50 Years of Green Revolution

The green revolution in India about 50 years ago transformed India's image from begging bowl to breadbasket. This transformation during the 1960s took just about four years. The yield increases achieved in wheat and then in rice, which occurred in just about half a decade, is far in excess of the yield increases during the preceding 4,000 years. This remarkable feat was achieved with the leadership of the author using the dwarf wheat types which had been produced by Norman Borlaug in Mexico.

The research and development of green revolution of wheat and rice at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi was led by the author along with his team of students and co-workers. He has published over 100 papers on green revolution and the ever-green revolution which is a refinement of the former. This book is a compilation of just about 40 of his numerous research papers, monographs and books published by him on this subject.

This book is an outstanding example of green revolution providing a breathing space by putting the cereal grain production rate ahead of the population growth rate and then when food security has been adequately established, the system is changed to achieve productivity in perpetuity without causing environmental and social harm.