Green Revolution: Features, Schemes & Drawbacks

Green Revolution is the rapid increase in the yields of rice and wheat with the use of high-yielding variety (HYV) seeds.

• The term ‘Green Revolution’ was first coined by William Gaud.​ 
• Norman Borlaug is called the father of the Green Revolution.
• It involves the production of improved and larger varieties of crops using fertilizers and other chemical inputs.
• India started practicing the Green Revolution with the help of M.S Swaminathan, the father of the Green Revolution in India.

Green Revolution in India was a success owing to the production of new and high-yielding varieties of seeds with the increased use of hybrid seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, insecticides, and weedicides. The major focus of the green revolution in India was to boost the production of rice and wheat.

Key Terms: Green Revolution, Green Revolution in India, Fertilizers, Pesticides, HYV Seeds, Agriculture, Rice, Wheat, Irrigation

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What is Green Revolution?

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Green Revolution is a technology through which agricultural production is increased by incorporating modern tools, machinery, and chemicals. It is the period when the agriculture of the nation changes due to the adaptation of present-day strategies and methods such as the utilization of HYV seeds, farm trucks, water system offices, pesticides, and compost. 

Green Revolution focused on the following elements:

• Using High-Yield Variety (HYV) Seeds to increase food production
• Incorporating various Irrigation methods.
• Mechanization of major agricultural practices.
• Use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides.
• Dual cropping in the present farmland.
• Counting expansion of the farming field.

Green Revolution in India started in 1967 and existed till 1978. It boosted the country’s food economy and made India rank among the world-leading agricultural nations. 

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Green Revolution in India

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Green Revolution in India brought drastic development in the production of high-yield variety seeds of wheat and rust-resistant strains of wheat. The major increase in production was noted in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Punjab. 

• Green revolution in India changed the agriculture sector into an industrial system by using modern technologies.
• It was funded by the US and the Indian Government, and Ford and Rockefeller Foundation.
• A tremendous increase in crop production was noted between 1978-1979.
• The per-capita food availability elevated and the income of farmers increased.
• India had enough supplies of the crops to even perform export operations.  
• Surplus income was used for improving agricultural productivity.
• There was tremendous industrial growth, especially for agro-based industries. 
• Employment opportunities were created for people associated with this sector.

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Features of Green Revolution in India

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The most notable features of the Green Revolution in India are as follows:

• It presented High Yielding Variety of seeds in Indian agriculture.
• The HYV seeds were powerful in districts with rich irrigation systems.
• Green Revolution at first centered on states with better agricultural foundations like Tamil Nadu and Punjab.
• During the subsequent stage, the high-yielding assortment of seeds was given to different states.
• The main requirement for high-yield seeds is an appropriate water system.
• Harvests developed from HYV seeds needed great measures of water supply and ranchers couldn't rely upon rainstorms.
• Green Revolution further developed the water system frameworks around ranches in India.
• Commercial crops and cash crops like cotton, jute, and oilseeds became prominent.
• This expanded the accessibility and utilization of manures, weedicides, and pesticides.
• It helped in advancing business cultivation with the presentation of hardware and innovation like collectors, drills, etc.

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Aspects of Green Revolution in India

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The Indian Government with the help of M.S Swaminathan introduced an intensive development program in seven districts. The green revolution in India concentrated on the following aspects:

• Mechanization of Agriculture
• HYV or High Yielding Varieties
• Use of Chemical Fertilizers and Pesticides
• Irrigation

Read More: Improvement in Crop Yields

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Impact of Green Revolution in India

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Green revolution has increased agricultural productivity to a great extent and the biggest beneficiary has been the wheat grain. In the very early stage of the plan, the production increased to 55 million tonnes.

• Green revolution was not limited to agricultural output but also increased per acre yield.
• Green revolution increased the hectare yield of wheat from 850 kg per hectare to an incredible 2281 kg per hectare.
• It introduced farmers to a better source of income thereby helping them to shift from subsistence farming to commercial farming. 
• Rural employment opportunities increased as a result of the green revolution-related schemes.
• Sectors like transportation, food processing, and irrigation, created employment opportunities. 

Read More: NCERT Solutions For Class 12 Biology Strategies for Enhancement in Food Production

Disadvantages of Green Revolution in India

Besides the positive impacts, there were some drawbacks of the Green Revolution as well, which are as follows:

• Retardation of agricultural growth as a result of shrinking farm size, failure to evolve new technologies, irrigation cover, inadequate use of technology, and unbalanced use of inputs.
• The benefits of the revolution were concentrated only in the areas where the new technologies were used. 
• For many years, as the revolution remained limited to wheat production, its benefits mostly accrued to the wheat-growing areas. 

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Green Revolution Schemes in India

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi supported the 'Krishonnati Yojana', the umbrella scheme of Green Revolution in India from 2017 to 2020 with a central share of Rs. 33,269.976 crores.

• The Umbrella plan Green insurgency Krishonnati Yojana includes 11 Schemes under it.
• It hopes to foster agribusiness and a unified area in a logical and comprehensive way.
• It aims at expanding usefulness, creation, and better profits from produce.
• It focuses upon the creation framework, lessening the expense of creation and showcasing of horticulture and partnered produce.

The 11 plans that are essential for the Umbrella Schemes under the Green Revolution in India are:

1. National Food Security Mission (NFSM)
2. Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH)
3. Submission on Agriculture Extension (SMAE)
4. National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA)
5. Sub-Mission on Seeds and Planting Material (SMSP)
6. Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanisation (SMAM)
7. Sub Mission on Plant Protection and Plan Quarantine (SMPPQ)
8. Integrated Scheme on Agriculture Census, Economics, and Statistics (ISACES)
9. National e-Governance Plan (NeGP-A)
10. Integrated Scheme on Agricultural Cooperation (ISAC)
11. Integrated Scheme on Agricultural Marketing (​ISAM)

Also Read: Weed Crop Protection

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Things to Remember

• Green Revolution is the increase in agricultural production through modern tools, machinery, and chemicals.
• The father of the Green Revolution is Norman Borlaug.
• Green Revolution in India started in 1967 with the help of geneticist M.S Swaminathan.
• It includes using HYV seeds, chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and irrigation systems.
• It provided an unprecedented level of food security and employment opportunities in India.
• Green Revolution in India was limited to wheat production and crop-rich areas only.
• Krishonnati Yojana is an umbrella scheme comprising 11 sub-schemes to develop the agriculture and allied sectors.

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Previous Years’ Questions

1. By which of the following methods, new and better varieties of plants can be... [Neet 2015]
2. A true breeding plant is… [Neet 2016]
3. A technique of micropropagation is... [Neet 2015]
4. High milk-yielding varieties of cows are obtained by… [Neet 1997]
5. Homozygous pure lines in cattle can be obtained by... [Neet 2017]
6. Compared to a bull a bullock is docile because of... [Neet 2007]
7. In vitro clonal propagation in plants is characterized by... [Neet 2014]
8. Green revolution in India occurred during… [Neet 2012]
9. Haploid plants can be obtained by culturing... [Neet 1994]
10. "Jaya" and "Ratna" developed for a green revolution in India are varieties of... [Neet 2011]
11. Crop plants grown in monoculture are… [Neet 2006]
12. Hybridoma cells are... [Neet 1999]
13. India’s Wheat yielding Revolution was due to... [NEET 2004]
14. The new varieties of plants are produced by... [NEET 1999]
15. Which are green manure in crop fields and sandy soils... [NEET 2003]