Green Revolution and GMOs
By: Olivia Withers
What caused the Bengal Famine in 1943?
This famine was caused by crop failures in 1942 combined with continued exports of rice from Bengal to other regions of Indoa and elsewhere in the British Empire.
Basic Element 1
Continued expansion of farming areas
Basic Element 2
Double-cropping existing farmland
Basic Element 3
Using seeds with improved genetics
Results of the Green Revolution
Positive Results of the Green Revolution in India
- Resulted in a record grain output of 131 million tons in 1978-79. This established India as one of the world's biggest agricultural producers.
- The crop area under HYV varieties grew from seven per cent to 22 per cent of the total cultivated area during the 10 years of the Green Revolution.
Positive Economic, sociologic, or political results of the green revolution
- The Green Revolution created plenty of jobs by the creation of lateral facilities
- India transformed itself from a starving nation to an exporter o food
- The Green Revolution was one factor that made Mrs. India Gandhi and her part, the Indian National Congress
Limitations of The Green Revolution
- The Green Revolution has not succeeded in making India totally and permanently self-sufficient in food
- The Green Revolution was not a 100% a success because there are still starvation reports
Benefits and negatives associated with GMO's
Positives
- Creating plants better resistant to weeds, pest and other diseases; such as corn
- Foods with a longer shelf life for easier shipping
- Can create an essential sustainable way to feed the world
- Farmers can grow more food on less land with genetically modified crops
- These animals also are expected to have a higher resistance to disease and overall better health
Negatives
- Increase use of pesticides and herbicides
- Very little testing has been done on GM foods
- Mixing genes from totally unrelated species, genetic engineering unleashes a host of unpredictable side effects
- They reduce bio-diversity, pollute water resources, and are unsustainable
- GM crops are eliminating habitat for monarch butterflies, whose populations are down 50% in the US