Question

criticisms of the green revolution

there are some critics of the green revolution, who point out that it has led to some problems in the developing world. the technologies, special seeds, and supplies of the green revolutiona are not cheap, and many small farmers in india took out loans to pay for them. smaller farmers often went into debt, which in many cases resulted in a loss of their farmland. the increased level of mechanization on larger farms made possible by the green revolution removed a large source of employment from the rural economy. the new economic difficulties of smallholder farmers and landless farm workers led to increased rural-urban migration. however, the increase in food production led to cheaper food for urban dwellers. there are criticisms that focusing on mono-cropping, that is planting only one major hyv crop on each farm leads to a lack of biodiversity and also less nutritional diversity in the nations that rely on green revolution foods.

other criticisms revolve around potential environmental impacts of the green revolution such as water contamination by fertilizers and pesticides, leading to sickness and water pollution. nitrogen fertilizers are dependent on non-renewable natural gas to be produced, and so could eventually run out. phosphorus fertilizers rely on mines that are rapidly depleting world-wide. it has been observed that a reason that western nations pushed for green revolution adaptations in asia revolves around the desire to limit communist movements and communist propaganda. by creating greater food security and supplies in asia, and raising many out of poverty and hopelessness, the possibility of violent communist revolution or guerilla warfare was reduced. the term “green revolution” was introduced to contrast americas foreign policy with the violence associated with red communist guerilla movements. “green”, as opposed to “red”, was the color of peace. peaceful scientific progress was presented as the capitalist alternative to combat hunger, poverty and inequality some modern critics point to the lack of progress of green revolution innovations in sub-saharan africa as another potential critique of the world-wide benefits of the green revolution.

1. according to the reading above, explain two criticisms of the green revolution. 4

Explanation:

1. Economic hardship for small farmers: The Green Revolution's technologies, seeds, and supplies are costly. Small Indian farmers took loans, often went into debt, and lost farmland. Also, mechanization on larger farms reduced rural employment, causing economic difficulties for smallholders and landless workers, and increasing rural - urban migration.
2. Environmental and biodiversity issues: Mono - cropping (planting one major HYV crop per farm) led to a lack of biodiversity and nutritional diversity. Additionally, fertilizers and pesticides caused water contamination, sickness, and pollution. Nitrogen fertilizers rely on non - renewable natural gas, and phosphorus fertilizers come from rapidly depleting mines.

Answer:

1. Economic hardship for small farmers: Green Revolution technologies, seeds, and supplies are expensive. Small Indian farmers took loans, often fell into debt and lost farmland. Mechanization on large farms reduced rural employment, causing economic difficulties for smallholders and landless workers and increasing rural - urban migration.
2. Environmental and biodiversity issues: Mono - cropping led to lack of biodiversity and nutritional diversity. Fertilizers and pesticides caused water contamination, sickness, and pollution. Nitrogen fertilizers rely on non - renewable natural gas, and phosphorus fertilizers come from rapidly depleting mines.