Glossary
Agricultural Machinery
The use of machines, such as tractors and harvesters, to perform farming tasks, replacing manual labor and increasing efficiency.
Example:
The introduction of Agricultural Machinery allowed farmers to cultivate larger areas and harvest crops more quickly, transforming the scale of farming operations.
Biotechnology
The application of scientific and engineering principles to living organisms to create or modify products or processes, often used in agriculture for genetic manipulation.
Example:
Advances in Biotechnology enabled scientists to develop crops resistant to specific diseases, reducing crop losses and increasing yields.
Chemical farming
An agricultural approach that heavily relies on synthetic chemical inputs, such as fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides, to maximize crop yields.
Example:
The practice of Chemical farming during the Green Revolution boosted food output but also led to concerns about environmental pollution and soil health.
Dependence on Technology
A reliance on advanced tools, machinery, or scientific methods, often leading to increased costs and vulnerability to market fluctuations for inputs.
Example:
Farmers who adopted Green Revolution practices often developed a Dependence on Technology, needing to purchase expensive seeds, fertilizers, and machinery annually.
Economic Benefits
Positive financial outcomes, such as increased income, boosted exports, and improved trade balances, resulting from agricultural advancements.
Example:
The Green Revolution brought significant Economic Benefits to countries like India, as increased crop yields led to higher agricultural exports and farmer incomes.
Environmental Degradation
The deterioration of the natural environment through depletion of resources, destruction of ecosystems, and pollution, often a negative consequence of intensive agricultural practices.
Example:
Overuse of chemical inputs during the Green Revolution led to significant Environmental Degradation, including soil erosion and water contamination.
Food Security
The state in which all people, at all times, have physical, social, and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.
Example:
The Green Revolution significantly improved Food Security in many developing nations by increasing the availability of staple crops.
Food manufacturing
The industrial processing, canning, refining, and packaging of agricultural products into consumable food items.
Example:
The rise of Food manufacturing allowed for the preservation and distribution of surplus crops, extending their shelf life and reach.
Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)
Living organisms whose genetic material has been altered using genetic engineering techniques to introduce new traits, such as pest resistance or increased nutritional value.
Example:
Many modern corn and soybean crops are Genetically Modified Organisms, engineered to withstand herbicides or produce their own insecticides.
Green Revolution
A period of significant agricultural development in the mid-20th century, primarily in developing countries, focused on boosting food production through technology and new farming methods.
Example:
The Green Revolution allowed countries like India to dramatically increase their rice and wheat yields, helping to feed a rapidly growing population.
High-Yield Varieties of Seeds
Genetically modified or selectively bred seeds designed to produce significantly larger and more consistent crop yields than traditional varieties.
Example:
Farmers during the Green Revolution adopted new High-Yield Varieties of Seeds for wheat, leading to fields overflowing with grain where there once was scarcity.
International Aid
Financial, technical, or humanitarian assistance provided by one country or international organization to another, often to support development initiatives.
Example:
International Aid from organizations like the Rockefeller Foundation helped fund research and disseminate new agricultural technologies during the Green Revolution.
Irrigation Systems
Engineered methods for supplying water to agricultural land, ensuring consistent moisture for crops, especially in arid or semi-arid regions.
Example:
Modern Irrigation Systems, like drip irrigation, allowed farmers to grow crops in areas previously considered too dry, expanding arable land.
Market Forces
The economic factors of supply and demand that influence prices and production decisions in a free market.
Example:
Global Market Forces, driven by demand for food in developed countries, incentivized the adoption of Green Revolution technologies to increase agricultural output.
Pesticides
Chemical substances used to control or eliminate pests, such as insects, weeds, or fungi, that can damage crops.
Example:
The application of Pesticides helped protect vulnerable crops from destructive infestations, ensuring more food reached the market.
Plant breeding
The purposeful manipulation of plant species to create new varieties with desired characteristics, such as higher yields, disease resistance, or improved nutritional content.
Example:
Through careful Plant breeding, scientists developed new rice varieties that could produce more grains per plant, contributing significantly to food security.
Population Growth
An increase in the number of individuals in a population, which was a primary driver for the need to increase food production during the mid-20th century.
Example:
Rapid global Population Growth in the mid-20th century created an urgent need for the increased food production that the Green Revolution aimed to provide.
Social Disruption
Negative changes in the structure, organization, or functioning of a society, often resulting from rapid economic or technological shifts.
Example:
The Green Revolution caused Social Disruption as small farmers, unable to afford new technologies, were often displaced by larger, mechanized operations.
Synthetic Fertilizers
Chemical compounds manufactured to provide essential nutrients to plants, boosting their growth and productivity.
Example:
The widespread use of Synthetic Fertilizers transformed barren lands into fertile fields, but also raised concerns about water pollution.
“Miracle Seeds”
A popular term referring to the high-yield varieties of seeds developed during the Green Revolution, genetically modified or hybridized for superior productivity.
Example:
The introduction of “Miracle Seeds” in the Philippines led to a dramatic increase in rice production, helping to alleviate hunger.