Case Study: Green Revolution

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India's Green Revolution: Success or Failure?

Several decades ago, India’s people were dying of starvation. Then came the green revolution. Hailed as the solution to India’s chronic food shortages, the green revolution was an international effort to increase food production in less-developed countries. Starting in the 1960s, Indian farmers planted high-yield varieties of crops and used large amounts of fertilizers and pesticides to help the plants grow. By the 1970s, India was producing record harvests. Yet India’s green revolution also has caused environmental damage and dependence on costly chemicals. Is India’s green revolution a success or a failure?

At India’s Rice Research Institute, scientists experiment with various methods of growing rice. The Institute’s research aids Indian farmers by introducing them to green revolution agricultural techniques.

The green revolution was designed to increase agricultural production and end hunger. In India, green revolution techniques encouraged farmers to turn more fields into cropland, raise more than one crop per year, and plant new high-yield variety (HYV) seeds—mainly wheat and rice.

India’s green revolution has worked as people hoped it would. Grain harvests have soared, and India no longer imports grain.Yet there are problems. Compared with older strains of wheat and rice, new high-yield varieties need far more water, fertilizer, and pesticides to flourish. Huge irrigation projects deliver water to thirsty HYV plants. In some places, this has led to a buildup of salt in the soil, damaging once-fertile fields. Poor Indian farmers often go into debt to pay for expensive chemicals. Overuse of pesticides has gradually poisoned the soil and water in some areas. The chemicals also have led to pesticide-resistant crop pests.

India’s growing population of over one billion is the second largest in the world. The country faces a critical decision: Should it continue to rely on green revolution technology?

Supporters of the green revolution point out that its techniques dramatically increased food production and alleviated hunger in India. They claim that new genetically engineered seeds will produce even higher yields.These new varieties will be resistant to pests, reducing the need for pesticides. Supporters also say that despite some exceptions, the green revolution has helped most farmers earn more money and raise their standards of living.

Opponents of the green revolution argue that the new methods caused much environmental damage and widened the gap between rich and poor. Excessive use of chemicals pollutes water, poses health hazards, and leads to pest resistance. Opponents point out that farmers get caught in a cycle of using more and more chemicals to achieve healthy crops. Furthermore, some scientists warn that genetically modified seeds carry unknown risks and may create new environmental problems.

Indian farmers (below) harvest an abundant crop of rice. But abundance comes with a price—reliance on spraying crops with costly pesticides (right).