1638 



PROBLEMS OF THE GREEN REVOLUTION 



There is irony in the fact that one of the most successful technologiea 

 to increase agricultural productivity — the genetic achievements re- 

 ferred to as the "Green Revolution" — has created many socioeconomic 

 problems b}^ its very success. As Dr. Nanes explains: 



Broadly speaking, the problems set in train by the Green Revolution fall into 

 two categories: (1) Those appearing within the LDCs themselves, as a result of 

 the political, social, and economic effects of the new technology; and (2) the 

 consequences for the developed nations of the world of the appearance of the new 

 abundance of staple food commodities. The actions taken in response call for three 

 sets of organizational entities: (1) institutions and organizational arrangements 

 within the LDC itself to smooth the path and ease the dislocations of the Green 

 Revolution; (2) bilateral arrangements, such as between the United States and 

 an LDC; and (3) international or multilateral agreements and systems to provide 

 global stability, unify international purposes, and ease international conflicts 

 arising out of the changed patterns of trade. 



The prospective abundance threatens to generate several kinds of problems 

 within the LDCs. Gains in food production may be poorly distributed from one 

 district to another, as between East and West Pakistan. They may benefit the 

 wealthier farmers while leaving the poor farmers even less well off. Both of these 

 effects generate tensions within a country. The already evident flight from the 

 farms to the cities is likely to intensify, with unemployment increasing in both 

 poor rural areas and cities. All of these effects call for mediation and corrective 

 action by the LDC governments, and in some cases for hard decisions on the part 

 of political leaders. If the alternative is between governmental overthrow and 

 outside assistance, it would seem to be important for the United States and its 

 diplomats to know what form such assistance should appropriately take. It 

 would seem also to be important to know in which countries such outside assistance 

 would be likely to be effective, and where it would be merely support for a losing 

 cause. Among the kinds of support that have been mentioned are: Improved 

 credit resources more widely available at regional and local banking levels; more 

 widespread and longer education of the population; encouragement of the use of 

 labor intensive farm equipment; assistance to small farmers in the exploitation 

 of the new genetic forms of grain; increased opportunities for rural industry; 

 improved arrangements for storing surplus grains and preventing losses to pests;, 

 better arrangements and facilities for the marketing o'' agricultural products; and 

 above all, a strong administration of government, equipped with adequate taxing 

 power and management skills to distribute equitablj' the costs and gains of the 

 Green Revolution i^i 



PROBLEMS OF STABILIZING POPULATIONS 



Applied sociology is certainly important in meeting the challenge 

 of the food/people equation. Its relevance to the task of raising agri- 

 cultural productivity is stressed by Mr. McNamara. However, its 

 importance for the other term of the equation — -the stabilizing of 

 populations — 'is even greater. On this point Dr. Nanes writes: 



If the food/population problem in the developing countries is to be brought 

 under control, there must be strong motivation for couples to limit the number- 

 of their children. Mere expressions of general interest in the idea of fertility 

 control will not suffice. For example, surveys have been made which suggest 

 that 70 percent of the women interviewed were interested in controlling the size 

 of their families, but experience indicates that this does not mean that all of 

 these women wlU use family planning services if they are made available. Pre- 

 sumably the same applies to men. In any event, there is little information oa. 

 incentives and inducements for birth control in the LDCs, particularly where, 

 strong motivation is necessary to overcome cultural barriers to contraception. 



1" Nanes, Beyolid Maltlms, vol. H, pp. 85G-8r) 



