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Dr. M.S Swaminathan , father of green revolution in India, Passed away.
India’s Green Revolution
In mid 1960s India faced severe drought conditions.
This leads to “Ship in month” situation in India.
Ship to Month means, Importing goods from other countries via sea route.
India was heavily dependent on food grains import from USA.
M.S Swaminathan closely works with agricultural ministers from 1964 to 1977.
Green Revolution paved a quantum jump productivity and production on wheat and rice using chemical and biological technologies.
The Green Revolution was an endeavour initiated by Norman Borlaug in the 1960s. He is known as the 'Father of Green Revolution' in world.
The Green Revolution resulted in a great increase in production of food grains due to the introduction into developing countries of new, high-yielding variety seeds, beginning in the mid-20th century.
Objectives of Green Revolution
The revolution was launched to address India’s hunger crisis during the second Five Year Plan.
The long term objectives included overall agriculture modernization based on rural development, industrial development; infrastructure, raw material etc
Increased employment opportunities to both agricultural and industrial workers.
Scientific studies in producing stronger plants which could withstand extreme climates and diseases.
By spreading technology to non-industrialized nations and setting up many corporations in major agricultural areas.
Basic Elements of the Green Revolution
Framing land was not enough to meet the rising demand. The Green Revolution provided assistance in this quantitative expansion of farmlands.
Double cropping was a primary feature of the Green Revolution. The decision was made to have two crop seasons per year instead of just one.
The fact that , there is only one rainy season, water for the second phase come from huge irrigation projects and dams.
Using seeds with superior genetics was the scientific aspect of the Green Revolution.
Basic Elements of the Green Revolution
The Indian Council for Agricultural Research(ICAR) developed new strains of high yield variety seeds, mainly wheat and rice, millet and corn.
M.S Swaminathan
Born in Kumbakonam on August 7, 1925
2 undergraduate degrees, including one from the Agricultural College, Coimbatore.
Postgraduate degree in cytogenetics in 1949 from IARI, New Delhi.
Doctor of Philosophy degree from the Cambridge.
Padma Shri in 1967.
Ramon Magsaysay award for community leadership in 1971.
Padma Bhushan in January 1972.
In 1987, he became the first to get the World Food Prize and the first foreigner to receive the Golden Heart Presidential Award of Philippines.
Padma Vibushan in 1989.
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