Green Revolution - AP Human Geography

During the Green Revolution, cereal grain production (and total caloric production for that matter) doubled, resulting in a 100% increase, one of the largest increases in food production in human history.

While the process of synthesizing nitrogen fertilizers on an industrial scale had been around since the early twentieth century (e.g. the Haber-Bosch nitrogen fixation process, which was developed in 1909), this technology and infrastructure did not expand and become established in the developed world until the 1960s. This resulted in an increase of cheap and abundant cereal grains in famine-stricken countries.

The agricultural expansion and increases in food production achieved during the Green Revolution were the result of fertilizers synthesized on an industrial scale using fossil fuels. Traditional farming methods (e.g. organic methods that emphasized the use of natural fertilizers) were largely replaced across the world with commercial agriculture that relies heavily on industrial fertilizers derived from petroleum.

Fortunately, our current food system has the capability to feed the entire human population, thanks in large part to chemical fertilizers. In addition, with improved transportation and commercialization of food, local crop failure and natural disasters pose less of a threat of famine then before industrialized agriculture. Currently, the leading cause of malnourishment worldwide is a result of war and government instability. A modern example of this is the displacement of subsistence farmers in the Darfur region of Sudan, who were capable of growing their own food for generations before their government waged war on their communities, resulting in their dependence on foreign aid.

Some of the issues with the industrialization of agriculture include a high investment of fossil fuel energy to produce food, as well as the resulting pollution from fertilizer runoff and the widespread development of monocultures; however, increased use of pesticides and improvements in global food security have largely abated the threat of crop failures.

The “Green Revolution” is a term used to describe a series of technological innovations in the field of agriculture that took place between the 1940s and the early 1970s. The Green Revolution began in Mexico where a collection of government bodies sponsored several initiatives designed to dramatically increase agricultural production in the country. When those initiatives proved successful they were implemented on a global scale. The Green Revolution has been credited with saving at least one billion humans from death by starvation.

The Green Revolution took place during the middle of the twentieth century. It is the name given to a series of agricultural innovations that greatly increased the planet’s capacity for supporting human life. But, naturally, it had numerous negative consequences as well. The Green Revolution led to rampant land speculation and the forced migration of hundreds of millions of people, as traditional rural societies crumbled. It also led to the spread of multinational corporations that emphasized the growing of cash crops at the expense of nutritional crops which were needed to sustain poorer populations.

The Green Revolution took place in the mid-twentieth century. It is estimated that it led to a population increase of between one to two billion people. The majority of this population growth took place in Asia, particularly in countries like India, China, Vietnam, and Bangladesh.

During the Green Revolution countries all over Asia, Africa, and South America dramatically increased their yields of wheat and rice. In India this increase meant that fifty percent more rice and wheat was being produced in the 1980s when compared to the 1960s. This is a massive increase in the two staple crops that provide nutrition for the majority of the Indian population, and a large portion of the world’s population.

GMOs (genetically modified organisms) are any organisms whose genetic makeup has been altered using genetic engineering techniques.

Norman Borlaug is considered to be the "Father of the Green Revolution". He led several initiatives that got this Revolution up and running as well as received the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts. He is credited with saving billions from starvation as well as modernizing agriculture techniques and technology.

The majority of the initiatives were carried out between 1930-1960 and actual changes in the agricultural process occurred during the late 1960's. During this time period, research, development and technology related to agriculture was reformed leading to the Green Revolution. In fact, the first time the Green Revolution was referred to by this name was in 1968.

Historically, Mexico, India and Brazil were part of the growth of the Green Revolution. The Green Revolution in addition with the Mexican Revolution are credited for transforming Mexico. India was very close to a mass famine when Norman Borlaug came to the country and assisted them with their Green Revolution. Brazil's soil was transformed by Borlaug and now is a leading exporter of beef, poultry and soybeans.

Food, health and environmental safety are all leading concerns of critics of the Green revolution. In regards to food safety, critics were concerned about starvation as well as the actual quality of one's diet. In regards to health safety, critics were concerned about the ingesting of pesticides that may lead to cancer. The final concern was surrounding environmental safety where criticisms centered using non-renewable resources and greenhouse gas emissions.