1. THE THREE AGRICULTURAL REVOLUTIONS

2. 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 . . .

4. FIRST….. Domestication of plants and animals Define: Examples:
Advantages:

6. INCREASE IN AGICTULTURAL PRODUCTION PER CAPITA

7. GREEN REVOLUTION
A complex of improvements which greatly increased agricultural production - the second agricultural revolution
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
Defined as hybrids
Examples:

8. Components of Green Revolution
Application of better agricultural techniques
Irrigation
Mechanization
Use of fertilizer
Use of pesticides
Dependance on Monocultures

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

11. Costs of Green Revolution….
Irrigation
Creation of dams
Ecological consequences down and upriver
Use of pesticides
Chemicals
DDT
Insect resistance
Use of Fertilizers
Contain nitrates and phosphates
Get into water and spur growth of algae
Eutrification
Chokes off light and oxygen below
What about when algae dies?

13. Advantages to Monocultures
Use of Monocultures
Decreases resistance
To insects and disease
examples
Advantages to Monocultures
Easier on soil
Examples
Right combinations means less fertilizers needed
Taller plants shade and protect lower plants etc.

14. The third Agricultural Revolution - Genetic manipulation of Food

15. “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.”

16. “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

17. “FRANKENFOODS”

21. How do they Do this? Literally cut and paste desired gene
Source of genes?
Created in a lab
Taken from other species
examples