And Biotechnology THOMAS MALTHUS 19 th century economist
Believed that because population grows geometrically and food production arithmetically famine was inevitable.
Slowing the growth of population was the only possibility to prevent starvation
History (so far) has proven Malthus wrong . . . INCREASE IN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION PER CAPITA There are two important terms to bear in mind here: Food entitlement deficit (FED) suggests that food shortages were caused by a lack of wages/income (rising costs of food relative to average incomes)
Food availability deficit (FAD) suggests that food shortages were caused by local difficulties in supply, perhaps the result of drought or floods
What is the Green Revolution The term Green Revolution refers to the renovation of agricultural practices beginning in Mexico in the 1940s. Because of its success in producing more agricultural products there, Green Revolution technologies spread worldwide in the 1950s and 1960s, significantly increasing the amount of calories produced per acre of agriculture.
The crops developed during the Green Revolution were high yield varieties - meaning they were domesticated plants bred specifically to respond to fertilizers and produce an increased amount of grain per acre planted.
GREEN REVOLUTION Adoption of new, improved varieties of grains Application of better agricultural techniques Irrigation Mechanization Use of fertilizer Use of pesticides Since 1950s Greatest effect felt in LDCs Agricultural output outpaced population growth even without adding additional cropland A complex of improvements which greatly increased agricultural production WHEAT Mexico Egypt Turkey RICE Thailand Vietnam Korea Indonesia Principal Beneficiaries of the Green Revolution BOTH India China Pakistan Golden Rice THE GREAT YELLOW HOPE In 1982, the Rockefeller Foundation funded research into rice varieties to promote global health Nutritionally enhanced rice Used a daffodil gene Rice now produces beta-carotene The body converts beta-carotene to vitamin A Blindness in LDCs is caused by vitamin A deficiencies Time Magazine declares: This rice could save a million kids a year. Greenpeace acknowledged: Golden rice is a moral challenge to our position.
Golden Rice THE GREAT YELLOW HYPE An 11 year-old child would need to eat 15 pounds of golden rice a day to satisfy the minimum daily requirement of vitamin A Conversion of beta-carotene to vitamin A requires fat and protein in the diet (these are lacking in LDCs) Asians may not want to eat golden rice they prefer white rice over the more nutrient rich brown rice which has always existed Education to push golden rice costs money why not just hand out vitamin A? Golden rice cost more than $100 million to develop it is just a PR stunt for genetically altered foods Green Revolution benefits
Core exports high-yield miracle seeds
Needed oil-based fertilizers, pesticides
Asian rice crop up 66% in 1965-85
Favored areas with good soil, weather
Green Revolution Green Revolution drawbacks
Favored farmers who could afford seeds, inputs, machines, irrigation
Indebted farmers lost land, moved to cities
New monocrops lacked resistance to disease/pests
Environmental contamination, erosion
Oriented to export cash crops, not domestic food
Biotechnology: Using organisms to Make or modify products
Improve plants or animals
Develop new microorganisms
Crossing natural divides between species Not just crossbreeding Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) Consumer concerns began in Europe, now in U.S. too FRANKENFOODS 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 m i l l i o n s
o f
a c r e s GENETICALLY MODIFIED CROPS - WORLDWIDE USA, 68% Argentina, 23% Others, 9% GENETICALLY MODIFIED CROPS - 2000 Biotechnology benefits in agriculture Increase yields
Increase pest resistance
Grow crops in new areas Biotechnology drawbacks in agriculture High costs (available to few)