The Green Revolution Changing the Way We Eat
What do you
think?
The Green Revolution
• Began in 1943 - The Mexican government requested
the Rockerfeller Foundation to establish an
agriculture research station in Mexico
• The purpose was to develop more productive
varieties of wheat that could be used to feed the
rapidly growing population (3% growth rate doubling time of 23 years)
• Dr. Norman Borlaug headed
the research station
The Green Revolution
• Selective breeding methods had been created that
greatly improved agricultural productivity in the
developed world. The question was whether it could
work in developing countries.
• Borlaug and his colleagues wanted to produce highyield varieties (HYV) of wheat that could be used to
increase food production in Mexico and then the rest
of the developing world.
• Borlaug won the Nobel Peace prize in 1970 for his
efforts. The success of this project encouraged other
researchers to develop HYVs (i.e.rice). 15 research
institutes were set up to specializing in different crops.
The Green Revolution
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Borlaug felt the Green Revolution was only a “temporary
success” as boosting yields on existing cropland is only part
of the solution to world hunger (slowing population growth
is the other)
GR would provide the world with “Breathing Space” until
population growth is under control
Recent statistics show that the World population has
increased by 2.2% & global food produced has increased
by 1.3%
2006 director of Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
called for a second green revolution to deal with world
hunger
By 2050, 1 billion tonnes of cereals would have to be
produced to deal with world hunger
The Green Revolution
High Yield Varieties are crops specifically bred to:
1) Increased growth rate;
2) Increased the % of usable plant parts;
3) Increased resistance to crop disease
The Green Revolution
High Yield Variety crops have the following in common
i) Smaller Plants (dwarf plants): The plant puts more
energy into growing seeds (what we eat) & less on
growing stems (not used for food)
ii) Plants respond better to fertilizer, pesticides,
herbicides & irrigation
iii) Plants grow faster which allows the land to be used
to grow more than one crop per season
Successes of Green Revolution
• Helped prevent massive famines after WWII
• Helped reduce food-supply issue in developing world
• Developing world spent less on food issues and more
on social/economic programs (family planning
education, health care)
• Between 1950-1999, global grain production
increased by 170% on same amount of land. If
same increase with conventional farming
techniques, millions of hectares of forest and
natural grassland would be used
Successes of Green Revolution
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Worldwide food production increased by 20% more
quickly than the population
Price for wheat and rice declined 70% --> better diets
for many
This is an answer for the growing population and the
declining arable land.
Has helped curb the malnutrition and starvation cases
(estimated 36 million die each year from starvation)
Nutritionally enhance food?
Drought, pest, and weed resistant
Crops can grow in areas that at one time was not
possible
Concerns About Green Revolution
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Approach uses western model of agriculture. This includes
expensive use of fertilizers, pesticides and irrigation.
(Green Reveolution - benefitted rich farmers)
Loss of genetic diversity which threatens global food supply
(some varieties of the same crop are more susceptible to
weed and insect damage). The GR promoted only a few
highly developed varieties of wheat, rice and corn which
replaced hundreds of native varieties previously grown in
developing countries.
Not as environmentally sustainable as traditional farming
(mixed cropping higher yields) - decline of soil quality
Huge market for makers of fertilizers, persticides, farm
equipment (most in developed world $$$)
Concerns About Green Revolution
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Research focused on areas with fertile soil and reliable
rainfall (little help for arid & semi-arid areas)
Focused on developing varieties of wheat, rice and corn
(didn’t benefit countries whose staples were millet,
sorghum, cassava and yams)
Reduced the # of jobs in the developing world
Women who grow most food in developing world didn’t
have $$$ to purchase equipment and seeds for new
varieties.
Allergens could be added unknowingly, nutritional value
could change, eco impact unknown, pests and viruses build
up resistance
GMO’s In Action