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.
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.
Table of Content
- What is the Green Revolution?
- Definition of Green Revolution
- Green Revolution in India
- Father of Green Revolution in India
- Objectives of the Green Revolution
- Characteristics of the Green Revolution
- Impact of the Green Revolution on India
- Advantages of the Green Revolution
- Disadvantages of the Green Revolution
- Green Revolution in India UPSC Questions