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(The Third Agricultural Revolution) And Biotechnology. THE GREEN REVOLUTION. THOMAS MALTHUS. 19 th century economist Believed that because population grows geometrically and food production arithmetically famine was inevitable.
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(The Third Agricultural Revolution) And Biotechnology THE GREEN REVOLUTION
THOMAS MALTHUS • 19th century economist • Believed that because population grows geometrically and food production arithmetically famine was inevitable. • Slowing the growth of population was the only possibility to prevent starvation History (so far) has proven Malthus wrong . . .
Adoption of new, improved varieties of grains Application of better agricultural techniques Irrigation Mechanization Use of fertilizer Use of pesticides Since 1950’s Greatest effect felt in LDCs Agricultural output outpaced population growth even without adding additional cropland GREEN REVOLUTION A complex of improvements which greatly increased agricultural production
WHEAT Mexico Egypt Turkey RICE Thailand Vietnam Korea Indonesia Principal Beneficiaries of the Green Revolution • BOTH • India • China • Pakistan
“Green Revolution”drawbacks • Favored farmers who could afford seeds, • inputs, machines, irrigation • Indebted farmers lost land, moved to cities • New “monocrops” lacked resistance to disease/pests • Environmental contamination, erosion • Oriented to export “cash crops,” not domestic food
Biotechnology: Using organisms to… • Make or modify products • Improve plants or animals • Develop new microorganisms • Crossing natural divides between species • Not just crossbreeding
Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) Consumer concerns began in Europe, now in U.S. too