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1965 - early 1980sPrimary source · 2 sourcesWell documented

The Green Revolution Makes India Feed Itself

High-yield wheat and rice after 1965 turn a food-importing country into a grain-self-sufficient one

On the timeline · around 1965 - early 1980s · Independent IndiaColonial IndiaIndependent IndiaThe Green Revolution Makes India Feed Itself1950195519601965197019751980

Quick facts

Began
After 1965
Core inputs
High-yielding seeds, fertilizer, irrigation
Best results
Wheat, in northern and northwestern India
Outcome
Self-sufficiency in food grains

What happened

In the mid-1960s India was importing grain and food aid to feed itself, and drought threatened famine. The response was a package of agricultural technology. The Library of Congress country study records that the introduction of high-yielding varieties of seeds after 1965 and the increased use of fertilizers and irrigation are known collectively as the Green Revolution, which provided the increase in production needed to make India self-sufficient in food grains. Of the new seeds, wheat produced the best results, and the gains concentrated in northern and northwestern India between 1965 and the early 1980s. The Food and Agriculture Organization judges that the green revolution clearly averted a major food crisis in Asia and became a foundation for later economic growth in South Asia.

Why it matters

The Green Revolution ended India's dependence on imported grain and the recurring threat of famine that had shadowed the subcontinent for centuries, including the mass famines of the colonial era. It came with costs, including uneven regional benefits and heavy reliance on water and fertilizer, but it let a fast-growing population feed itself.

How we know

The Green Revolution's technology, timing, and effect on food-grain self-sufficiency are documented in the Library of Congress India country study, and its regional impact is assessed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

Sources

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