The promise of the Green Revolution was that it would end hunger through the magic of chemicals and genetic engineering. The reasoning goes like this: the miracle seeds of the Green Revolution increase grain yields; higher yields mean more income for poor farmers, helping them to climb out of poverty, and more food means less …
Last week we promised to explore the Green Revolution. The term “Green Revolution” was coined in the 1960s to highlight a particularly striking breakthrough in yields, which is the traditional way to measure agricultural performance – in tonnes per hectare, bushels per acre or whatever. Farmers have been trying to improve yields by improving seeds …