One of the most significant and laudable achievements of post independent India is in the field of agriculture where a revolution was brought in. When India announced in 1984 that it would provide to the drought hit countries of Sub-Saharan Africa 1 lac tonne of wheat as it’s contribution to the alleviation of human suffering, the gesture evoked universal praise and admiration. This pronouncement was particularly significante since not long ago India itself was struggling with food shortages and was depicted as a country which can survive only with a begging bowl. All this transformation was possible because of forward looking policies of the government, its enterprising and hard working farmers, committed scientists, extension and developmental workers, inputs, agencies and by the country’s sheer determination to transform itself from food deficit and importing country to a self sufficient nation.
Causes of Green Revolution
The most important causes of green revolution are as follows: —
- 1. Manure. The use of chemical fertilizers has been constantly increasing in India during five-year plans. In 1965-66 0.5 million tonnes of fertilisers were used. This utilisation increased to 10.3 in 1967-68, 17.5 in 1968-69 and 20.8 in 1969-70. In 1980-81 as much 55.16 million tonnes of fertilisers were used. The utilisation of compost manure has also constantly increased. In 1980-81 more than 300 million tonnes of compost manure was used in Indian village.
- 2. Utilisation of improved seeds. The improvement of seeds in India started in 1966, particularly in the case of wheat, rice, millet, maize, etc. the utilisation of improves seeds resulted in spectacular increase of agricultural production per hectare. In Mysore the production of rice per hectare was formerly 5500 kg. Which now increase to 13000 Kg. by the use of improved seeds. The production of wheat increased 8.5 quintal to 12 quintals by the use of improved seeds. Similarly, millet and maize improved to 12.7 and 6.2 quintals per hectare respectively. The area under the improved seeds cultivation has constantly increased during several decades. While it was 1.9 million hectares in 1966-67, it has now increased to 34.5 million hectares. In 1979-80 7.41 million quintals of improved seeds were grown.
- 3. Facilities of irrigation. The facilities of irrigation in 1965-66 were available to 32-million-hectare land. In 1967-68 this improved to 36 million while in 1980-81 the total irrigated land was 58.8 million hectares.
- 4. Utilisation of modern agricultural implements. This has led to much facilitation and tremendous growth in the field of agricultural every where.
- 5. More crops per year. Due to the facility of irrigation several crops per year are now being grown.
- 6. Credit facilities. During 1967-68 and 1968-69 cooperative credit societies advanced loans amounting to 400 and 695 crores of rupees. In the same year the commercial banks advanced credit worth 100 crores of rupees. In 1970-71 this amount was further increased t o334 crores of rupees. In 1980-81 the amount was Rs. 199.02 crores.
- 7. Facilities of distribution. At present there are as many as 3166 big and small markets for agricultural production. In March 1961 the number of regularised markets was 46.5.
- 8. Improved techniques. The Centre and the State Government are providing training in improved techniques of agriculture. For example, intensive agricultural training on district level was started in 1961.
- 9. Protection of plants. The government is providing fertilisers to project from pests. In 1980-81 45000 tonnes of insecticides were used in India.
- 10. Agricultural Research. Rs. 85 crore were provided for used and education in Agriculture in the Fourth Five Year Plan. This was improved to 243.03 crore rupees introduction he Fifth Five Year Plan. Research is being conducted at so many centers in India concerning new techniques, soil conservation, protection of plants etc.
- 11. Soil conservation. Upto 1980-81, 2.44 crore hectare land was treated for soil conservation, involving a total expenditure of rupees 754 crore. Rs. 733.6 crore have been provided for this purpose in 6th Five Year Plan.
The Green Revolution has brought changes in the agrarian relations.
- It has been successful in realizing production in large land holdings but has increased the economic disparity among the rich farmers, the small and marginal farmers and agricultural labourers.
- One of the effects of the Green Revolution has been the swelling of the bulk of agrarian proletariat in some parts of the country. The landless have been getting organized; the organization of the landed is also emerging as a counter to this.
- It has also resulted in large-scale migration of labour to the enclaves of prosperity. Large migrations of agricultural labour from Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh to Punjab and Haryana is a case in point.
- The emergence of new dominant castes is, to a great extent, linked with the advent of Green Revolution. This is more obvious in the case of number of backward castes placed in the middle or lower rungs of the local caste hierarchy. Several studies by sociologists and social anthropologists have shown that it is the socially backward castes (OBCs) and not the traditionally landless scheduled castes that have really benefited from land reforms. Since these backward peasants castes were excellent cultivators, when more land was added to their kitty they became very enterprising. Moreover, they were already numerically strong in their respective regions. The only criterion left to be achieved by them to become dominant castes was higher status in the local social hierarchy which they achieved by going for sanskritization. The Jats of Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh; the Ahirs, Kurmis and Gujjars of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and parts of Madhya Pradesh; the Marathas of Maharashtra; the Patels and Pattidar of Gujarat; the Reddys and Kammas of Andhra Pradesh; the Vokkaligas and Lingayats of of Karnataka and several other peasant castes from other parts of India may be cited as examples of this phenomenon.
- These upward climbing castes took full advantage of Green Revolution and through a plethora of cash crops and commercial agriculture, accumulated wealth and property not only in villages but also in the adjoining urban centres. Thus, Green Revolution played an important role in the altered social structures of different regions of the country.
- Another interesting and significant fallout of Green Revolution is the shift of authority from the older generation to ‘the younger generation. Since the Green Revolution involved a new technology, economic transactions, institutional finance for credit, a little knowledge of English language and new varieties of seeds and plants, the well-entrenched older generation found itself ill equipped to handle this situation. Thus the younger generation got a better and stronger role in the decision making process.
- The Green Revolution, by pushing the commercial crops to the forefront, invited and facilitated the entry of new market forces. It greatly affected the jajmani relations between the traditional jajmans (patrons) and client or service castes. Those owning land were no more interested in sharing the agriculture produce with the service castes in lieu of services provided by them. They preferred to pay in cash rather in kind. Thus the tradition based exchange between goods and services started giving way to the formal economic transaction through wages. The inter-caste relations in village India could never be the same again.
Extra knowledge
Social Consequence of Green Revolution
Advantages:
— First time India started exporting grains (rice and wheat), surplus.
— It was a great achievement for government but also for Indian scientists who created seeds.
— Employment opportunities increased, demand for agricultural labour went up.
Disadvantage:
Increased inequality in rural areas
— Only rich landlords who could afford the HYV seeds could make profits.
— Lower class (agri- subsistence) did not have resources to produce surplus to sell in market for profit.
— Land taken away from tenants by landowners as they wanted to make extra profit rather than paying them. This was the displacements of tenants.
Displacement of service class
• All work which used to be done by manual labour was replaced by machines (harvestees etc.)
Rich became richer and poor became poorer
• Payment was shifted from kind to cash.
• Instead of increase in wages, they decreased as there was so much demand for agricultural labour.
Green Revolution in Arid Areas
• The crops shifted to multi crop from new crop. So that the profit was more (irrigation, HYV seeds).
• If the crop failed the farmer had nothing to fall back on in case of crop failure.
• Everything grown for commercial purposes.
• Increased insecurity of the farmer.
• It is divided into Andhra and Telengana. Andhra has two rivers – Krishna and Godavari Land is fertile. Landlords in Andhra Pradesh are prosperous.
• Hyderabad, the capital of Andhra Pradesh is in the center of Telengana and all development is done there only. Farmers of Andhra have sold their products in Hyderabad.
• Different regions have regional inequalities like UP and Haryana.
Diversification
• There is a new class of people that has caused up entire pressure. .
• Group of landowners who invest agricultural money into small factories, invest in machines.
• They started: sending their children to school in urban areas, providing education.
Transformation of Rural Society
• Because of GR and land reforms.
1. Agricultural labour increased as agriculture is labour intensive. It was extensive lot of work involved on the price of land.
2. Payment changed from kind to cash because government wanted uniformity or one scale of wage (minimum wage).
• It was easier to keep track as the payment in kind different from person to person.
• They moved from the hereditary relationship
• Loosing of traditional bonds farmers could move from their village to any other village and pick up work not bonded.
• The govt also contributed by developing infrastructure, electricity/water, cooperate ‘” society, irrigation facilities, bankmen, setting up of schools and hospitals etc.