The term signifies a period of significant agricultural advancement occurring primarily from the 1940s to the late 1960s. It involved the introduction of high-yielding varieties of grains, especially wheat and rice, coupled with the increased use of fertilizers, pesticides, and irrigation techniques. A key example is the development and distribution of semi-dwarf wheat varieties by Norman Borlaug, which dramatically increased wheat production in countries like Mexico and India.
Its importance lies in its role in averting potential widespread famine in many developing nations. The increased food production offered economic benefits to farmers and improved food security. However, it also had environmental and social consequences, including increased dependence on chemical inputs, depletion of water resources, and displacement of small farmers who could not afford the new technologies. Its historical context is rooted in post-World War II efforts to address global food shortages and improve living standards in developing countries.
