THE GREEN

REVOLUTION

(The Third
Agricultural
Revolution)
And Biotechnology

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 . . .

POPULATION and FOOD PRODUCTION GROWTH

Percentage increases 1980-1990
LDCs

MDCs

POPULATION

FOOD PRODUCTION

PER CAPITA INCREASE IN

FOOD PRODUCTION
0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

INCREASE IN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION PER CAPITA

GREEN REVOLUTION

A complex of improvements which greatly

increased agricultural production
Since 1950s
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

Principal Beneficiaries of the Green Revolution

WHEAT
Mexico
Egypt
Turkey

RICE
Thailand
Vietnam
Korea
Indonesia

BOTH
India
China
Pakistan

 Green Revolution

 Green Revolution
drawbacks
Favored farmers who could afford seeds,

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

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

Genetic Engineering

Genetically Modified
Organisms (GMO)

Consumerconcerns
beganinEurope,
nowinU.S.too

 FRANKENFOODS

GENETICALLY MODIFIED CROPS - WORLDWIDE

120

100

millions of acres

80

60

40

20

0
1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

G ENETICALLY MODIFIED CRO PS - 2000

Others, 9%

Argentina, 23%

USA, 68%

Bovine Growth
Hormone (BGH)