THE GREEN REVOLUTION (The Third Agricultural Revolution) And Biotechnology THE GREEN REVOLUTION 1

THOMAS MALTHUS 19th century economist Believed that because population grows geometrically and food production arithmetically famine was inevitable. Slowing the growth of population was the only possibility to prevent starvation History (so far) has proven Malthus wrong . . . 2

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INCREASE IN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION PER CAPITA 5

GREEN REVOLUTION A complex of improvements which greatly increased agricultural production Since 1950’s Greatest effect felt in LDCs Agricultural output outpaced population growth even without adding additional cropland Adoption of new, improved varieties of grains Application of better agricultural techniques Irrigation Mechanization Use of fertilizer Use of pesticides 6

Principal Beneficiaries of the Green Revolution RICE Thailand Vietnam Korea Indonesia WHEAT Mexico Egypt Turkey BOTH India China Pakistan 7

“Golden Rice” THE GREAT YELLOW HOPE In 1982, the Rockefeller Foundation funded research into rice varieties to promote global health Nutritionally enhanced rice Used a daffodil gene Rice now produces beta-carotene The body converts beta-carotene to vitamin A Blindness in LDCs is caused by vitamin A deficiencies Time Magazine declares: “This rice could save a million kids a year.” Greenpeace acknowledged: “Golden rice is a moral challenge to our position.” 9

“Golden Rice” THE GREAT YELLOW HYPE An 11 year-old child would need to eat 15 pounds of golden rice a day to satisfy the minimum daily requirement of vitamin A Conversion of beta-carotene to vitamin A requires fat and protein in the diet (these are lacking in LDCs) Asians may not want to eat golden rice – they prefer white rice over the more nutrient rich brown rice which has always existed Education to push golden rice costs money – why not just hand out vitamin A? Golden rice cost more than $100 million to develop – it is just a PR stunt for genetically altered foods 10

“Green Revolution” benefits Core exports high-yield “miracle” seeds Needed oil-based fertilizers, pesticides Asian rice crop up 66% in 1965-85 Favored areas with good soil, weather

“Green Revolution”

“Green Revolution” drawbacks Favored farmers who could afford seeds, inputs, machines, irrigation Indebted farmers lost land, moved to cities New “monocrops” lacked resistance to disease/pests Environmental contamination, erosion Oriented to export “cash crops,” not domestic food

Biotechnology: Using organisms to… Make or modify products Improve plants or animals Develop new microorganisms Crossing natural divides between species Not just crossbreeding

Genetic Engineering

Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) Consumer concerns began in Europe, now in U.S. too

“FRANKENFOODS” 11

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Biotechnology benefits in agriculture Increase yields Increase pest resistance Grow crops in new areas

Biotechnology drawbacks in agriculture High costs (available to few) Monocrops have less tolerance to disease Possible health effects Contamination of wild crops (“superweeds”) Corporate patents on life forms

Bovine Growth Hormone (BGH)

Starlink corn