Q.What was the Green Revolution, and which regions and crops did it mainly affect?

The Green Revolution was a period of dramatic agricultural transformation that began in the mid-1960s in India, marked by the large-scale adoption of high-yielding variety (HYV) seeds, chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and improved irrigation techniques. It aimed to achieve food self-sufficiency and end dependence on food imports, particularly after the severe droughts and famines of the mid-1960s.

The revolution primarily affected wheat and rice cultivation. Wheat saw the most spectacular success, especially in Punjab, Haryana, and western Uttar Pradesh, where conditions were ideal for the new technology. Rice cultivation also benefited, particularly in Punjab, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal. These regions had better irrigation infrastructure and more prosperous farmers who could afford the required inputs. …

Indian agriculture stood at a crossroads in the mid-1960s. The country faced recurrent food shortages, relied heavily on imported grain—particularly American PL-480 wheat shipments—and lived under the shadow of famine. The Bihar famine of 1966–67 made the crisis impossible to ignore. Against this backdrop, the government launched an ambitious programme to revolutionise food production through modern agricultural technology.

The Green Revolution introduced a package of innovations that worked together. At its heart were high-yielding variety seeds, developed through scientific breeding programmes, that could produce far more grain per hectare than traditional varieties. But these miracle seeds demanded specific conditions: assured irrigation, because they were water-intensive; chemical fertilisers in substantial quantities to fuel their growth; and pesticides to protect the valuable crop. The government supported this transformation with subsidised inputs, expanded credit through cooperative banks, and a procurement system that guaranteed farmers a minimum support price for their harvest.

The results were geographically uneven, and deliberately so. The programme concentrated resources where success seemed most assured—regions with reliable irrigation infrastructure and progressive farming communities.

The regions that benefited most:

• Punjab emerged as the poster child of the Green Revolution, transforming from a modest wheat producer into India's breadbasket
• Haryana, carved out of Punjab in 1966, followed a similar trajectory with extensive canal irrigation from the Bhakra-Nangal system
• Western Uttar Pradesh, particularly districts along the Ganga canal network, saw substantial gains
• Parts of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu adopted high-yielding rice varieties with some success

The crop focus was equally narrow. Wheat dominated the early phase, with Mexican dwarf varieties proving spectacularly successful in Punjab's irrigated plains. Rice followed, though its adoption was more gradual and geographically scattered. Together, these two cereals absorbed the overwhelming majority of research effort, investment, and policy attention. …