Green Revolution - Significance & Challenges - Explained Pointwise |ForumIAS

CIMMYT (International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center) – headquartered in Mexico – is a non-profit research-for-development organization that develops improved varieties of wheat and maize with the aim of contributing to food security. It was one of the pioneer institutions in the development of HYV crops that ushered in the Green Revolution in the world & helped India in fighting the problem of hunger & achieving food security.
However, the centre is recently in news because the USAID, which was its main funder, has been shutdown by the Trump administration. CIMMYT is now looking at India – one of its major beneficiary – as a potentially significant benefactor.
In this regard, let us find out what the green revolution was & what were its significance & limitations.

Table of Content

What is Green Revolution?
What are the positive impacts of Green Revolution in India?
What are the negative impacts of Green Revolution in India?
What can be the way forward?

What is Green Revolution?

The Green Revolution was a period of rapid agricultural transformation in the mid-20th century that significantly increased food grain production (especially wheat and rice) in countries like India.
It involved the widespread adoption and transfer of new agricultural technologies and practices to developing countries, primarily aimed at combating food shortages and famine.
Green Revolution was driven by a combination of scientific advancements and policy changes such as:
1. High-Yielding Varieties (HYVs) of Seeds
2. Increased use of chemical fertilizers
3. Extensive irrigation facilities
4. Application of pesticides and herbicides
5. Mechanization of agriculture
6. Improved farming practices and management such as multiple cropping, better crop management techniques etc.
Green Revolution in India was seeded by CIMMYT & IRRI (International Rice Research Institute).

What are the positive impacts of Green Revolution in India?

Social impact

Attainment of Food Self-Sufficiency and Food Security: Before the Green Revolution, India was heavily dependent on food imports, particularly from the US (under PL-480). This left the nation vulnerable to external pressures and food shortages. The Green Revolution transformed India from a food-deficient nation to one of the world’s leading agricultural producers.
Socio-Economic Development: Improved agricultural incomes stimulated local economies, leading to better standards of living and development of rural infrastructure such as roads and storage facilities.

Economic impact

Massive Increase in Agriculture Production & Productivity: The introduction of High-Yielding Varieties (HYVs) of wheat (like Sonara 64 and Lerma Rojo) and rice (like IR8), coupled with increased use of fertilizers, irrigation, and pesticides, led to unprecedented increases in crop yields per hectare. Also, the shorter maturity period of HYVs allowed farmers to grow two or even three crops in a year on the same land, significantly increasing overall output.
Increased Farmer Incomes: Farmers, particularly those in the well-irrigated regions of Punjab, Haryana, and Western Uttar Pradesh who could afford the new inputs, experienced a substantial rise in their incomes. This allowed them to invest more in farming and improve their living standards.
Shift to Commercial Farming: The increased profitability encouraged a shift from subsistence farming to commercial farming, with farmers producing for the market rather than just for their own consumption.
Stimulus to Allied Industries: The demand for modern farm machinery (tractors, threshers, pump sets), chemical fertilizers, and pesticides boosted the growth of associated manufacturing industries.
Strengthening of Agro-Based Industries: The increased availability of raw materials from agriculture also spurred the growth of agro-processing and food-processing industries.

What are the negative impacts of Green Revolution in India?

Environmental impacts

Environmental Degradation:
1. Loss of Fertility: The intensive monoculture (growing the same crop year after year) and heavy reliance on chemical fertilizers (like urea) have depleted essential micronutrients from the soil, leading to a decline in soil fertility. Farmers are forced to use even more fertilizers to maintain yields.
2. Soil Salinization and Alkalinization: Over-irrigation, especially with groundwater containing dissolved salts, has led to waterlogging and the accumulation of salts on the soil surface in many Green Revolution areas (e.g., Punjab, Haryana). This renders the land unproductive (known as “reh” or “kallar” problem).
3. Soil Erosion: Intensive cultivation, removal of crop residues, and heavy machinery can increase soil erosion.
Water Depletion and Pollution:
1. Groundwater Depletion: HYVs are water-intensive crops, leading to excessive pumping of groundwater for irrigation, especially through tube wells. This has caused a drastic decline in groundwater levels in states like Punjab and Haryana.
2. Water Pollution: Runoff from fields containing chemical fertilizers and pesticides contaminates surface water bodies (rivers, lakes, ponds) and percolates into groundwater. This leads to eutrophication (excessive nutrient enrichment causing algal blooms and oxygen depletion, harming aquatic life) and makes water unsafe for drinking and other uses.
Loss of Biodiversity: The focus on a few high-yielding varieties of wheat and rice led to the widespread replacement and abandonment of thousands of diverse traditional, local crop varieties (landraces). This significantly reduced agricultural genetic diversity, making crops more vulnerable to new pests and diseases.

Social impacts

Increased Inequality: The benefits of the Green Revolution largely accrued to larger farmers who had the capital to invest in HYV seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, irrigation facilities, and machinery. Small and marginal farmers often struggled to afford these inputs, leading to:
1. Indebtedness: Many small farmers took loans for inputs, and if crops failed or market prices were low, they fell into a debt trap, sometimes leading to suicides.
2. Landlessness: Some small farmers, unable to compete or manage debt, were forced to sell their land to larger, more prosperous farmers, increasing landlessness and the number of agricultural laborers.
Regional Disparities: The Green Revolution was most successful in areas with assured irrigation and existing infrastructure (e.g., Punjab, Haryana, Western Uttar Pradesh). Other regions, particularly rain-fed or drier areas, did not benefit significantly, leading to increased inter-state and intra-state regional disparities in agricultural development and prosperity.
Rural-Urban Migration: The decline in rural employment opportunities, coupled with the allure of urban jobs, led to increased migration from rural areas to cities.
Hidden Hunger (Nutritional deficiency): The focus on calorie-rich wheat and rice led to a decline in the cultivation and consumption of other nutritious crops like millets, pulses, and traditional vegetables, potentially leading to micronutrient deficiencies in the diet.

What can be the way forward?

Promoting Sustainable Agricultural Practices:
1. Reduced Chemical Dependence: Shifting away from excessive reliance on synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. This involves promoting the use of organic manures (farmyard manure, compost, vermicompost), bio-fertilizers, and bio-pesticides.
2. Integrated Nutrient Management (INM): A balanced approach that combines organic and inorganic fertilizers based on soil testing and crop needs to maintain soil health and reduce chemical overuse.
3. Integrated Pest Management (IPM): Utilizing a combination of biological, cultural, physical, and chemical methods (as a last resort) to control pests, minimizing the use of harmful pesticides. This includes encouraging natural predators, crop rotation, and resistant varieties.
Precision Agriculture:
1. Precision Irrigation: Widespread adoption of water-saving irrigation technologies like drip irrigation and sprinkler systems, especially for water-intensive crops.
2. Soil Health Cards: Scaling up the Soil Health Card scheme to provide every farmer with regular, precise information on their soil’s nutrient status, enabling them to apply fertilizers judiciously and replenish deficient nutrients.
Diversification of Cropping Systems:
1. Shift from Monoculture: Encouraging farmers to move away from the dominant rice-wheat cropping system in certain regions towards a more diverse range of crops.
2. Promotion of Pulses, Oilseeds, and Millets: These crops are often less water-intensive, improve soil fertility (pulses fix nitrogen), and are nutritionally rich. Boosting their production can address nutritional security and reduce import dependence.
3. Horticulture and High-Value Crops: Promoting the cultivation of fruits, vegetables, flowers, and medicinal plants, which often fetch better market prices and can diversify farmer incomes.
Strengthening Farmer Support Systems:
1. Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs): Promoting and strengthening FPOs to enable small and marginal farmers to collectively access inputs, technology, credit, and markets, reducing their reliance on middlemen.
2. Post-Harvest Management: Investing in robust post-harvest infrastructure, including cold storage, warehousing, and efficient transportation, to reduce food loss and enable farmers to get better prices.
3. Credit and Financial Inclusion: Ensuring timely and affordable credit for farmers, especially for adopting new sustainable technologies and diversifying crops.
Research and Development: Continued investment in agricultural research by institutions like ICAR and State Agricultural Universities (SAUs) to develop sustainable solutions, new crop varieties, and climate-smart technologies relevant to diverse agro-climatic zones. Recently, India has got the opportunity to increase its funding in international agriculture research institutions like CIMMYT – which will be significant – because India has a vital stake in the institution & having a greater say in its running will help India in developing new varieties which are tolerant to the effects of climate change.

Conclusion:
Its time to transform the green revolution into evergreen revolution by making agriculture more sustainable, resilient, inclusive & profitable for all farmers, while safeguarding the environment for future generation. This holistic approach is essential for long-term food and nutritional security.

Read More: The Indian Express, Wikipedia
UPSC GS-3: Agriculture