The Green Revolution AP Human Geography 2013

What was the Green Revolution? Termed coined by U.S. Agency for International Development director William Gaud (March 1968) Movement to increase yields by using: Hybrid seeds Irrigation Fertilizers Pesticides mechanization

What was the Green Revolution? A planned international effort funded by: Rockefeller Foundation Ford Foundation Many developing country governments An attempt by agricultural scientists to eliminate hunger by improving crop performance

When did it begin? Began in 1943 with funding from the Rockefeller Foundation to support a group of U.S. agricultural scientists

Who invented the Green Revolution? Norman Borlaug considered father of the Green Revolution U.S. plant pathologist/breeder Joined Rockefeller Foundation in 1944 Assigned to the international maize and wheat improvement center (CIMMYT) in Mexico Won the Nobel in 1970

Impact of the Green Revolution Praise Agric. Production now outpaces pop growth Use of fertilizers has increased food productivity in many countries Criticisms Poor countries cannot always afford the machinery, seeds, and fertilizers Farmers in poor countries cannot afford fertilizers leading to inequalities b/ween rich and poor; fertilizers lead to ground water pollution

Impact of the Green Revolution Praise New irrigation processes have greatly increased crop yields Higher productivity is primarily responsible for reducing dependency on imports in Asia, including China and India Criticisms Irrigation has led to serious ground water depletion, negatively impacting water supplies for urban population Green Revolution technology has not made significant impact in Sub-Saharan Africa

Impact of the Green Revolution Praise Use of machinery to increase productivity Green revolution technology and training have focused on men Criticisms Has decreased the need for human labor, resulting in unemployment in some places Tended to exclude women who play important role in food production Green rev seeds may produce crops that are less nutritious

Decreased the production of biomass fuels- wood, crop residues, and dung Emphasis on monocultures has made agric more vulnerable to disease and pests