Impact of Green Revolution On Ecosystem Quality

IMPACTS OF GREEN REVOLUATION ON ECOSYSTEM QUALITY

INDIAN AGRICULTURAL BEFORE GREEN REVOLUTION
♣ Small – marginal farmers producing food and because animal products for families
and village communities
♣ Crops d/o on soil – climate
♣ Soil health – pest control – shifting cultivation, conversation, FYM, legume crop
rotation
♣ 1892 -10 million people died in famine and frequent famine before 1947 – National
and International cooperation - managed




Green revolution – 1965 -66
•Hybrids and HYV
•More irrigation
•Fertilizer use
•Pesticides
•Herbicides

Higher yields




Impacts of Green Revolution on Ecosystem Quality
The ills of green revolution are stated to be :

vReduction in natural fertility of the soil
vDestruction of soil structure, aeration and water holding capacity
vSusceptibility to soil erosion by water and wind
vDiminishing returns on inputs ( the ratio of energy input to output halves every 10 years ).

Indiscriminate killing of useful insects, microorganisms and predators that naturally
check excess crop damage by insect pests


Breeding more virulent and resistant species of insects
Reducing genetic diversity of plant species
Pollution with toxic chemicals from the agrochemicals and their production units


üEndangering the health of the farmers using chemicals and the workers who
produce them
üPoisoning the food with highly toxic pesticide residues
üCash crops displacing nutritious food crops
üChemicals changing the natural taste of food
üHigh inputs increasing the agricultural expenses
üIncreasing the farmer’s work burden and tension


qDepleting the fossil fuel resources
qIncreasing the irrigation needs of the land
qBig Irrigation projects often resulting in soil salinity and poor drainage
qDepleting the ground water reserves
qLowering the drought tolerance of crops
qAppearance of ‘difficult’ weeds
qHeightening the socio-economic disparities and land holding concentration
qHigh input subsidies leading to inflationary spirals


¤Increasing the political and bureasucratic corruption
¤Destroying the local culture (commercialization and consumerization displacing self-
reliance )
¤Throwing financial institutions into disarray ( as impoverished farmers demand write –
off of loans)
¤Agricultural and economic problems sparking off social and political turmoil resulting
in violence


Fertilizer – 1950-0.6 kg ha-1
1987-50 kg ha-1
2000-145 kg ha-1
•No humus
•Deficiency of Zn, Fe, Mn, Cu, Mg, Mo & Bo
•Affects soil physicals, chemical and biological properties
•Release of N2o to atm.- depeletes O3 – Green house effect – Global warming
•Kills soil living organism



Pesticides

Ø Newer pest buildup
Ø Loss of natural enemies
Ø Only portions of pesticides - kill pests – major portion reaches air, soil and water- effect living organisms – environment
Ø Pesticides donot break down easily – absorbed in food chain


Herbicides
*Residual effect in soil, affect crops in rotation
*Kill soil living organisms
*Residue in grain and straw
*Affects human and animal health
*Pollution soil and water


Irrigation
Ø Over exploitation of ground water
Ø High cropping intensity
Ø More pest and disease
Ø Stalinization
Ø Mono-cropping of paddy – impervious layer of soil – prevents nutrients from deeper layer


Ø Today’s ecology is more important than tomorrows economy
Ø Because no economy without ecology