Contribution of The Green Revolution to The World's History

The Green Revolution is an effort that has increased crop yields throughout the world since 1950. These high yielding crops are produced by planting monocultures of genetically altered plants and by using inorganic fertilizer, irrigation water and pesticides in large quantities. It is arguable that the Green Revolution is a total success, even though it may be true that it temporarily improves the lives of millions of people.

The people of today s society are now seeing the harmful after-effects that it has and still is causing. The first Green Revolution occurred from about 1950 to 1970. During this time period this phenomenon raised crop yields dramatically in most industrialized countries. The economic activity increased in these countries due to the abundance of money which is circulating because of the export of food. It was not long after the first Green Revolution that the second Green Revolution occurred in 1967. Now not only are the industrialized countries benefiting from this, but the lower developed countries are too.

Dwarf varieties of wheat and rice are introduced. These plants are specially bred to grow fast and have high yields. An abundance of water, fertilizer and pesticides are necessary for these high yielding plants to prosper. In fact, there was a 90% increase in world grain output in the 1960 s due to this technique. The success of these Revolutions is very short lived. It did not take long before the populations grew to the limit of the food source and the food in the third worked countries became too costly. The price of fertilizer, pesticide and proper irrigation was quite high. Another problem which occurred in some less fortunate countries is the pollution of the water supply. Large quantities of pesticides and fertilizers are sprayed on the crop and any that did not go to the plants would settle on surface water or seep into the ground water. Because the funds are not available to have water pollution control plants, this contaminated water goes directly into the drinking water supply. Illness and death is another direct consequence of the Green Revolution. The increase in chemical use causes contamination to water supplies throughout the third worlds and also in the food supply.

About 40% of food contains detectable residues, this does not just happen in third world countries. Three percent of this food has residues above the legal limit. This film causes thousands of people each year to become ill due to poisoning. Other people that are greatly effected by this are the farm workers, it is estimated that between 5 000 and 26 000 people die each year from these poisons. Reports of cancer, mutations, birth defects and disorders of the nervous system are all thought to be caused by the overuse of chemicals. Pesticide and fertilizer overload is necessary for these genetically-altered plants. With the lack of genetic diversity, the plants lose their resistance to disease and to pests. Not only does this pose a problem to the farmers, but the world is also losing a lot more that just a seasons harvest. Countless food varieties are being lost forever because of single crop practice, which could eventually lead to a shortage of food. An example of this is the 6000 apple varieties that are no longer available.

An amazing 90% of the world s staple food have their center of genetic diversity outside of the industrialized world. Gene banks are underfunded. Not only are food varieties being lost but the land is deteriorating too. Soil is eroding, a significant loss in the fertility of the soil is now seen, and aquifers are diminishing. The environment is paying the ultimate price from the Green Revolution. Irreplaceable resources are being destroyed faster than they can replenish themselves. The lack of diversity of plants means that the soil is no longer getting the necessary nutrients that it needs to be fertile. A huge amount of land is lost thanks to this. Soaring populations, increased illnesses and deaths, pollution, loss of food varieties and deterioration of the land are all factors which point to the direction that the Green Revolution is not a success. The Green Revolution drastically changed the world. To say that it was a change for the better though, would be false.