Bring on the Revolution?

Topics: Agriculture
Green Revolutions aren't easy. Photo: Thatcher Cook for Mercy Corps
Green Revolutions aren't easy. Photo: Thatcher Cook for Mercy Corps

Some at the UN Food Summit are suggesting a second green revolution is needed to curb soaring food prices. “The underlying problem is the decline in agricultural productivity growth," said the UN's Lennart Bage. "Unless we reverse that, we’ll be back in the same situation in a few years' time.”

The first Green Revolution transformed developed-country agricultural practices from the 1940s to 1960s and led to increased production. Huge investments in seed research, infrastructure development and technological advancements fueled this transformation.

Increases in output are especially needed in Africa, which is in dire need of updating its farming techniques, improving agricultural technology and increasing the biodiversity of crop output. According to The Economist, several countries at the Summit promised to meet these needs by investing in seed research, building irrigation canals, and promoting the use of fertilizer.

Regulation reform and infrastructure upgrades are also needed. The International Food Policy Research Institute recently released a report saying prices could be cut if governments enforced market regulations. They also suggested African governments should dedicate 10 percent of their budgets to agriculture, and improve poor roads that hinder farmers' ability to get their crops to market.

However, Financial Times points out why a green revolution in Africa may not be easy to pull off. It would most likely require the cultivation of genetically modified crops in a region where many countries have resisted GMO foods. Other concerns involve Africa's diversity of climate and landscapes — farming techniques that work in some places might not work in others. Increasing output would also mean huge investments in irrigation systems. A dependence on rainwater and a lack of irrigation infrastructure has hindered many small farms in Africa.

The first Green Revolution took years to increase agricultural output in developing countries. It may be needed, but engineering a second Green Revolution is a daunting task.

Comments

what can we do? there is no

what can we do?
there is no alternate solution

in america

global environment

there is a solution, if all of us understand whats happening on earth right now. we can do whatever is easy for us like turning off the lights when we leave a room, do not use so much water when we have a shower, recycling or walking to our destination instead of driving. we can save the planet if we have willingness. because all this is up to us. we have to understand that we are in danger and we provoke more danger to the next generations. because they are not responsible for all these crazy things that we are dealing with.

in Malaysia

Plzzz... Save Our Mother Earth TOGETHER!!!

We all know what's happening to our mother Earth now. She is suffer in pain n what are all the human kind can do? Juz sit back n relax? How can we do that to her? As you know God has made the earth the only and perfect home for human beings and other living objects. We cannot live without this environment. So, plz save the Earth together n make the Earth a better place that we can live in. Do whatever we can do like reduce the use of paper, recycle n more. Planting more trees so we can breath in fresh air. Help our Earth to get rid of sickness.... If not, I don think we can survive 10 years later. Maybe we can, but what about our children n grandchildren or great-grandchildren??? All the human being are selfish!!! So, plz learn how to share n stay unite also. The light of unity is so strong that it can illumine the whole WORLD!!!!! Plzzz... Save Our Mother Earth TOGETHER!!!

in maldives

-global environment

the environment need our help. we have to kick the habit of releasing carbondioxide in to the air. we can do this by saving electricity,water,recycling, and by using the minimum amount of plastic. so lets SAVE OUR ENVIRONMENT!!!!!!

in agra

Environment preservation

The role of students (pursuing B.tech, Environmental Engineering) from Hindustan college of sci & technology,mathura) in conserving the environment is emphasized during their study. and we try to kick the all habits of releasing Carbon dioxides as well as Sox, Nox etc in to the air. we always aware the people for saving our environment.

Thanks & Regards
Prateek Gupta
Environmental Engg. (Final Yr.Student)
Contact me at : +919927448015

in Egypt

Collective Efforts

i) Collective efforts needed to solve global problems require large scale cooperation. However it is known that for such cooperation to exist a feeling of imminent danger has to exist .Therefore early preparations to deal with such problems are not expected to be as efficient as should be. This is particularly true for the expected water shortage problem which is acute at certain places and unseen in other ones. However forming clusters of cooperators is possible e.g. as happened in the global warming problem.
ii) The expected evolution of GFC is that countries
will attempt to increase their production but at the same time increase their reserves. Moreover the feeding behavior of China and India populations is not likely to change. Hence a quick solution of this problem is not expected.
iii) Bottom-up approach is highly efficient in finding
practical solutions and in making people more prepared to share the burden of the problems. But it requires a regime which has the trust of its people. A property which is rare in many third world countries.

E.Ahmed and A.S.Hegazi, Math. Dept., Mansoura Faculty of Science, Egypt

Concluding: globalproblems "messes" happen and will happen. our best hope is to attenuate their effects and make us better prepared for them.

in agra

thank you very much for such an inspiration

Really, I was very glad to see you on globalenvision.org.

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