LECTURELECTURE

GEOG 270GEOG 270Fall 2007Fall 2007

November 7, 2007November 7, 2007

Joe Hannah, PhDJoe Hannah, PhDDepartment of GeographyDepartment of Geography

University of WashingtonUniversity of Washington

Intro to the Green Intro to the Green RevolutionRevolution

““Feeding the Third World” Feeding the Third World” withwith

High Yield Varieties (HYVs)High Yield Varieties (HYVs)

of Staple Cropsof Staple Crops

The “Green Revolution”The “Green Revolution”

► Refers to the movement from the Refers to the movement from the Western industrialized nations to Western industrialized nations to attempt to raise agricultural attempt to raise agricultural productivity in the Third World through productivity in the Third World through technical meanstechnical means

►Accomplished through the Accomplished through the development of new types of staple development of new types of staple crops and new agricultural practices crops and new agricultural practices

Malthusian PremiseMalthusian Premise

To “feed the world,” we need toTo “feed the world,” we need to

raise per capita food production.raise per capita food production.

►While we work on reducing fertility, we While we work on reducing fertility, we can also can also increaseincrease food production food production

►Remember the context of the 1960s:Remember the context of the 1960s: Erhlich’s Erhlich’s Population BombPopulation Bomb ““Modernization” and the promise of Modernization” and the promise of

technologytechnology

Scientific Solution: HYVsScientific Solution: HYVs

►Plant Breeding ApproachPlant Breeding Approach►HYV Characteristics: HYV Characteristics:

large-yield, large-yield, dwarf stock, dwarf stock, disease and pest resistant disease and pest resistant (among other things)(among other things)

► Hybrid crops – can’t collect seedsHybrid crops – can’t collect seeds

Dwarf Wheat VarietiesDwarf Wheat Varieties

Losses from LodgingLosses from Lodging

Top-down ApproachTop-down Approach

►Started by Governments and Started by Governments and Foundations (like Rockefeller), Foundations (like Rockefeller),

► later largely financed by WB, UN (FAO, later largely financed by WB, UN (FAO, UNDP, UNEP)UNDP, UNEP)

►Set up plant breading and other Set up plant breading and other research projects to determine “best” research projects to determine “best” way to increase productivity per acreway to increase productivity per acre

IRRI and CIMMYTIRRI and CIMMYT

International Centre for Maize and Wheat Improvement

(CIMMYT)

International Rice Research Institute (IRRI)

Some AssumptionsSome Assumptions

► Local crop varieties “primitive,” Local crop varieties “primitive,” ► Local farmers “backward,” Local farmers “backward,” ► HYVs will increase farm incomes HYVs will increase farm incomes andand

reduce food prices, reduce food prices, ► Benefits for allBenefits for all

Some Effects of the Some Effects of the Green RevolutionGreen Revolution

Effects: Increased Reliance on Effects: Increased Reliance on Chemical InputsChemical Inputs

“Because farming methods that depend heavily on chemical fertilizers do not maintain the soil's natural fertility and because pesticides generate resistant pests, farmers need ever more fertilizers and pesticides just to achieve the same results.” (sos-arsenic.net)

Effects:Effects:Increased Need for IrrigationIncreased Need for Irrigation

Effects: Greater Effects: Greater MechanizationMechanization

Some More EffectsSome More Effects

► Input-dependent, so expensive (Input-dependent, so expensive (seedsseeds, , water, chemical fertilizer & pesticides, water, chemical fertilizer & pesticides, mechanization)mechanization)

► Higher yields (for farmers who could afford Higher yields (for farmers who could afford everything)everything)

► Monocultures: Reduction in crop diversity Monocultures: Reduction in crop diversity increased farmer risk increased farmer risk

► Increased reliance on loans and debt-based Increased reliance on loans and debt-based farmingfarming

► Consolidation of smallholdings – farmers Consolidation of smallholdings – farmers lost their landlost their land

Film: Film: The Revolution and The Revolution and BeyondBeyond