GCSE Revision - Agriculture - The Green Revolution

Background to the Green Revolution

  • In the mid 1960's scientists working in Mexico and the Philippines and backed by money from the USA developed new varieties of wheat, maize and rice.

  • With these new varieties farmers could increase yields from each hectare by two or three times.

  • These hybrid varieties became known as HYV's or high-yielding varieties

  • The use of chemical fertilisers was also increased

  • In less than 5 years yields of rice, wheat and maize rose by up to 40% in many countries in Asia including India and Bangladesh.

  • Grants and loans were made available to buy the new seeds and fertilizers

  • Although there were many advantages of HYV's there were also disadvantages

Advantages

Disadvantages

  • Yields increased three times

  • Multiple cropping

  • Other crops grown which varied the diet

  • Surplus to sell in cities creating a profit improving the standard of living

  • Allows purchase of fertilizers, machinery etc

  • Poor farmers could not afford HYV's fertilizers and machinery.

  • Some borrowed and ended up with large debts

  • HYV's need more water and fertilizer, which is expensive

  • New machinery replaced manual labour leading to unemployment and rural-urban migration

Irrigation

Despite the monsoon rains the water supply can be inadequate for growing rice, especially if more than one crop is grown. So irrigation is needed

In the Ganges valley there are:

  • Wells - holes dug to reach underground water supplies, the water is lifted from the well using a shaduf or waterwheel or electric pumps - The water is then fed along open channels to the fields

  • Inundation canals on the river banks which fill up as the river floods and takes the water to the fields

Appropriate Technology

This is technology suited to the needs, skills, knowledge and wealth of the people. Large expensive irrigation projects and dams have many disadvantages. Appropriate technology is needed, for example,

  • Individual wells with easy to maintain pumps

  • Renewable energy sources which use local resources such as wind power, solar power and biogas

  • Projects which use local labour rather than machinery

  • No Hi-tech machines needing expensive fuel and foreign spares

  • Low cost schemes which are sustainable

Links - Revision DVD

  • Changes in Farming

  • Effects of EU

  • Farming in LEDCs

  • Plantation Farming

Common Questions

  • What is the Green Revolution

  • What are the advantages and disadvantages of the Green Revolution to farmers