What are the 5 Advantages and Disadvantages of the Green Revolution?

Answer: Green Revolution

Firstly, the term was used by William S. Gaud on March 8, 1968. The term Green revolution was an initiative started by Norman Borlaug, a biologist, in 1960. He is also called the “Father of Green revolution” globally. In 1970, he received the Nobel Peace Prize for developing High Yielding Varieties of wheat (HYVs). The green revolution is an initiative used to produce high-yield crops rapidly to increase outcomes using fertilisers and chemicals. It has a drastic impact on many developing countries’ economies and the demand.

5 Advantages of Green Revolution

Reduces greenhouse gas emission: As the high yield methodology influences the carbon cycles via the atmosphere, it vastly reduces greenhouse gas emissions and emissions-free environments.

Increase in food production: It uses various technologies and results in an increase in food production. It is a choice from the conventional method of agriculture.

Low food prices:  The whole market relies on the demand and supply process. As the yields are continuous, they meet the demand, and the supply becomes easy. High-yield varieties produce more food items and lower the food prices for all consumers globally. 

Increases Afforestation: As the demand for food increases, deforestation also increases. Thus, introducing a green revolution meets food needs and increases afforestation.

Continuous Yield: It also offers a constant yield of crops irrespective of seasons.

5 Disadvantages of Green Revolution

Quality of Soil: It encounters and reduces soil quality because the repetitive usage of the same crops on the land results in soil nutrient depletion.

Health problems: Consuming foods produced using pesticides and fertilisers will significantly impact health-related issues.

Lack of biodiversity: Creates more significant exposure to the food chain and leads to the loss of beneficial hereditary attributes produced in conventional farming. 

Seed Sterility: Introducing new technologies leads to the prevention of future crop growth by composing seeds from mature plants.

Monocropping: Green revolution promotes monocropping patterns, which causes various problems and reduces the production of high yield crops.