Father of Green Revolution in India - Agricultural Transformation

Are you wondering who is the Father of the Green Revolution in India? It’s none other than Dr. M.S. Swaminathan, a name inseparable from India’s agricultural history. M.S. Swaminathan helped reform Indian farming and started an era of prosperity.

The renowned title “Father of Green Revolution” in India was given to Dr. Swaminathan because of his efforts. The Green Revolution increased food production in India and fulfilled the needs of the growing population in India.

Amidst history’s pages, the Green Revolution in India was a turning point for the country. It was driven by the dire need to address the mounting food shortage; this movement took place under Dr. Swaminathan’s advice. Before the Green Revolution, India faced considerable agricultural challenges, with productivity lagging behind the increasing population’s demands.

The Green Revolution taught us that relying only on rain for farming wasn’t enough. The father of the green revolution of India Dr. Swaminathan recognized the need for more efficient food production to feed the growing population.

India needed a Green Revolution as it had to feed its fast-growing population. Dr. M.S. Swaminathan made this happen. He solved the problem of not having enough food and made sure India’s farming would be better for the future.

Discover how he changed Indian farming and rightly became known as the “Father of Green Revolution.

What is the Green Revolution?

The Green Revolution definition is making a lot more crops in developing countries by using special plant foods, bug killers, and better types of crops. This happened by using artificial fertilizers, pest killers, and plants that produce a lot of crops.

Here’s how it worked:

1. More Farming – Farmers used more land to grow crops, making better use of space.
2. Twice the Crops – Two crops were planted each year, not just one, to get more.
3. Super Seeds- Seeds that could grow more crops were chosen for framing.
4. Stronger Chemicals – Stronger chemicals were used to help plants grow quickly.
5. Better Watering – Farmers improved methods of giving water to their crops.
6. Smarter Tools – Better tools and ways to protect the crops were used by the farmers. This improved their productivity.

These changes led to big benefits. Crop growth tripled, even though farmers didn’t need much more land. This wasn’t just in one place – it happened almost everywhere. It also helped make food cheaper, helping poor people. The good methods they used also saved land from being turned into farms.

In India, Dr. M.S. Swaminathan the father of the green revolution of India turned things around. Before, they had to buy lots of food from other countries. However, now, they make enough on their own. This stopped hunger from getting worse and improved the lives of poor farmers. It was like a big win for farming and food. The Green Revolution helped many places grow more food, making life better for many people.

Dr. M.S. Swaminathan and His Contribution

MS Swaminathan, born on August 7, 1925, in India,  is an important person in farming. MS Swaminathan’s reputation stems from his roles as an agronomist, scientist, and more. He gained worldwide fame for leading the Green Revolution in India and earned the title of the father of the Green Revolution in India. He was the first to bring in and improve special kinds of wheat and rice that increased production.

Dr. M.S. Swaminathan was the President of the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) from 1984 – 90. He also was the President of the World Wide Fund for Nature–India from 1988 – 96.

In 2001, Dr. M.S. Swaminathan was Chairman of the Regional Steering Committee for the India – Bangladesh joint Project on Biodiversity Management in the Sundarbans World Heritage Site. Dr. M.S. Swaminathan has held many posts in many international organizations. He recommended the Indian government on agriculture-related issues at various times.

He also prompted the concept of trusteeship management of Biosphere reserves.

Working with Norman Borlaug, Dr. Swaminathan organized a big effort that brought together farmers, scientists, and government policies. This teamwork was important in stopping possible famine situations that threatened India and Pakistan in the 1960s.

His leadership as the Director General of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in the Philippines earned him the prestigious World Food Prize in 1987. He’s also been dubbed ‘the Father of Economic Ecology’ by the United Nations Environment Programme.

Dr. Swaminathan didn’t stop with just one thing. Dr. Swaminathan made special wheat that gave a lot more food. He also talked about sustainable farming.  He referred to it as “evergreen revolution.” Many awards were given to M.S. Swaminathan. Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award, the Ramon Magsaysay Award, and the Albert Einstein World Science Award, to name a few.

M.S Swaminathan Career

ICAR: He served as principal secretary of the Indian Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation from 1979 to 1980 and as director-general of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research from 1972 to 1979.

Planning Commission: He oversaw the agriculture and rural development division of the Planning Commission of India from 1980 to 1982.

IRRI: Swaminathan was elected President of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources from 1984 to 1990. He was also appointed Director-General of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in the Philippines in 1982.

The MS Swaminathan Research Foundation was founded in 1988 to advance the application of contemporary science and technology to rural and agricultural development to enhance community well-being.

The MS Swaminathan Research Foundation uses appropriate science and technology options to address real-world issues in agriculture, food, and nutrition that rural populations face. The organization adopts a pro-poor, pro-women, and pro-nature stance.

Green Revolution’s Launch and Impact

It was a big change that happened in India during the 1960s. The Green Revolution in India improved farming by using new tools like high-yielding variants of seeds already in use in India, the latest machines, and eco-friendly pesticides. Dr. Swaminathan, a noteworthy scientist, helped the farmers lead this change in India. He worked with other scientists like Norman Borlaug. All of them wanted to improve farming in many countries.

In India, the change started around 1968. Freedom fighters and leaders of India, such as Lal Bahadur Shastri and Indira Gandhi, were in charge. This made more food in places like Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh. The farmers, alongside ‘The Father of Green Revolution in India’, Dr. Swaminathan, made better types of wheat and strong wheat that could fight diseases.

However, not everyone thinks the Green Revolution was perfect. Some say it caused problems like droughts, debt, and farmer suicides. The chemicals used to damage the soil and the environment, but using gas and oil helped tackle this. They made fertilizers and chemicals that helped crops grow more. About half of the world’s food is grown using these things.

The Green Revolution was a big success. Without it, many believe there would have been more hunger. In India, wheat production increased drastically, and people in many places got adequate food to consume. All around the world, grain production increased due to this change. In short, the Green Revolution helped save lives from hunger. It’s known for feeding many people and ensuring they have enough to eat.

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Effects & Advantages of the Green Revolution

There were several advantages of the Green Revolution. The Green Revolution brought a big change in farming, providing us with more food. We were and still can produce more food using special seeds, chemicals, and machines on farms.

Everyone in the country worked hard to bring this change, especially ‘The father of the Green Revolution in India’, Dr. Swaminathan. The farmers during the Green Revolution in India learned about new types of crops and improved their tools on farms.

One big change was using seeds that could make lots of food. Chemicals helped the farmers during the Green Revolution in India grow their crops better. All of these changes and the efforts of the farmers and Dr. Swaminathan made a big difference. Crops like wheat and rice gave three times more food without needing much more land. This change wasn’t only in India. It spread to many places, and almost everyone got more food. This helped make food cheaper and reduced poverty.

However, the Green Revolution had its own set of problems, too. Farmers stopped growing the native crops, and the soil quality deteriorated. Chemicals also went into the food and the environment. To make farms better, the Green Revolution used chemicals like fertilizers and pesticides. Farmers used machines like harvesters and tractors for farming. The infamous Green Revolution in India was a big step for the nation and helped uplift poor farmers.

Farmer Welfare and Food Security

National Commission on Farmers: In his capacity as the panel’s chairman, MS Swaminathan published five reports outlining his recommendations for minimum crop support prices, more rapid and equitable economic growth, and a thorough national strategy to prevent farmer suicides.

• He greatly influenced the drafting of the 2001 Farmers’ Rights and Plant Varieties Protection Act.

Food security: MS Swaminathan’s efforts went beyond raising crop yields to include the more general objective of ensuring India’s food security.

• To end hunger, MS Swaminathan argued in favor of a strong public distribution system that would guarantee food grains reach low-income consumers.
• India became food self-sufficient in 1971, having been declared drought-stricken and dependent on US imports in the 1960s, all thanks to MS Swaminathan’s efforts.
• He received the 1987 World Food Prize in recognition of his outstanding contributions to food security and agricultural science. He founded the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) with the money he received from this prize.

Green Revolution: India’s Self-Sufficiency

The Green Revolution turned India into a self-sufficient country. India has transformed its approach to farming. Farmers in India have started using eco-friendly pesticides, bug killers, and plant protectors. This has made a lot more wheat and rice. Because of the Green Revolution, India now has enough food.

Since 1970, the country has been making more and more food, about 3% each year. This is much more than the number of new people, which is only 1.86%. Although the Green Revolution did a big job of ensuring India had enough food. However, India still needed to bring 55-60% of its edible oil elsewhere. The Green Revolution showed new ways to grow crops; India made more wheat and rice. It means that there is enough food for the growing population of India. Even though the food availability is increasing, India still needs to buy a lot of its cooking oil from outside.

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