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

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 . . . 2

3. 3

4. 4

5. INCREASE IN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION PER CAPITA5

6. 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

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

8. “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

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

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

11. “Green Revolution”

12. “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

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

14. Genetic Engineering

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

16. “FRANKENFOODS” 11

17. 12

18. 13

19. 14

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

21. 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

22. Bovine Growth Hormone (BGH)

23. Starlink corn