Tehreem Shahid Shaikh

1511231
BBA (8-B)
Assignment: Pakistan Economy
(Green Revolution its factors
and Impact on Agriculture
Growth)
Green revolution:
Definition: Green revolution is the significant increase in the agricultural productivity. The
main ingredients (inputs) of the Green Revolution were HYVs, fertilizer, pesticides and
irrigation. Moreover, agriculture mechanization had also contributed significantly in agricultural
growth.
Agriculture Mechanization refers to use of machines for conducting agricultural operations,
replacing traditional methods which involve human and animal labour. It is policy of green
revolution. It is applied for sowing, harvesting, thrashing, leveling, watering, spraying, and
weeding.

History:
The Green Revolution marks the period between 1960 and 1980 when a remarkable increase in
the production of wheat and rice was achieved. This was made possible by the efforts of the
Rockefeller and Ford foundations and the diligent leadership of Dr. Norman E. Borlaug. The
establishment of CIMMYT (International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center) and IRRI
contributed tremendously towards development of modern varieties of wheat and rice and
were the main reasons behind the success of the Green Revolution. The most significant impact
of the Green Revolution was observed in India, Pakistan and the Philippines during 1960-1970
and China after 1980 the success of the Green Revolution in these developing countries is
ascribed mainly to the adoption of High Yielding Varieties (HYVs) of wheat and rice along with
increased use of fertilizers, pesticides and irrigation.
The credit for success of the Green Revolution goes to Dr. Norman E. Borlaug who is honored as
the “Father of the Green Revolution”. Dr. Borlaug spent almost his entire life working to
alleviate food scarcity from the world.
The main part of the success story of the Green revolution was the new semi dwarf varieties of
wheat and rice. The IRRI team developed a semi dwarf variety IR8 in 1962, IR8 had stiff straw,
was resistant to lodging and its insensitivity to photoperiod made it a very well adaptable
variety. This variety became so popular that it began to be called the “miracle rice”,
Agriculture is the leading sector in most of the developing countries of the world, therefore;
agriculture development invariably forms a major part of the overall economic development of
these countries.
Agriculture remains the most dominant economic activity in Pakistan in many ways. It is the
single largest source of employment accounting about 42% of the labor force, most
importantly; 67.5% of country’s population living in rural areas are directly or indirectly
dependent on agriculture for their livelihood. It accounts for 23% of the GDP.
In Pakistan, the Green Revolution started during early 1960s, although some of the modern
inputs were introduced in the late 1960s. The main ingredients (inputs) of the Green Revolution
were HYVs, fertilizer, pesticides and irrigation. Moreover, agriculture mechanization had also
contributed significantly in agricultural growth.
Agriculture sector is dominated by crop production in Pakistan. Thus, major crops are the trend
setters for the overall performance of agriculture. There are four major crops, namely, wheat,
rice, cotton and sugarcane .The fifth most important crop is maize but its production is low as
compared to other crops.
During in 1960s at the time of introduction of green revolution in Pakistan, there were massive
investment in the irrigation sector and for the development of the market.
The Green revolution was first introduced in its Punjab province and with regard to wheat
production, Punjab experienced the increase of yield in wheat by 2.3% during the period from
1972 to 1987 due to the introduction of new wheat varieties. Large farm holders gained more
benefits of green revolution as compared to the small farm holders mainly because of the fact
that the small land owners face the problems of credit constraints and small land holdings.
The other sectors of the economy further saw the benefit of the green revolution with
increased usage of modern equipment of tractors. Inequalities increased due to the advent of
the green revolution in Pakistan and the root of these inequalities is in the innovations of the
green revolution as the capital intensive products made it difficult for the small farmers to
attain full benefits of the green revolution as compared to the larger farmers.
Pakistan saw increase in agriculture production due to green revolution when the wheat output
was increased from 4.5 million to 8.4 million which becomes 83%. This increase in wheat output
led towards increase in agriculture income which was earlier estimated at rupees 7.7 billion in
1959-1960 to 15.5 billion in 1969-70. Further to this, wheat production saw a double
production from 3.7 millions tones to 6.8 millions tons and on the same lines rice production
was also increased from 0.9 millions tons to 2.1 millions tons.
Economic growth in Pakistan saw upward plunge when government provides subsidies and
credit in order to encourage people to adopt and develop new technologies for agriculture
growth. During this time of green revolution, the demand of labor was increased by 20-40% due
to introduction of modern techniques in agriculture sector and its subsequent increased
production.
Furthermore, the impact of this progress was also seen on other aspects of the economy when
it was estimated that 8000 jobs were created in the industrial towns of Pakistan in tube well
manufacturing factories. Moreover, over 106,000 jobs were also added in the employment
market of Pakistan in the manufacturing sector of Pakistan due to manufacturing of agriculture
related equipment and products.
The economy of Pakistan received a boost from the Green Revolution that was quite
impressive. In face the per capita income increased by 27 percent during the period of 1963-
1972 . This increase in income was seen mostly in the rural areas where farmers and farm
hands produced the new crops. The positive effects on the economy were of course a natural
outcome of the increase in the production of cash crops, which in the case of Pakistan was
wheat. As Pakistan’s crop yields soared in the 60’s and 70’s Pakistan sold its surplus goods
allowing the economy to grow as well.

Factors of Green Revolution:

There are several factors which are responsible for breakthrough in agricultural production.
These factors mutually support each other in ushering the green revolution.
1. Irrigation: Better irrigation facilities are responsible for green revolution. In 1965-66, 22 lakh
hectares area had irrigation facility: while 76 lakh hectares area got this facility in year 2002-03.
Tube well irrigation has rapidly increased. . New technology requires more water. Mangla &
Tarbela Dams were contracted to store water for winter crop. Besides, tube well facilities were
extended to growers to bring more land under cultivation.
2. Modern machinery: The farmers are gradually replacing the bullocks cultivation by the
modern machinery like tractors, thrashers harvesters, tube wells etc. The time saving use of
modern machinery in agricultural sector has made it possible to sow, grow and harvest crops in
the shortest possible period of time.
3. Fertilizers: The high yielding varieties seed require chemical fertilizer for enhancing yield of
farmers. Since the introduction of HYV, the consumption of fertilizer has been increasing. Its
consumption was 112 (000) N.Tons in 1966/67 what increased to 4616 (000) N.Tons
4. High Yield Variety Seeds: Seed plays a dominant role in enhancing yield per hectare. The
primary factor which brought agricultural revolution is the introduction of high yielding variety,
(HYV) seeds. The use of new variety of seeds has very much increased the agricultural yields per
hectare. For example, in Pakistan, the yield of wheat was 1189 Kg per hectare in 1971- 72 and
has increased to 2769 kg per hectare in 2006-07
5. Pesticides: Crop losses due to pests and plant disease were estimated 20 to 30 percent of
total output in normal years there was no arrangement to protect the plants against disease in
previous times. So crops were damaged on large scale. Now there are proper arrangements to
protect the plants against diseases and pests. Pesticides are sprayed to protect the plants. Plant
clinics are opened to provide expert advice to farmers against diseases.
6. Agricultural research: The agricultural research on higher yielding plant varieties, better
methods of controlling insects and deceases have resulted in higher production output.
7. Credit facilities. Availability of institutional agricultural credit on time to the farming
community enables it to carry out the agricultural operations efficiently.
Impact of Green Revolution:
(1) Increase in production. The use of higher yielding variety seeds, chemical fertilizer, pest and
insecticides, improved irrigation, facilities etc has remarkably increased the production of
wheat, rice, sugarcane, cotton, maize etc in all the countries of the world including Pakistan.
(2) Impact on employment. Agriculture still is the largest source of employment (48% of the
total labour force) in rural areas. The rural labour force is mainly self-employed and unpaid
family helpers still dominate the employment scene. During the sowing harvesting seasons, the
labour force is nearly absorbed. Sometimes there is also shortage of labour in peak periods of
agricultural operations. The use of intensive farming methods associated with new technology
has increased the overall employment.
(3) Reducing regional imbalances: The agricultural scientists are developing new technology
which should suit the different regions of the country. New improved variety of seeds has been
developed which suits the barani farming areas also. The introduction of modern technology in
agriculture has greatly helped in reducing interregional and intraregional disparities.
(4) Unbalanced cropping pattern: The green revolution in its coverage of crops is partial and
lopsided. In Pakistan the production of wheat, rice, cotton has remarkably increased due to the
adoption of new technology. However, the production of pulses, grams, maize, barley etc has
recorded only a marginal increase in output.
(5) Social imbalances: In its first phase the green revolution has favored the large land owners.
The rich farmers were and are able to use the package of new technology. They therefore
earned handsome profits from the increased output. In the second phase now, the peasant
proprietors and the tenants are also using new technology. The difference in income of the
large landowners and the small land owners is, however, significant and socio economic gap is
widening as the time passes.
(6) Increase in investment: The farmers benefiting from the new technology are investing more
and more of their increased income for the improvement of land. Purchase of machinery,
pesticides and other inputs. We can say that the farmers are plugging back a major portion of
their income on farm improvements.
(7) Economic stability: The new farm technology has helped in increasing export of agricultural
goods, absorption of rural labour in the manufacturing sector. The rise in net income from the
sector has given stimulus to industrial growth and has helped in promoting economic stability in
the country.
Criticism:
Though the Green Revolution was successful in increasing the food production tremendously, it
has faced criticism for starting an era of chemical farming. Some argue that the high input
agriculture methodology triggered problems such as soil degradation, soil salinity, chemical
pollution and differential socioeconomic impacts leading to instability .Another argument
against the Green Revolution is that it has itself led to poverty. Critics argue that only the big
farmers could access the costly technology introduced in the developing countries while the
smaller farmers suffered and their economic condition further deteriorated and this widened
the economic gap . The supporters of the Green Revolution argue against these criticisms by
stating that the Green Revolution actually reduced the poverty and helped the poor more than
the rich because it was also associated with reduction in food prices as the production
increased. In spite of all the criticisms, Green Revolution is still a huge step undertaken by
mankind in the direction of getting rid of hunger and food scarcity.