Exploring the effects of the green revolution on agriculture

The term ‘Green Revolution’ was popularized by William Gaud, the former director of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) in 1968, to describe the remarkable surge in agricultural production enabled by new technologies such as high-yielding crop varieties, synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, and modern irrigation systems.

At its core, the Green Revolution sought to address a pressing global dilemma: how to feed a rapidly growing population without triggering widespread famine or social instability. While its proponents celebrated the revolution as a triumph of human ingenuity and science, critics have argued that its benefits were unevenly distributed and that it introduced new economic, social, and environmental challenges. This article explores the multifaceted effects of the Green Revolution on agriculture, focusing on its historical development, technological advancements, socioeconomic outcomes, environmental impacts, and the ongoing debates regarding its legacy and future relevance in the context of sustainable agriculture.