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The "Green Revolution" was an effort to grow more food and stop hunger. But like many big changes, it also created some problems, which need to be addressed to ensure India's farming future is strong and sustainable.

GREEN REVOLUTION DEBT

What was the Green Revolution?

Back in the 1960s, India faced a severe food shortage. To solve this, India launched the "Green Revolution."

It involved new farming methods, like using high-yielding seeds (HYV), adequate chemical fertilizers and pesticides, and better irrigation. 

Dr. M.S. Swaminathan led this effort in India, building on work by international scientists like Norman Borlaug.

Success (Food Security)

Increased food grain production, especially wheat and rice. India, which used to depend on food imports, became self-sufficient and even a food exporter. 

• In 1950-51, India produced 50.82 million tonnes of foodgrains, while in 2023-24, it reached a record 332.98 million tonnes.

Farmers, especially larger ones in states like Punjab, Haryana, and Western Uttar Pradesh, saw their incomes rise.

The "Unseen Debt" (Negative Impacts)

Environmental Problems

• Soil Degradation => Overuse of chemical fertilizers and pesticides damaged soil health, making it less fertile and killing helpful microbes. 
  • According to the Ministry of agriculture report, around 30% of India's land is experiencing degradation due to rising fertiliser consumption, imbalanced use of fertilisers, exploitation of natural resources and wrong soil management practices.
• Water Depletion & Pollution => New crops needed more water, leading to groundwater depletion. Chemical runoff also polluted rivers and groundwater.
• Loss of Biodiversity => Farmers started growing only a few high-yielding varieties of crops (like wheat and rice), leading to a huge loss of traditional crop varieties and overall plant diversity. This makes farms more vulnerable to new pests and diseases. 
• Greenhouse Gas Emissions => Intensive farming, machinery, and fertilizer production increased greenhouse gas emissions. 

Socio-economic Problems 

• Regional Differences => Mainly benefited well-irrigated areas, making richer regions like Punjab even richer, while poorer, rain-fed areas fell further behind. 
• Farmer Debt => High cost of special seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides forced many small farmers to borrow money. If harvests were bad, they fell into a debt trap, sometimes leading to farmer suicides. 
• Health Hazards => Widespread use of chemical pesticides led to health problems like cancer and kidney failure in some regions, notably in Punjab, which some call the "cancer belt." 

Why is repaying this "Green Revolution Debt" important for India's future?

Ensuring Future Food Security 

• Climate-Resilient Crops => Climate change brings new challenges like extreme weather and new pests. India needs to develop or access crop varieties that can withstand these conditions to feed its growing population.
• Protection from Pests and Diseases => Lack of diverse crops makes food supply vulnerable to widespread crop failures if a new pest or disease attacks the few varieties grown.
• The National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) aims to make farming more productive, sustainable, and resilient to climate change, especially in rainfed areas.
  • It promotes mixed farming systems (crops, livestock, fisheries), efficient water use, and healthy soil management.

Boosting Global Stature and "Soft Power"

• From Recipient to Contributor => By investing in sustainable agriculture, India can shift from a country that received help (during the Green Revolution) to a leader that helps other developing countries, especially in Africa and Asia, with its farming knowledge.
• Agri-Diplomacy => India can use its agricultural expertise to build stronger relationships with other nations, a concept called "Agri-Diplomacy" or South-South Cooperation (cooperation among developing countries).

Transitioning to Sustainable Agriculture

• Addressing Legacies => India must fix the environmental damage and social inequalities caused by the Green Revolution, by moving away from chemical-heavy farming.
• Focus on Resource Efficiency => Must use resources like water and soil more wisely and efficiently.
• The Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) promotes organic farming using traditional wisdom and modern science, for chemical-free and nutritious food production.
• It empowers farmers through self-help groups and connects them directly to markets.  
• It promotes the Participatory Guarantee System (PGS) for organic certification.

What policy changes and actions does India need to take?

Increased Funding for Research => India should invest more in international agricultural research centers like CIMMYT (International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center) and IRRI (International Rice Research Institute) and also establish its own strong agricultural research and development (R&D) missions.

Public-Private Partnerships => Encourage collaboration between public research institutions and private companies to develop and spread new, sustainable farming technologies.

Promoting Crop Diversification => Reduces risks from pests or bad weather, improves soil health naturally, controls pests without many chemicals, conserves water, and can increase farmers' income by opening up new markets. For example, growing legumes adds nitrogen to the soil, reducing the need for chemical fertilizers.

• Farmers can integrate livestock, poultry, or fisheries with crop production for additional income streams.

Adopting Biofortification => Developing new varieties of staple crops that are naturally richer in essential nutrients like iron, zinc, or Vitamin A.

• India faces a huge problem of "hidden hunger," where people eat enough calories but lack important vitamins and minerals. Biofortification provides a sustainable and cost-effective way to fight this.

Conclusion

The future of food security in India depends on the ability to learn from the past, innovate for the present, and invest wisely for generations to come.

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Source: INDIAN EXPRESS