THE GREEN REVOLUTION
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THE GREEN REVOLUTION THE GREEN REVOLUTION § (The Third (The Third Agricultural Agricultural Revolution) Revolution) § And And Biotechnology Biotechnology
description
(The Third Agricultural Revolution) And Biotechnology. THE GREEN REVOLUTION. THOMAS MALTHUS. 19 th century economist Believed that because population grows geometrically and food production arithmetically famine was inevitable. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Transcript of THE GREEN REVOLUTION
THE GREEN REVOLUTIONTHE GREEN REVOLUTION
§ (The Third (The Third Agricultural Agricultural Revolution)Revolution)
§ And BiotechnologyAnd Biotechnology
THOMAS MALTHUSTHOMAS MALTHUS§ 1919thth century economist century economist
§ Believed that because population grows Believed that because population grows geometrically and food production geometrically and food production arithmetically famine was inevitable.arithmetically famine was inevitable.
§ Slowing the growth of population was the only Slowing the growth of population was the only possibility to prevent starvationpossibility to prevent starvation
History (so far) has proven Malthus wrong . . .
POPULATION and FOOD PRODUCTION GROWTHPercentage increases 1980-1990
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45%
PER CAPITA INCREASE INFOOD PRODUCTION
FOOD PRODUCTION
POPULATION
LDCs MDCs
INCREASE IN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION PER CAPITA
GREEN REVOLUTIONGREEN REVOLUTION
§ Adoption of new, Adoption of new, improved varieties of improved varieties of grainsgrains
§ Application of better Application of better agricultural agricultural techniquestechniques§ IrrigationIrrigation§ MechanizationMechanization§ Use of fertilizerUse of fertilizer§ Use of pesticidesUse of pesticides
§ Since 1950’sSince 1950’s§ Greatest effect felt in Greatest effect felt in
LDCsLDCs§ Agricultural output Agricultural output
outpaced population outpaced population growth even without growth even without adding additional adding additional croplandcropland
A complex of improvements which greatly increased agricultural production
§ WHEATWHEATMexicoMexico
EgyptEgypt
TurkeyTurkey
§ RICERICEThailandThailand
VietnamVietnam
KoreaKorea
IndonesiaIndonesia
Principal Beneficiaries of the Green Revolution
§ BOTHBOTHIndiaIndia
ChinaChina
PakistanPakistan
““Green Revolution”Green Revolution”
““Green Revolution”Green Revolution”drawbacksdrawbacks
§ Favored farmers who could afford seeds, Favored farmers who could afford seeds, inputs, machines, irrigationinputs, machines, irrigation
§ Indebted farmers lost land, moved to citiesIndebted farmers lost land, moved to cities
§ New “monocrops” lacked resistance to New “monocrops” lacked resistance to disease/pestsdisease/pests
§ Environmental contamination, erosionEnvironmental contamination, erosion
§ Oriented to export “cash crops,” not domestic Oriented to export “cash crops,” not domestic foodfood
Biotechnology: Biotechnology: Using organisms to…Using organisms to…
§ Make or modify productsMake or modify products
§ Improve plants or animals Improve plants or animals
§ Develop new microorganismsDevelop new microorganisms
§ Crossing natural divides between speciesCrossing natural divides between species§ Not just crossbreedingNot just crossbreeding
Genetic EngineeringGenetic Engineering
Genetically Modified Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO)Organisms (GMO)
Consumer concernsbegan in Europe, now in U.S. too
““FRANKENFOODS”FRANKENFOODS”
GENETICALLY MODIFIED CROPS - WORLDWIDE
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
1996 1997 1998 1999 2000
mil
lion
s o
f a
cres
GENETICALLY MODIFIED CROPS - 2000
Others, 9%
Argentina, 23%
USA, 68%
Bovine GrowthBovine GrowthHormone (BGH)Hormone (BGH)
