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Harmful Effects of the Green Revolution

The Green Revolution was a result of scientific research that discovered ways to produce high-yield crops, including plant breeding, improved agronomy and the production of fertilizers and pesticides. The revolution helped increase food production in industrialized countries and decreased starvation rates. However, the Green Revolution created its own set of problems and negative impacts for the farmers, land, regions and economies affected by the growth.

  1. Crop Production

    • The Green Revolution has had negative effects on crop production because of soil degradation and the loss in production of fruits, vegetables and pulses, according to a November 1998 article in the Indian Express. Monoculture, which is the cultivation of the same crop in the same area over a long period of time, is another aspect of the Green Revolution that made crops less resistant to disease and pests.

    Farmers

    • The Green Revolution negatively impacted owners of small farms because they could not afford the new technology, whereas owners of large farms were able to adopt the new technologies because of better access to irrigation systems, fertilizers, seeds and credit. The increased production from large farms caused product prices to go down while input prices rose, causing many smaller farmers to suffer.

    Local Economies

    • The Green Revolution negatively impacted many villages and regions that did not have access to sufficient amounts of water or proper irrigation systems. The new technologies were spread only into areas where there was sufficient irrigation or high potential of being rain fed. People of neighboring regions or villages with low potential for consistent rainfall earned far less money as a result. These income gaps primarily affected regions and villages in India and China.

    Environmental Impact

    • In addition to hurting crop production, the general farming practices of the Green Revolution have caused environmental damage. Excessive fertilizer and pesticide use has led to higher levels of pollution in affected waterways, human poisonings and the loss of beneficial insects. Irrigation systems used during Green Revolution farming have led to excessive amounts of salt build up and retreating water tables. During the Green Revolution, a heavy dependence was placed on a small variety of cereal crops, leading to a dramatic decrease in biodiversity. More environmental damage was caused by illiterate farmers who did not receive proper training for the new technologies or education about water regulation practices.

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