The Second Green Revolution in India focuses on increasing agricultural productivity with a focus on sustainability, inclusive growth, and technological innovation. Unlike the first Green Revolution, this movement aims to address environmental concerns, promote climate-resilient farming, and ensure food and nutritional security for a growing population.
Key Features of the Second Green Revolution
- Sustainability Focus: Emphasis on eco-friendly and sustainable farming practices.
- Crop Diversification: Encourages cultivation of millets, pulses, and oilseeds alongside traditional crops.
- Technological Integration: Use of precision agriculture, biotechnology, and digital farming.
- Water Efficiency: Promotes micro-irrigation techniques such as drip and sprinkler systems.
- Focus on Eastern States: Targets Eastern India, where agricultural potential remains untapped.
- Climate Resilience: Development of drought-resistant and high-yielding crop varieties.
- Inclusive Growth: Involves small and marginal farmers to bridge income and productivity gaps.
Objectives of the Second Green Revolution
- Food and Nutritional Security: Ensures sufficient food production to meet the needs of a growing population.
- Poverty Alleviation: Aims to enhance rural livelihoods and reduce poverty through higher incomes.
- Reducing Regional Disparities: Focuses on underdeveloped regions to promote equitable growth.
- Environmental Protection: Addresses issues like soil degradation, water scarcity, and climate change.
- Doubling Farmers' Income: Supports initiatives to improve farm productivity and market access.
Initiatives Promoting the Second Green Revolution
- National Food Security Mission (NFSM): Focuses on increasing production of rice, wheat, pulses, and coarse cereals.
- Soil Health Card Scheme: Encourages balanced use of fertilizers by providing detailed soil health reports.
- Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY): Aims for water-efficient irrigation.
- Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY): Promotes organic farming practices.
- E-NAM Platform: Facilitates better market access for farmers by connecting them to digital marketplaces.
Impact of the Second Green Revolution
- Increased Productivity: Boosts yields of food grains and other crops.
- Environmental Benefits: Reduces the negative impact of chemical fertilizers and over-irrigation.
- Economic Growth: Enhances rural incomes and contributes to GDP growth.
- Improved Food Security: Ensures availability and accessibility of nutritious food.
- Empowerment of Farmers: Promotes education and capacity building for small-scale farmers.
Challenges and Limitations
- Adoption of Technology: Limited access to modern technology for small farmers.
- Climate Change: Increasing vulnerability of crops to unpredictable weather patterns.
- Resource Constraints: Inadequate availability of water and energy for agriculture.
- Market Access: Farmers face challenges in accessing fair markets and better prices.
- Knowledge Gap: Lack of awareness about sustainable and climate-resilient farming practices.
Key Points
- The Second Green Revolution emphasizes sustainable agriculture.
- It promotes the use of biotechnology and precision farming.
- Focuses on climate-resilient crops to address climate change.
- Targets underdeveloped regions, especially in Eastern India.
- Encourages crop diversification to include millets and pulses.
- Programs like NFSM and PMKSY play a significant role.
- Aims to double farmers' income by 2022-23 as per government objectives.
- Supports organic farming under the PKVY scheme.
- Promotes digital platforms like E-NAM for better market access.
- Addresses challenges of soil degradation and water scarcity.
- Integrates small and marginal farmers into the agricultural growth story.
- Seeks to enhance food and nutritional security.