© T. M. Whitmore Today – South Asia Green Revolution: positive or negative Natural resources & industry

© T. M. Whitmore Last time – Questions? Agriculture & cattle Green Revolution Consequences of Green Revolution

© T. M. Whitmore South Asia & GR Per hectare productivity up  Yet still below world’s best Poor performance due to  Uncertain Monsoon and lack too little irrigation Tenure uneven  Most small holders are too poor =>  Cannot afford inputs But, since late 1960s S Asia has been able to feed itself – but for how long?

© T. M. Whitmore Globally, Problems & Successes – critics and advocates Successes  Improved productivity 2-3 times as much per hectare Improved productivity  Far lower prices for main grain crops world wide  Lower rates of extensification world wide  Vastly increased food production  Lower proportions of hunger and lower absolute numbers Lower proportions of hunger  But regionally variable But regionally variable

Yield (metric tons/hectare) Wheat Yield Rice Yield Maize Yield Yields Are Up, But Growth is Slowing World Resources Institute

© T. M. Whitmore Problems with the GR technology Chemical pollution  Runoff can enter water tables and poison local water sources  Individual farmers often have very little knowledge of risks using pesticides especially — thus compromising their health

© T. M. Whitmore Soil damage  Chemicals, especial herbicides and other organic killers, can also kill micro organisms within the soils  Very “tight” spacing of crops in the field lead to large demands on the soils for nutrients  Tight spacing and mechanization can lead to soil compaction  Erosion & salinization Problems with GR technology II

© T. M. Whitmore Other Problems Uneven geographic and crop- specific impacts  Little improvement in pulses and root crops  Little improvement in dryland crops - mostly un-irrigated (barley, millets, and sorghums) Regionally uneven Recent increases due to increase in fertilizer use not seeds per se

© T. M. Whitmore Problems continued Impacts on large and small holders  Difficult for poor to afford the “package”  Benefits of improved output mostly to the already relatively better off Other criticisms  Genetic loss  Petroleum dependence (fertilizer)  Dependence on irrigation  Does not “solve” the food problem

© T. M. Whitmore Natural Resources & Industry India dominant for resources and industry Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan new centers for low-tech assembly (maquiladora type labor) Indian natural resources:  Iron; coal  Little petroleum

© T. M. Whitmore Industry & Economic Development Industrial development & British colonial legacy New “back office” and hi-tech developments New “back office” and hi-tech developments Maquiladora-type, export led developments Micro-credit: Micro-credit  Muhammad Yunus & Grameen Bank Awarded The Nobel Peace Prize for  Also see

© T. M. Whitmore Locales of industrial development Pakistan: Lahlore Bangladesh: Dhaka India  Old colonial cities  Mumbai/Bombay; Delhi – light industry & finance  Calcutta & W Bengal – heavy industry  New “Silicon plateau” Bangalore- Madras