Key Elements of Green Revolution

Many factors can be enumerated for green revolution. Some of them are discussed below:

Increased area under farmland

Although the area under cultivation was increasing ever since 1947; the green revolution accelerated it.

HYV seeds

High Yielding Variety Programme (HYVP) was launched in 1966 especially on five crops viz. wheat, rice, pearl millet, maize and sorghum.  For Wheat Sona, PB-18 and Kalyan varieties were used; for Maize Ganga 101 and Ranjit varieties were used while for Jowar CSH2 was used mainly. Use of HYV seeds was the most scientific aspect for the Green Revolution. The role of Indian Agricultural Research Institute and agricultural universities should not be undermined in development of these seeds. We note here that the ICAR was originally established by the British in 1929 but had not done any significant research by 1960s. It was reorganized in 1965 and further in 1970s. Several new strains developed by it during 1960s and 1970s were drivers of green revolution.

Use of Chemical Fertilizers

The green revolution truly began when in 1967; Indira Gandhi government had imported 18000 tonnes of HYV seeds from Mexico. These seeds needed chemical fertilizers to maximize yield. The per hectare use of chemical fertilizers skyrocketed in those years; and this was the reason that some call green revolution as a chemical revolution in effect. That also posed a challenge for the government to make the chemical fertilizers affordable for the cultivators and government had to resort to fertilizers subsidy.

Expansion of Irrigation

In 1951, the well irrigated area accounted for only 17-18% of the total cultivated area; and majority of the farmers were dependent upon the rains. The government undertook many minor, major and multipurpose irrigation projects so that maximum area can be brought under irrigation. Dams were built to arrest large volumes of natural monsoon water which were earlier being wasted, simple irrigation techniques were also adopted.

Double Cropping

It was because of availability of the inputs and irrigation that the farmers could think of having two crops in a year. Thus, Double Cropping was the primary feature as well as outcome of the Green Revolution. Before that, one crop per year was a practice because there was only one monsoon rain per year. Double cropping was possible because of one natural monsoon and other artificial monsoon that came in the form of huge irrigation facilities.