The Green Revolution
Introduced| English | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Green Revolution/ɡriːn ˌrevəˈluːʃn/ | The twentieth-century expansion of crop yields through high-yielding varieties supported by irrigation, fertilisers, pest control and changed farming practices. |
| high-yield varieties/haɪ jiːld vəˈraɪətiz/ | Crop varieties bred to produce relatively large harvests under suitable growing conditions and management. |
| biodiversity/ˌbaɪəʊdaɪˈvɜːsɪti/ | The variety of life, including genetic diversity, species diversity and ecosystem diversity. |
A revolution in yields
- The Green Revolution 绿色革命 (mid-1900s) hugely raised food output.
- It introduced high-yield varieties (HYVs) 高产品种 of seeds.
- Combined with fertilisers, pesticides, and irrigation, yields soared.
The Green Revolution mainly raised food output by introducing...
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High-yield varieties, plus fertiliser and irrigation, drove the Green Revolution.
Where it helped
- It helped countries like India and Mexico avoid mass famine.
- More food from the same land seemed to defeat Malthus.
- It fed a fast-growing world population.
The Green Revolution raised yields, with environmental and social costs (illustrative)
The Green Revolution helped countries like India avoid mass famine.
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Higher yields fed fast-growing populations and prevented famine.
The costs
- HYVs need expensive fertiliser, pesticide, and water — costly for poor farmers.
- Chemicals can pollute soil and water; irrigation can deplete rivers.
- It favoured large farms and reduced crop biodiversity 生物多样性.
Benefit or cost of the Green Revolution?
Sort each outcome as a benefit or a cost of the Green Revolution.
Chemical and irrigation-heavy farming can reduce crop ____, leaving fewer varieties.
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The Green Revolution favoured a few high-yield crops, cutting biodiversity.
Select all costs of the Green Revolution.
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Pollution, water depletion, and debt are costs; preventing famine is a benefit.
Match each outcome to its side.
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Famine prevention = benefit; pollution = cost; HYVs = the tool.
The Green Revolution is a double-edged story. It saved millions from famine and brought environmental and social costs — chemical pollution, water depletion, debt for small farmers, and lost biodiversity. On the exam, give both the benefits and the costs.
In 1960s India, new high-yield wheat and rice, plus fertiliser and irrigation, doubled harvests and prevented famine. But decades later, some regions face depleted groundwater, chemical-damaged soil, and indebted small farmers — the Green Revolution's costs.
The Green Revolution raised yields with high-yield varieties, fertiliser, pesticide, and irrigation, preventing famine and feeding a growing population. But it brought costs: chemical pollution, water depletion, debt for small farmers, and lost biodiversity.
Write from a yield that doubled
- A district harvested 2 tonnes of grain per hectare.
- After new seeds, irrigation, and fertilizer, it harvested 4 tonnes on the same land.
What happened to the yield?
4 is twice 2, on the same land.
How did the yield change?
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New seeds and inputs raised output per hectare.