the green revolution

THE GREEN REVOLUTIONTHE GREEN REVOLUTION

§ (The Third (The Third Agricultural Agricultural Revolution)Revolution)

§ And BiotechnologyAnd Biotechnology

THOMAS MALTHUSTHOMAS MALTHUS§ 1919thth century economist century economist

§ Believed that because population grows Believed that because population grows geometrically and food production geometrically and food production arithmetically famine was inevitable.arithmetically famine was inevitable.

§ Slowing the growth of population was the only Slowing the growth of population was the only possibility to prevent starvationpossibility to prevent starvation

History (so far) has proven Malthus wrong . . .

POPULATION and FOOD PRODUCTION GROWTHPercentage increases 1980-1990

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45%

PER CAPITA INCREASE INFOOD PRODUCTION

FOOD PRODUCTION

POPULATION

LDCs MDCs

INCREASE IN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION PER CAPITA

GREEN REVOLUTIONGREEN REVOLUTION

§ Adoption of new, Adoption of new, improved varieties of improved varieties of grainsgrains

§ Application of better Application of better agricultural agricultural techniquestechniques§ IrrigationIrrigation§ MechanizationMechanization§ Use of fertilizerUse of fertilizer§ Use of pesticidesUse of pesticides

§ Since 1950’sSince 1950’s§ Greatest effect felt in Greatest effect felt in

LDCsLDCs§ Agricultural output Agricultural output

outpaced population outpaced population growth even without growth even without adding additional adding additional croplandcropland

A complex of improvements which greatly increased agricultural production

§ WHEATWHEATMexicoMexico

EgyptEgypt

TurkeyTurkey

§ RICERICEThailandThailand

VietnamVietnam

KoreaKorea

IndonesiaIndonesia

Principal Beneficiaries of the Green Revolution

§ BOTHBOTHIndiaIndia

ChinaChina

PakistanPakistan

““Green Revolution”Green Revolution”

““Green Revolution”Green Revolution”drawbacksdrawbacks

§ Favored farmers who could afford seeds, Favored farmers who could afford seeds, inputs, machines, irrigationinputs, machines, irrigation

§ Indebted farmers lost land, moved to citiesIndebted farmers lost land, moved to cities

§ New “monocrops” lacked resistance to New “monocrops” lacked resistance to disease/pestsdisease/pests

§ Environmental contamination, erosionEnvironmental contamination, erosion

§ Oriented to export “cash crops,” not domestic Oriented to export “cash crops,” not domestic foodfood

Biotechnology: Biotechnology: Using organisms to…Using organisms to…

§ Make or modify productsMake or modify products

§ Improve plants or animals Improve plants or animals

§ Develop new microorganismsDevelop new microorganisms

§ Crossing natural divides between speciesCrossing natural divides between species§ Not just crossbreedingNot just crossbreeding

Genetic EngineeringGenetic Engineering

Genetically Modified Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO)Organisms (GMO)

Consumer concernsbegan in Europe, now in U.S. too

““FRANKENFOODS”FRANKENFOODS”

GENETICALLY MODIFIED CROPS - WORLDWIDE

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

1996 1997 1998 1999 2000

mil

lion

s o

f a

cres

GENETICALLY MODIFIED CROPS - 2000

Others, 9%

Argentina, 23%

USA, 68%

Bovine GrowthBovine GrowthHormone (BGH)Hormone (BGH)