Green Revolution: Definition, Benefits, and Impact on India

The Green Revolution was a period in the history of India that started in the 1960s. It saw the adoption of mechanized farm tools, high-yielding variety (HYV) seeds, irrigation systems, chemical pesticides, and fertilizers to turn agriculture into a modern industrial system. This time period was a part of Norman E. Borlaug’s larger Green Revolution program, which used agricultural technology and research to increase agricultural output in developing nations. M. S. Swaminathan, an Indian agricultural scientist, worked as the program’s primary leader.

What is the Green Revolution?

The term “Green Revolution” describes an era of major agricultural innovations that took place in the middle of the 20th century, particularly in the 1940s and the late 1960s. Global efforts were made to boost agricultural output and address the food crisis in developing nations, especially those in Asia, Latin America, and Africa.

There was an urgent need to change the emphasis from growing the agricultural industry to developing the farming areas, as our administration had been doing. This resulted from an increase in population that surpassed food production. To raise the overall yield, quick action was required. The start of the Green Revolution in India resolved this.

Definition of Green Revolution

The process of creating high-yielding plant types to boost the availability of food and satisfy rising demand is referred to as the “green revolution.”

In the 1940s, a number of research and development initiatives were launched with the goal of boosting agricultural output in developing nations. Scientists have considerably increased crop productivity and output with the use of chemical pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, and contemporary agronomic procedures. The green revolution had a major adverse impact on the environment since it did not always use sustainable practices, despite its primary goals of reducing poverty and food scarcity.

Green Revolution in India

India had an urgent need to enhance agricultural production throughout the 1960s and 1970s. Consequently, India saw the introduction of the green revolution. It was characterized by the introduction of new technology that contributed to higher crop yields, such as irrigation systems, chemical fertilizers, and high-yielding variety (HYV) seeds. Therefore, the country’s economy, poverty rate, and food production are all said to have improved as a result of the Green Revolution. With the assistance of a geneticist, the Indian government initiated the program and satisfied the requirements of food scarcity to emerge as one of the world’s most productive agricultural countries. The states of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Punjab were the most benefited by the movement.

Father of Green Revolution in India

M.S. Swaminathan, an Indian scientist and agricultural economist, is referred to as the “Father of the Green Revolution in India.” In order to increase crop productivity and production, he was instrumental in introducing Indian farmers to modern technology like high-yielding variety (HYV) seeds. He was an enthusiastic advocate of using science and technology to raise agricultural yields and lower poverty. As a result, he is recognized for having designed the Indian Green Revolution. By his efforts, Swaminathan transformed India’s economy from one that was food insecure to one that was among the world’s largest producers and exporters of agricultural goods. It was therefore a significant turning point for the nation and its farmers.

Objectives of the Green Revolution

India adopted the Green Revolution concept for several main reasons. The primary goals of the revolution are mentioned below:

• Using new technology like chemical fertilizers and high-yielding variety (HYV) seeds, the Green Revolution attempted to raise crop yields.
• The initiative attempted to stimulate the Indian economy and provide new jobs in rural regions by raising food production.
• By raising farmers’ incomes and lowering poverty, the Green Revolution attempted to raise farmers’ standards of living.
• Last but not least, the goal of India’s Green Revolution was to generate jobs in rural regions, especially in the agricultural and associated industries.

Characteristics of the Green Revolution

For the Indian agriculture industry and economy as a whole, the Green Revolution was certainly a turning point. The following characteristics can be used to describe it:

• In an effort to boost crop production, the Green Revolution brought new, disease-resistant, higher-yielding seed varieties.
• In order to increase soil fertility and shield crops from pests and illnesses, the movement also included the widespread application of chemical fertilizers and pesticides.
• The adoption of tractors and other contemporary instruments, which helped decrease manual labor and boost efficiency, expanded during the Green Revolution in India.
• The revolution placed a strong emphasis on irrigation, building additional wells, canals, and dams to boost the amount of water available for farming.
• With a concentration on increasing crop yields and lowering losses from pests and diseases, scientific research and development served as the foundation for India’s Green Revolution.

Impact of the Green Revolution on India

Both beneficial and adverse impacts of the Green Revolution were seen by India’s agriculture industry. Among the most important consequences are the following:

Positive Impacts of the Green Revolution in India

• Significant Growth in Crop Production: India became one of the world’s top agricultural producers in 1978–1979 when it produced 131 million tons of grain. The area planted to high-yielding rice and wheat types rose significantly during the Green Revolution.
• Decreased Food-Grain Imports: India was able to export food grains on occasion after becoming self-sufficient in food grains and building up a sufficient supply in the central pool.
• Benefits for Farmers: The arrival of the Green Revolution helped farmers earn more money. Farmers reinvested their excess income to increase agricultural productivity.
• Industrialization: Large-scale farm mechanization brought about by the Revolution created a need for diesel engines, electric motors, pumping sets, harvesters, threshers, combines, and other equipment.
• Many agro-based businesses also used a range of agricultural goods as basic materials.

Negative Impacts of the Green Revolution in India

• Non-Food Grains Not Included: Some crops, such as coarse cereals, pulses, and oilseeds, were left out of the revolution whereas all food grains, including wheat, rice, jawar, bajra, and maize, made significant gains.
• Overuse of Chemicals: Pesticides and synthetic nitrogen fertilizers were frequently used to enhance irrigation projects and crop varieties as a result of the Green Revolution.
• Effects on Soil and Crop Yield: Increasing crop yield through crop cycle repetition depletes the nutrients in the soil.
• Unemployment: Except for Punjab and, to a lesser extent, Haryana, farm mechanization brought about by the Green Revolution led to widespread unemployment among agricultural laborers in rural areas.

Advantages of the Green Revolution

The Green Revolution certainly represented the beginning of the transformation in the Indian agriculture industry. The movement had an extensive quantity of effects on the nation beyond only raising food output. A few benefits of the revolution are listed below.

• Increased food production: India’s food security has improved as a result of the Green Revolution’s significant increase in food output.
• Enhanced economy: The movement contributed to the expansion of the Indian economy by raising agricultural output.
• Decreased poverty: In India, the Green Revolution played a significant role in reducing poverty, especially in rural regions. As a result, it raised farmers’ standards of living.
• Greater employment opportunities: The revolution reduced unemployment by generating new jobs in agriculture and allied industries.
• Self-sufficiency: India’s reliance on foreign food imports has decreased as a result of the Green Revolution’s assistance in increasing food production domestically.

Disadvantages of the Green Revolution

Although it had brought the nation many advantages, there were some definite disadvantages as well, like:

• Degradation of the soil: The extensive use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers reduced the fertility and quality of the soil.
• Degradation of the environment: Groundwater and other water sources have been contaminated as a result of the growing use of pesticides and fertilizers.
• Chemical dependence: The Green Revolution resulted in an unchecked reliance on chemical inputs, raising questions about the environment’s and agriculture’s long-term viability.
• Limited application of HYV: The use of High Yielding Variety (HYV) technology was restricted to a few crops, which did not benefit all farmers.
• Water scarcity: This movement caused water scarcity in some areas and raised competition for water resources since its practices placed more importance on irrigation.

Green Revolution in India UPSC Questions

1. Which period is associated with the Green Revolution in India?

(a) 1920s-1930s

(b) 1940s-1960s

(c) 1970s-1990s

(d) 2000s-present

Answer: b) 1940s-1960s

2. Which crop played a crucial role in the success of the Green Revolution in India?

(a) Wheat

(b) Rice

(c) Maize

(d) Millet

Answer: a) Wheat

3. The Green Revolution in India aimed to address which of the following issues?

(a) Poverty alleviation

(b) Food security

(c) Rural development

(d) All of the above

Answer: d) All of the above

FAQs – Green Revolution

1. What is the Green Revolution?

The term “Green Revolution” describes the creation of high-yielding plant varieties, particularly those of rice and wheat, which boosted food supplies and prevented severe starvation in developing countries throughout the 1940s and 1960s.

2. Who is Father of Green Revolution?

On September 28, the renowned agricultural scientist Monkomb Sambasivan Swaminathan, who was 98 years old, passed away. Known as the ‘Father of the Green Revolution,’ he was the brains behind the agricultural reforms that helped India attain food security in the 1960s and 1970s.

3. Who started Green Revolution in India?

Leader of India’s “green revolution,” Swaminathan (1925–2023), was an agricultural scientist who introduced crops to the country to prevent starvation in the 1960s.

4. Why is it called the Green Revolution?

William S. Gaud, the administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), used the term “Green Revolution” in a speech on March 8, 1968. He observed that new technology was becoming more widely used, saying that these and other advancements in the agricultural sector have the potential to spark a new revolution.

5. What are the main features of Green Revolution?

Green Revolutions’ primary features are:

• Using High Yielding Variety seeds, which have better genetics.
• Applying two crops in the current area.
• The ongoing growth of agricultural land.