Affiliations: Department of Veterinary & Animal Husbandry
Extension Education College of Veterinary Sciences & Animal Husbandry,
Central Agricultural University Selesih, Aizawl, Mizoram, India. E-mail: [email protected]
Abstract: The Green Revolution has transformed India to a food grain surplus
country from a deficit one. No other activity has such immense impact on the
socio-economic development of the people as the Green Revolution.
Intensification of agriculture over the years has led to overall degradation of
the fragile agro-ecosystem. High cost of production and diminishing economic
returns from agricultural practices are affecting the socio-economic condition
of farmers. Loss of soil fertility, erosion of soil, soil toxicity, diminishing
water resources, pollution of underground water, salinity of underground water,
increased incidence of human and livestock diseases and global warming are some
of the negative impacts of over adoption of agricultural technologies by the
farmers to make the Green Revolution successful. Indiscriminate and
disproportionate use of chemicals pollutes the soil, air and water and feed and
fodders offered to animals. This may be one of the important etiologies of
increased productive and reproductive health problems of livestock. Various scientific studies and surveys conducted on fertilizer and
pesticide residues during last 45 years indicate the presence of residues of
fertilizers and pesticides like nitrates, organochlorines, organophosphates,
synthetic pyrethroids and carbamates at higher level than permissible limit in
milk, dairy products, water, fodder, livestock feeds and other food products.
As urea, a nitrogen-rich fertilizer is used much more than the recommended
4-to-1 ratio to potassium; it is contributing to the global warming. The extent
of systematic damages caused in the process of Green Revolution to the soil,
groundwater, and ecosystem needs to be quantified. It could lead to
irreversible consequence to the life of the people who are benefited once if
the timely, adequate and sustainable measures are not taken up to mitigate the
harm done by the Green Revolution.
Keywords: Green revolution, environment, global warming, livestock
