The Second Green Revolution is a change in agricultural production widely thought necessary to feed and sustain the growing population on Earth[1][2] These calls have precipitated in part, as a response to rising food commodity prices, and fears of peak oil among other factors.[2]
Contents |
It is named after the Green Revolution, a movement to increase crop selection and agrichemical usage to increase yield.
It is thought that genetic engineering of new crops and foods will take the lead in producing increased crop yield and nutrition.[1]
Bill Gates has been among the proponents of a second green revolution, saying:
Three quarters of the world's poorest people get their food and income by farming small plots of land...if we can make smallholder farming more productive and more profitable, we can have a massive impact on hunger and nutrition and poverty...the charge is clear—we have to develop crops that can grow in a drought; that can survive in a flood; that can resist pests and disease...we need higher yields on the same land in harsher weather."
Biello, David (Oct 16, 2009). "Can the world's richest man feed the planet?". Scientific American. http://www.scientificamerican.com/blog/post.cfm?id=can-the-worlds-richest-man-feed-the-2009-10-16. Retrieved 4 January 2010. Gates made these remarks during the World Food Prize. He has made over 1.4 billion in contributions towards agricultural developments.[2]
Opponents views include social inequity as a major factor in food insecurity not addressed by increasing food production capacity.[3]
Others[4] have used the term to refer to a combination of urban agriculture, smaller farm size and organic agriculture with the aim of increasing resource sustainability of crop production.[5]