PRT 2008 Lecture 4

Agricultural revolution

Type Green revolution Green revolution Blue revolution Blue revolution

Green revolution Increase in food production because of new varieties (1960s). Prevent world- wide famine. Integrated farming. Organic farming.

Blue revolution Need water for drinking and irrigation. Done in sustainable manner (e.g. construction of dam). United nation believes by the year 2025, about 2.7 billion people are short of water. Green revolution should go together with blue revolution.

Resource constraint Soil resources – has to work on infertile soil, sloping land, ex-mining land. Weathered soils – low pH, low nutrients, which affect the activities of organisms. Soil resources – has to work on infertile soil, sloping land, ex-mining land. Weathered soils – low pH, low nutrients, which affect the activities of organisms. Labor shortage – the young refuse to work in the farm. We have old farmers. A large area of abandon land. Labor shortage – the young refuse to work in the farm. We have old farmers. A large area of abandon land. Import of food. Not enough food produced locally. Loss of foreign exchange. Need to reduce the deficit. Import of food. Not enough food produced locally. Loss of foreign exchange. Need to reduce the deficit.

Increase in population World population increases World population increases Malaysia – 26,000,000 Malaysia – 26,000,000 World – 6 billion World – 6 billion Need nutritious food Need nutritious food Shortage of food deteriorates health Shortage of food deteriorates health Affects national production Affects national production

Product diversity All require food All require food Light food industries Light food industries Feed industries Feed industries Industries related to rubber, oil palm, cocoa, pepper Industries related to rubber, oil palm, cocoa, pepper

Unsustainable production Mono-cropping requires heavy usage of chemicals – fertilizer, hormone, pesticides. Mono-cropping requires heavy usage of chemicals – fertilizer, hormone, pesticides. Cause soil and water pollution – nitrate, Cd Cause soil and water pollution – nitrate, Cd Cause eutrofication where algae grow, resulting in lack of oxygen for aquatic life (fish) Cause eutrofication where algae grow, resulting in lack of oxygen for aquatic life (fish) Excess amount of pesticides on vegetables, causing diseases to human being Excess amount of pesticides on vegetables, causing diseases to human being

Technological advancement Old technologies may be good, but are not efficient Old technologies may be good, but are not efficient New technologies require less labor (use of machinery) New technologies require less labor (use of machinery) Foreign workers cause social problems Foreign workers cause social problems Malaysia needs K-workers to improve productivity Malaysia needs K-workers to improve productivity