Question

The Green Revolution is the answer to the world’s food supply problem. Agree or disagree giving reasons.

Answer 1

You could argue on both sides. Yes, through genetic modification, production can be increased manifold. However, there are risks. GM crops tend to kill other varieties and therefore there is the risk of loss of diversity. Besides, green revolution required large doses of fertilizers which has now polluted water in places like Punjab. It has also reduced the power of land to yield high production. One could look at innovative practices such as roof top farming to increase production.

Answer 2

                The Green Revolution is the answer to the world's food supply problem. It helped to develop high yielding seeds, fertilizers, and irrigation projects. This in turn helped to provide employment to both agricultural and industrial workers in producing these things. People were employed in hydro electric power stations for irrigation systems.

                India became an exporter of food. The Green Revolution greatly increased the availability of food, for example wheat doubled in just a couple of years. Studies and biological tests helped to produce stronger plants which could withstand extreme climates and diseases.

                Proponents of the Green Revolution say that it contributed to environmental preservation because it improved the productivity of land which was already used for agriculture. It thus saved millions of acres that would otherwise have been put to agricultural use.

                The most important contribution of the Green Revolution is that it helped to globalize the agricultural world by spreading technologies to non industrialized nations and setting up many corporations in major agricultural areas.

                But the problems created by it seem to outweigh the benefits. Most high yielding seeds use up more energy to process because most varieties are not resistant to drought and new diseases. Due to this there is a heavy application of expensive fertilizers and pesticides. This leads to the use of expensive herbicides because fertilizers stimulate both plant growth and weed growth. The heavy doses of chemicals impoverish the soil.