🟠 Topic 23: Green Revolution & Subsequent Revolutions

---

📌 Introduction

The Green Revolution was a transformative period in Indian agriculture, beginning in the 1960s, which led to a dramatic increase in food grain production through the adoption of modern technology, irrigation systems, fertilizers, and high-yielding variety (HYV) seeds. It laid the foundation for India’s self-sufficiency in food grains and significantly reduced dependence on food imports.

The success of the Green Revolution inspired several other agricultural revolutions in different sectors like dairy, fisheries, poultry, and horticulture, which collectively shaped India’s agrarian economy.

---

🔹 Green Revolution – Concept & Key Features

📖 Definition

The Green Revolution refers to the introduction of modern agricultural practices — including HYV seeds, chemical fertilizers, pesticides, mechanization, and improved irrigation techniques — to boost food grain production.

---

🔎 Key Features

1️⃣ High-Yielding Variety (HYV) Seeds – Special wheat and rice varieties with higher productivity.
2️⃣ Chemical Inputs – Use of fertilizers and pesticides to enhance crop growth.
3️⃣ Irrigation Expansion – Development of canals, tube wells, and large irrigation projects.
4️⃣ Mechanization – Adoption of tractors, threshers, and harvesters.
5️⃣ Scientific Farming – Use of modern agricultural practices, soil testing, and scientific advisory services.

---

📊 Phases of Green Revolution in India

Phase	Period	Focus Areas
First Phase	1966-1976	Focus on wheat (Punjab, Haryana, Western UP)
Second Phase	Post-1976	Expansion to rice and other crops in Eastern India (West Bengal, Bihar)

---

✅ Key Benefits

✔️ Food Security – From a food-deficit nation to a food grain exporter.
✔️ Self-Sufficiency – Drastically reduced dependence on PL-480 imports from the US.
✔️ Rural Prosperity – Rising farmer incomes, rural mechanization, and allied industry growth.
✔️ Foundation for Agribusiness – Boosted agro-processing and input industries (seeds, fertilizers).

---

⚠️ Criticism & Challenges

1️⃣ Regional Imbalance

• Focus on Punjab, Haryana, Western UP, while Eastern and Southern states lagged.

2️⃣ Ecological Degradation

• Excessive use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides degraded soil and water.

3️⃣ Groundwater Depletion

• Over-extraction for irrigation led to declining water tables.

4️⃣ Monoculture Risk

• Over-reliance on wheat and rice reduced crop diversity.

5️⃣ Small Farmer Exclusion

• Benefits concentrated among large and medium farmers with access to capital and irrigation.

---

🔹 Subsequent Revolutions – Diversification of Agriculture

1️⃣ White Revolution (Dairy) 🥛

Feature	Details
Period	1970s onwards
Pioneer	Dr. Verghese Kurien (Father of White Revolution)
Program	Operation Flood (by NDDB)
Impact	India became largest producer of milk globally
Institutional Success	Amul Model – Cooperatives at village level

---

2️⃣ Blue Revolution (Fisheries) 🐟

Feature	Details
Period	1980s-90s
Focus	Modernizing fisheries sector – marine & inland
Technology	Use of aqua farms, hatcheries, feed mills
Impact	India became second-largest producer of fish

---

3️⃣ Yellow Revolution (Edible Oil) 🌻

Feature	Details
Period	Late 1980s
Focus	Increasing oilseed production
Techniques	HYV seeds, better oilseed processing
Impact	Increased domestic edible oil production
Challenge	Still heavily dependent on edible oil imports

---

4️⃣ Pink Revolution (Meat & Poultry) 🍗

Feature	Details
Period	1990s onwards
Focus	Boosting meat and poultry production
Drivers	Modern breeding, feed management, cold chain infrastructure
Impact	Rise in poultry exports, growing domestic consumption

---

5️⃣ Golden Revolution (Horticulture) 🍎

Feature	Details
Period	1991-2003
Focus	Promoting fruits, vegetables, flowers, and spices
Technology	Tissue culture, greenhouses, drip irrigation
Impact	India became leading producer of fruits & vegetables

---

🔹 Role of Government in Agricultural Revolutions

Focus Area	Schemes
Food Security	NFSA, MSP System
Dairy Development	Rashtriya Gokul Mission
Fisheries	PM Matsya Sampada Yojana
Horticulture	MIDH (Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture)
Agri-Innovation	Agri-Startups, PM Krishi Sinchai Yojana

---

🔹 Current Challenges in Indian Agriculture

1️⃣ Declining Farm Incomes

• Despite rising productivity, input costs (fertilizers, electricity) erode margins.

2️⃣ Ecological Sustainability

• Groundwater depletion, soil health issues due to intensive farming.

3️⃣ Market Linkages

• Small farmers struggle to access organized markets and fair prices.

4️⃣ Diversification Needs

• Over-dependence on wheat and rice — need to promote pulses, oilseeds, millets.

---

🔹 Case Study: Punjab’s Green Revolution Legacy

• Punjab led the Green Revolution, contributing heavily to India’s food buffer stocks.
• However, excessive reliance on wheat-rice monoculture led to:
  • Groundwater depletion.
  • Soil degradation.
  • Rising cancer incidence due to pesticide overuse.

---

📚 Practice MCQ

---

1️⃣ Consider the following statements regarding the Green Revolution:

1. It introduced high-yielding varieties of wheat and rice.
2. It led to regional imbalances in agricultural development.
3. It contributed to groundwater depletion.
4. It ensured equitable distribution of benefits across all farmers.

Which of the above statements are correct?

✅ Options:
(a) 1, 2, and 3 only
(b) 1 and 4 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2, 3, and 4

---

2️⃣ Who is known as the Father of White Revolution in India?

✅ Options:
(a) M.S. Swaminathan
(b) Verghese Kurien
(c) Norman Borlaug
(d) Rajendra Singh

---

3️⃣ Which revolution is associated with increasing edible oil production?

✅ Options:
(a) Blue Revolution
(b) Yellow Revolution
(c) Pink Revolution
(d) Green Revolution

---

4️⃣ Consider the following revolutions:

1. Blue Revolution – Fisheries
2. Pink Revolution – Poultry & Meat
3. Golden Revolution – Horticulture
4. Silver Revolution – Cotton

Which of the above pairs are correctly matched?

✅ Options:
(a) 1, 2, and 3 only
(b) 2 and 4 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2, 3, and 4