FROM GREEN REVOLUTION TO GROWTH REVOLUTION WHY INDIA'S FARMS NEED A NEW MODEL

New policy interventions have transformed India as profoundly as the Green Revolution.

- TDG NETWORK

Introduced during the mid-1960s, it helped the country overcome chronic food shortages and laid the foundation for agricultural self-sufficiency. At a time when India was dependent on food imports and foreign aid to feed its population, the Green Revolution emerged as a scientific solution to a national crisis. Through the introduction of high-yielding varieties (HYVs) of seeds, irrigation expansion, chemical fertilizers, pesticides, mechanisation, and institutional support, India dramatically increased agricultural productivity and ensured food security for millions.

Yet, six decades later, the Green Revolution presents a paradox. While it succeeded in eliminating the threat of famine and turning India into a major agricultural producer, it also created new challenges. Groundwater depletion, soil degradation, declining biodiversity, regional inequalities, and farmer indebtedness have become pressing concerns. Moreover, India’s agricultural priorities have changed. The challenge today is no longer merely producing enough food grains but ensuring sustainable growth, higher farmer incomes, nutritional security, and climate resilience.

As India enters the era of Amrit Kaal—the 25-year period leading up to the centenary of Independence in 2047—the country faces a critical question: Can the Green Revolution model continue to drive agricultural growth, or is it time for a new agricultural revolution?

At Independence in 1947, India inherited an agricultural sector characterised by low productivity, fragmented landholdings, traditional cultivation practices, and heavy dependence on monsoon rainfall. The Bengal Famine of 1943, which claimed millions of lives, had already demonstrated the devastating consequences of food insecurity.