L4 - Green Revolution Flashcards
Is the Boserupian viewpoint optimistic or pessimistic?
Optimistic
What was Esther Boserup’s theory/ viewpoint?
She suggested that population growth has a positive impact on people that will enable them to cope, because as resources start to run out we are forced to ‘invent’ or innovate our way out of the problem.
What is food security?
Food security exists where people don’t go hungry or live in fear of starvation. The people have access to sufficient food. They either produce all they need or they import the food they need.
What is food insecurity?
Food insecurity exists where people do not have access to an adequate supply of food. This is mainly because food production fluctuates on a seasonal or annual basis. When production dips, there is hunger and starvation.
What does HVY stand for?
high-yield variety (HYV) seeds
What does consumption mean?
Taking and using resources.
What is green revolution?
This is the term used to describe the application of modern, western farming techniques to developing countries. E.g fertilisers, high-yield variety (HYV) seeds and irrigation.
What is a cash crop?
A crop produced for it’s commercial value rather than for use by the grower.
What were the benefits of the green revolution in India?
- Huge rise in food production: 10mt to 17 million to 73mt
- Cash crops and exports possible
- Food output across the world grew
- Reached maximum productivity
What were the downsides of the green revolution in India?
- Poorer farmers cannot afford the cost (e.g. fertilisers)- debt and shame
- Reached maximum productivity
- Some farmers commit suicide
- Complicated lifestyle
- Some turning to other cash crops - coffee/cotton/mushrooms
- Pesticides = babies born blue
What technology is used in the green revolution in India?
- HYV of crop, genetically modified, brought to India in 1968 by an American agronomist - Norman Borlaug
- Hybrid grain seeds (wheat / rice / corn)
- Shorter stalk – more photosynthesis, grain benefits
- Needs intensive fertilisers and irrigation
What was the problem in India and what was the solution to it?
- In 1951, only 17% of land was irrigated, of not permanently. People were dependant on rainfall. Vast majority of people didn’t have enough food.
- The government wanted farmers to increase produce, and move from subsistence to commercial farming. They also had to get over the difficulties of lending money.
What is Esther Boserup’s famous quote?
Necessity is the mother of invention
E.g we invented farming because we ran out of hunted food.
What does technological fix mean?
Fixing problems using technology
Why would you believe some resources won’t run out?
- Some resources are renewable and/or sustainable
- We’ll find substitutes – and won’t need a particular type of resource
- We’ll replace non-renewables with renewables
- Sustainable management of resources
- New techniques/inventions/Boserup
