green Revolution may be considered a success in Mexico, many politicians and experts would disagree. Wheat yield and agricultural productivity in general both improved thanks to the Green Revolution. The Green Revolution increased wheat yield in Mexico, but it also had a negative impact on the environment, the farmers’ livelihoods, and the community. The failure of the Green Revolution is due to its consequences on the environment and on women’s reproductive health. The Green Revolution introduced a single model to several undeveloped nations without making the necessary modifications for success, failing to take into consideration the traditional farming practices in Mexico.

A lot of problems were brought on by the change in product demand for farming communities as well. Farmers who could afford to change their product did so, while low-income farmers found it difficult to keep up with the shifting needs of exporting goods. Although the Green Revolution’s objectives at the time sounded admirable, the actual process of altering Mexican farming practices caused more harm than benefit, preventing the work done during the Green Revolution from realizing its objectives. Kuvaas (2022) also stated in her article that the Mexican environment and traditional farming practices were not taken into account by the Green Revolution, and farmers were not made aware of the effort required to be successful resulting to farmers committing suicides. The ecology suffered greatly as a result. To ensure the greatest success, future help should correspond to the needs of the environment

India

India’s Green Revolution has led to several modifications in planting patterns and developments in the agricultural sector. Today’s farmers are prosperous because of the Green Revolution. The industry of agriculture is seen to be effective. In Punjab, demand for consumer goods has increased significantly and now has a higher standard of living. All crops have seen an increase in per-hectare productivity, including wheat, rice, cotton, gramme, maize, and bajra. This is due to better seeds. The growth of industries has been significantly impacted by the Green Revolution. Agribusinesses have been established to make tractors, diesel engines, combines, threshers, and pumping units.

Source: Updated by Yogesh, (Sept. 2022)

Table 5.2

Impact of Green Revolution in India

Pakistan

The Green Revolution made it possible to feed people and produce enough food for Pakistan’s population, even though they occasionally exported their excess wheat. Famines are currently extremely unlikely to occur. The yield per hectare was doubled by farmers. However, switching from old, low-yielding types to new, dwarf cultivars that respond to fertilizer had certain drawbacks. Wheat’s genetic diversity suffered a serious loss. Due to decreased resistance, crops are now more vulnerable to a variety of diseases. If a crop is attacked by an insect or disease that can infect just one plant, the entire crop will be destroyed within days.

According to Shahzad (2018), the use of pesticides to treat diseases and insects increased the cost of crop inputs and led to a number of human health issues, particularly those involving the eyes and the heart. The excessive use of these chemicals has degraded Pakistan’s environment. Nutrient deficiencies occur in the soil. Given that the water table is dropping daily, a major concern regarding the success of the Green Revolution is the lack of water. Small-scale farmers could not survive in this modern agriculture because it increased input costs as well.

Therefore, the Green Revolution did more harm than good for Pakistani agriculture. On the one hand, it enabled farmers to produce an incredible amount of food, while on the other, it also led people to switch to organic farming to lessen the effects of the revolution. After a few years of agricultural depletion, farmers are encouraged to plant leguminous crops, and biological pest control should be used frequently rather than chemical control, which is harmful to human health. To help mitigate the consequences of the Green Revolution, farmers should be encouraged to use organic fertilizers and biological control.

The Green Revolution and Global Perspectives of Community Development Practice

The expression Community Development confers to all the processes that contribute to improving social, cultural, and economic conditions. The Green Revolution modernizes and improves agricultural processes, and gives a result of efficiency worldwide. Therefore, it provides considerable value for the development of communities that is aimed to achieve concrete improvements in different social areas, and modernization in the Green Revolution is an indisputable improvement toward development procedures. Many of the countries in Asia and Latin America overcame their food production deficits thanks to the Green Revolution. All these new implementations caused a reduction in the price of food for the whole world. Food security increased, and for this reason, famine decreased thanks to more sophisticated and faster processes in food production.

On the other hand, one of the effects of the modernization of agricultural processes in the Green Revolution was the entry of pesticides and fertilizers. This new use of products we consider affected the development of the community because the natural processes in the planting of food were modified. The new implementation of chemicals in the processes caused effects on the environment and health. Food production increased, however, at a high cost to human health. The Green Revolution caused environmental, social, and economic damage to farmers and people who worked in the crops. As more land is required for cultivation, deforestation increases and causes a notable reduction in biological diversity. By showing all the effects that the new processes in agriculture bring, we see ourselves in the need to look for more sustainable cultivation methods and reduce the use of agrochemical products.

Reflective Questions