Read the following text carefully and answer the given questions on the basis of the same and common understanding:
The Green Revolution in India began in the mid-1960s marking a transition from traditional agriculture in India to high-yielding varieties of seeds and the associated modern agricultural techniques. The need for introduction of Green Revolution in India arose due to a shortage of food-grains in the post-independent period. The government in the post-independent India wanted to ensure self-dependence in terms of food-grain production. Such efforts coincided with the development of high-yielding varieties of seeds of wheat developed by Dr. Norman Borlung and his associates in Mexico. These seeds also necessitated changes in farming techniques such as the addition of fertilizers, pesticides and better irrigation facilities. High yielding varieties of seeds were first introduced in India in the states of Punjab, Haryana and parts of western Uttar Pradesh.
In the early period of the green revolution in India, the focus was to acclimatise the new system with the more resource-intensive agricultural methods. The argument for introducing the new crop varieties was to increase agricultural production in terms of higher crop yields. The seeds introduced during the early period of the green revolution in Punjab were not highyielding by themselves. These high yields were possible due to the seeds being highly responsive to certain inputs such as irrigation water and fertilizers. The green revolution in India, thus, necessitated a resource-intensive process whereby, those who could make significant capital investments could benefit, whereas, those others became more marginalized in regions affected by practices of the green revolution in India. On one hand, the results derived from the green revolution helped farmers to increase their yield and income and on the other hand, it helped the government to procure and preserve more food grains through agencies like Food Corporation of India. These food grain reserves were helpful in creation of buffer stocks in India, which helped in the situations of adversities.
a. Why was Green revolution implemented and how did it benefit the farmers?
b. Justify the following statement with valid explanation:
‘Green revolution enabled the government to procure sufficient food grains to build its stocks that could be used during time of shortage’.
Answer:
a. Green revolution was implemented in India to overcome the shortage of food-grain availability in the post-independence period. Green revolution has increased the production and productivity in the agriculture sector which was otherwise very low. It helped in improving the income of the farmers by creating marketable surplus, increased employment and output.
b. The given statement is appropriate as the Green Revolution helped government to procure and preserve more food grains through agencies like Food Corporation of India. Increase in food grain production has been so substantial that India not only started maintaining buffer stocks of food grains but also became a dominant player in food grain exports market.
