India is known for its agricultural practices throughout the world and agriculture is still practiced at a large scale. But it comes as a shock when we get to know about the issues and disparities faced by the Indian peasants. It is known to all that before independence, India was under the British and the farmers were majorly exploited by them. From launching permanent settlements to the introduction of private property, history has seen it all. But after the British, peasants were facing much deeper issues. The lack of technology pushed farmers to the backseat in the agricultural field. Indian peasants primarily relied on traditional farming techniques handed down through generations. These methods, though sustainable, were often labor-intensive and yielded lower crop outputs compared to modern agricultural practices. Moreover, farmers faced numerous challenges, such as unpredictable weather patterns, limited access to resources, and lack of government support. Additionally, farming was heavily dependent on monsoon rains. Since the livelihood of the peasants was directly tied to the monsoons, any deviation from the norm, such as a delayed or untimely monsoon, could result in reduced crop yields and even drought. Traditional farming methods lacked efficient irrigation systems, making farmers vulnerable to changes in weather patterns that were beyond their control. Moving forward, a key event took place in 1943 that extended India’s food shortage until the early 1950s. In 1943, Prime Minister Winston Churchill ordered food grains meant for eastern parts of the country to be diverted to the British troops engaged in World War II. It resulted in a man-made famine in Bengal and the deaths of millions of people. The food emergencies India faced after Independence extended until the Green Revolution was launched in 1967.
India entered into the Long Term Public Law (PL) 480 Agreement with the United States in 1954, under which it received food aid under the National Development Assistance for Agricultural Trade. The agreement was signed several more times. Lal Bahadur Shastri and later Indira Gandhi were reluctant to allow policy changes, especially the privatization of industrial sectors in exchange for food aid by the US. Food aid under PL480 not only drew flak but some critics pointed out that the wheat sent to India was “fit enough only for pigs!”. It was termed as a great insult that was to linger for long in people’s memory. Despite repeated pleas, the US gave only “a small quantity of rice” to India. India currently consumes around 100 million tonnes of rice per annum. So that says a lot about the insufficient amount of rice given by other countries to India during the time of disparity.
Shastriji was very keen on agriculture. He showed a deep concern for agriculture and was critical of the lack of contact between the elites and the peasants. He was the one who gave the slogan “JAI JAWAN JAI KISAN” for the first time during a public gathering in Uruwa, Prayagraj.
Another major factor was the ongoing war of 1965 between India and Pakistan. The war made use of every ounce of resource and therefore India faced the issue of food insufficiency. Lal Bahadur Shastri, then prime minister of India, played a major role during this crisis. “Sacrifice one meal at least a week!” was his plea during the wartime. Shastriji was very keen on agriculture. He showed a deep concern for agriculture and was critical of the lack of contact between the elites and the peasants. He was the one who gave the slogan “JAI JAWAN JAI KISAN” for the first time during a public gathering in Uruwa, Prayagraj.
GREEN REVOLUTION
The Green Revolution was an endeavor initiated by Norman Borlaug in the 1960s. He is known as the ‘Father of Green Revolution’ in the world. It led to him winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970 for his work in developing High Yielding Varieties (HYVs) of wheat. The Green Revolution, which began in the mid-20th century, was a set of agricultural practices and technologies aimed at increasing agricultural productivity in developing countries.
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American agronomist, ‘Father of the Green Revolution’ and Nobel laureate, Dr Norman Borlaug (left) advising a farmer on wheat development programmes during his visit to Bombay on March 14, 1971. Borlaug regularly visited India during the rabi season, checking on wheat development programmes.
In the year of 1965, the Government of India launched the Green Revolution with the help of M. S. Swaminathan, a geneticist, also known as the father of the Green Revolution. Green Revolution was part of the developmental program issued by the government of India and was first introduced in the state of Punjab and Haryana and consecutively in Uttar Pradesh. Swaminathan recalled in an interview how the Green Revolution, which involved the provision of high-yielding variety seeds, adequate irrigation facilities, and fertilizers to Indian farmers in regions of Punjab, Haryana, and western Uttar Pradesh primarily, changed the situation of importing from the USA.
One of Swaminathan’s research yielded a variety of rice that was short in height which made the plant less lodging prone which was unlike the traditional variety of rice. The traditional rice plant was tall and fell flat on the ground due to the grain being heavy.
The Introduction of high-yielding varieties of seeds, especially for wheat and rice, was a turning point in India’s agricultural sector. These seeds produced significantly higher yields compared to traditional varieties. Through intensive research, these new varieties were developed to be disease-resistant, drought-tolerant, and able to grow in diverse agro-climatic conditions. The adoption of these high-yielding seeds revolutionized Indian agriculture. These seeds had more success with the wheat crop and were highly effective in regions that had proper irrigation. One basic requirement for the HYV seeds is proper irrigation. Crops from HYV seeds need alternating amounts of water supply during their growth. So the farms cannot depend on monsoons. The Green Revolution vastly improved the inland irrigation systems around farms in India. HYV seeds increased the amount of grain production and increased the use of fertilizers to help increase the productivity of the farms.
The impact of the green revolution could be seen economically and market-wise. For instance, food grains in India saw a great rise in output. It was a remarkable increase. The biggest beneficiary of the plan was the Wheat Grain. The production of wheat increased to 55 million tonnes in 1990 from just 11 million tonnes in 1960. Fortunately, India was finally on the way to becoming a self-sufficient nation in terms of agriculture and food. There was now enough production for the population and to build a stock in case of emergencies. We did not need to import grains or depend on other countries for our food supply. In fact, India was able to start exporting its agricultural produce. The United States went from being a wheat importer to an exporter thanks to the innovations of the Green Revolution. There was also a rise in rural employment due to the creation of job opportunities in irrigation, transportation, and manufacturing sectors. The Green Revolution majorly benefited the farmers. Their income saw a significant rise. Not only were they surviving, they were prospering. It enabled them to shift to commercial farming from only sustenance farming. A funny impact in India was that Rice 8, also known as IR8, saved so many lives from starvation that some parents named their boys after the rice variety. It is also believed that by 2050, there will be a need for a second Green Revolution that will increase food output by 70%.
The Green Revolution was an endeavor initiated by Norman Borlaug in the 1960s. He is known as the ‘Father of Green Revolution’ in the world. It led to him winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970 for his work in developing High Yielding Varieties (HYVs) of wheat.
NEGATIVE IMPACTS
While the Green Revolution undoubtedly benefited many farmers’ livelihoods and increased food production, it also had unavoidable negative effects that cannot be overlooked. The Green Revolution’s detrimental effects on the environment were one of its most significant negative effects. Soil degradation and pollution were caused by the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Overuse of fertilizers led to a nutritional imbalance in the soil, eventually making it less fruitful. Pesticide use altered the natural environment and killed beneficial insects in addition to pests. Additionally, the vast irrigation systems used during the Green Revolution led to an overuse of water resources, which destroyed natural water bodies and depleted aquifers. In a global sense, the Green Revolution’s methods did not help nations without the necessary infrastructure to implement the new farming techniques, and they also limited crop variety, making crops more susceptible to pests and illnesses. African nations struggled with this revolution’s implementation due to corruption and subpar infrastructure.
Green Revolution was part of the developmental program issued by the government of India and was first introduced in the state of Punjab and Haryana and consecutively in Uttar Pradesh.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, the Green Revolution was a remarkable period in agricultural history that transformed farming practices and improved food production. With the development and adoption of high-yielding crop varieties, increased use of fertilizers and pesticides, and advancements in irrigation techniques, the Green Revolution brought about significant positive impacts.
- https://www.fao.org/land-water/events/webinar-nutrition/monkombu/en/
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
- https://ijissh.org/storage/Volume4/Issue6/IJISSH-040603.pdf
- https://www.drishtiias.com/to-the-points/paper3/green-revolution-1
- https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/ms-swaminathan-father-green-revolution-explained-8959892/
- https://www.britannica.com/facts/green-revolution
- https://facts.net/green-revolution-facts/
- September 22, 2023
- 14 Min Read
