The term "evergreen revolution" describes productivity gains that last forever without causing environmental or social harm. The evergreen revolution is incorporating ecological principles into the creation and adoption of technology. India requires a massive shift away from the philosophy of 'green revolution' led productivity and toward 'green method' led sustainability, such as 'zero budget natural farming,' in order to eliminate chemical pesticides and promote good agronomic practises that are eco-friendly and require less water. This article will explain to you about Evergreen Revolution which will be helpful in preparing the Agriculture Syllabus for the UPSC Civil Service exam.

What is Evergreen Revolution in India?

• The term "Evergreen Revolution" was coined by Dr. M.S. Swaminathan to describe a strategy for improving output and productivity without compromising short- and long-term food production goals.
• The objective is to produce more using fewer resources—less water, less pesticide, and less land—and to achieve sustainable agriculture, there must be an evergreen revolution.
• Continuous shots at improving production and productivity, a suitable blend of traditional and modern, focusing on locally renewable sources of energy, organic farming, and making inputs and credit available to farmers are fundamentally more important today.
• The productivity of farms can be increased by introducing modern information and communication technology (ICT) to Indian farmers.
• Through networking on weather alerts, the planting season, and produce prices, ICT projects can address important issues in the agricultural value chain.
• One of the pillars of the Digital India initiative, e-Kranti, focuses on technology for farmers and offers real-time pricing updates, online input ordering, and mobile banking for payment.

What is the Need for Evergreen Revolution?

• Agriculture has been a priority sector since independence, with increased investments in each successive five-year plan, but problems have not only remained unresolved but have only gotten worse over time, with widespread rural poverty.
• Failures of the Green Revolution triggered the need for the Evergreen Revolution.
• Among the green revolution's major drawbacks are:
• India started the Green Revolution more than five decades ago, but it has not only failed to end hunger but malnutrition is at an all-time high.
• More nutrient-dense pulses and other cereals, including millets, have mostly been replaced by wheat and rice in terms of consumption.
• Due to the improper application of fertilizers, the soil has lost its fertility.
• In Punjab, Haryana, the likelihood of males over daughters caused the sex ratio to be skewed as a result of the mechanization of agriculture.
• Indian agriculture shifted to become regional and cereal-centric.
• Due to overwatering, fields became saturated and more salinized.
• Banks and moneylenders imposed loans on farmers.
• As early as 1968, Dr. M.S. Swaminathan, the man credited with starting the Green Revolution in India, cautioned that "Intensive land agriculture without conservation of soil fertility and soil structure will ultimately lead to the emergence of deserts."

Evergreen Revolution - Objectives & Components

Objectives

• The evergreen revolution's primary objectives include:
• Employing high-yield variety seeds;
• Training farmers about informational and communication technology to improve food productivity;
• Doubling farmer incomes, and
• Maintaining environmental sustainability.
• Farmers were informed and educated about weather alerts, planting season, product prices, and the availability of services like e-Kranti, a system that offers real-time price information, online banking for payment, and online input ordering.

Components

• The essential components of the evergreen revolution are:
• Improvement of soil health and fertility,
• Use of high-yielding seeds,
• Use of lab-to-land demonstration, and
• The implementation of rainwater harvesting rather than damaging the existing groundwater.

Evergreen Revolution and Food security in India

• The output of food grains must urgently rise in response to population growth.
• Producing more and more with fewer and fewer resources presents obstacles.
• Food grain output can only be enhanced through environmentally sustainable productivity growth.
• An increase in grain production and distribution that is both accessible and affordable is necessary for food security.
• The biggest concern currently is the stagnation of food grain output. The current situation calls for an evergreen revolution.
• An "evergreen revolution" is what India needs right now, as Swaminathan has correctly stated.
• Many times, the issue of hunger is compared to food shortages that can only be solved by extensive crop production.
• For instance, India is still struggling with the social and environmental effects of the Green Revolution.
• To improve food security, it is time to stop importing ready-made solutions and combine indigenous assets and competencies.
• A balanced approach to achieving food security should include stable food and agricultural policies, improved technical proficiency, and sound governance to ensure more effective implementation.
• Increased information sharing, cross-learning, and geographical differences can all help to improve food security.

Evergreen Revolution and Nutrition Security

• Food security has three major dimensions:
  • chronic hunger caused by a lack of purchasing power,
  • hidden hunger caused by a lack of micronutrients such as vitamin A, iron, iodine, and zinc in the diet, and
  • transient hunger caused by disruption caused by drought, floods, cyclones, and other manifestations of climate change.
• Any strategy for reducing hunger must address all three dimensions.
• Furthermore, the emphasis must shift from aggregate food security to individual nutrition security.
• Physical, economic, environmental, and social access to a balanced diet, safe drinking water, environmental hygiene, primary healthcare, and primary education are the best definitions of nutrition security.
• This implies that both food and non-food components of nutrition security must be addressed holistically.
• Every panchayat in our country should develop its own plan for achieving socioeconomic, sociocultural, and agroecological goals.
• The most effective way to combat malnutrition is to integrate agriculture, nutrition, and health.
• Farmers could be trained to restructure their traditional farming systems by incorporating nutrition. This can be accomplished in two steps.
  • To begin, a genetic garden of biofortified plants could be established to introduce farmers to plants that can provide them with the necessary micronutrients and proteins, such as orange-fleshed sweet potato, which can help alleviate vitamin A deficiency.
  • Second, members of the community should be trained as community hunger fighters, with knowledge of the area's malnutrition problems as well as methods for addressing them.

NITI Aayog’s 3 Year Road Map for Evergreen Revolution

• The NITI Aayog has also developed a three-year strategy to increase farmer pay and elevate Indian agriculture to new heights by raising farming production.
• Increased production of food crops like rice, wheat, and pulses, as well as the use of wasteland and model contract farming, are the key objectives.
• The use of advanced technologies, the promotion of deep-sea fishing, the promotion of locally bred cows and buffaloes that are able to adapt to changing climates, and an increase in cropping intensity of 1 million hectares per year through the use of rice fallow areas for pulses and oil-seeds are all planned.
• All of these plans and modifications make claims about boosting food security in India and enhancing farming and agriculture's quality by ensuring their long-term sustainability.

Conclusion

Farmers are pleading for immediate assistance, not schemes that will bear fruit in a few years. The future of India is to become a strong, vibrant, and prosperous agricultural nation. This can be accomplished through the collaboration of appropriate technologies and public policies. The transition to an Evergreen Revolution is absolutely necessary in order to feed the world in a sustainable manner while causing no further harm to the already depleted but valuable natural resources. An Evergreen Revolution also hopes that a happy farmer will be able to break free from a never-ending cycle of debt and suicide and live a dignified life.

FAQs

Q1: What is the Evergreen Revolution?

Q2: Who coined the term ‘Evergreen Revolution’?

Q3: What is the difference between the Green Revolution and the Evergreen Revolution?

Q4: What are the key components of the Evergreen Revolution?

Q5: How does the Evergreen Revolution contribute to food security?

MCQs

1. Who is known as the father of the Evergreen Revolution?

a) Norman Borlaug

b) Dr. M.S. Swaminathan

c) Amartya Sen

d) Verghese Kurien

2. What is the main goal of the Evergreen Revolution?

a) Increase crop production at all costs

b) Achieve high yields with sustainable practices

c) Expand farmland globally

d) Introduce only organic farming techniques

3. Which farming method aligns with the Evergreen Revolution?

a) Monoculture

b) Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

c) Slash-and-burn agriculture

d) Overuse of chemical fertilizers

4. What environmental challenge does the Evergreen Revolution address?

a) Urbanization

b) Soil erosion and degradation

c) Forest conservation

d) Infrastructure development

5. How does crop diversification contribute to the Evergreen Revolution?

a) Reduces market prices of crops

b) Ensures balanced soil nutrients and food security

c) Increases the use of chemical inputs

d) Promotes single-crop farming

GS Mains Questions and Model Answers

Q1. Explain the significance of the Evergreen Revolution in achieving sustainable agriculture.

Answer: The Evergreen Revolution promotes sustainable agriculture by building on the Green Revolution’s achievements while addressing its ecological drawbacks. It emphasizes organic farming, integrated pest management, efficient water use, and soil conservation. These practices ensure long-term productivity and environmental health, reducing the negative impacts of chemical-intensive farming. The revolution also promotes crop diversification and the use of eco-friendly technologies. This approach helps meet the growing food demand sustainably and ensures food security by minimizing environmental risks.

Q2. Evaluate the role of crop diversification in the Evergreen Revolution.

Answer: Crop diversification plays a vital role in the Evergreen Revolution by enhancing soil fertility, reducing pest infestations, and ensuring better use of resources. Diversified cropping systems prevent nutrient depletion, maintain ecological balance, and lower dependency on chemical inputs. This strategy also mitigates the risks associated with monoculture, such as crop failures due to pests or diseases. Additionally, crop diversification provides multiple sources of income to farmers, contributing to rural economic stability and food security.

Q3. How does the Evergreen Revolution contribute to food security while ensuring environmental sustainability?

Answer: The Evergreen Revolution contributes to food security by increasing agricultural productivity using sustainable methods. It promotes practices such as organic farming, integrated pest management, and efficient irrigation, which reduce environmental degradation. Sustainable farming techniques enhance soil health and biodiversity, ensuring long-term productivity. By minimizing the use of chemical inputs and conserving resources, the Evergreen Revolution balances agricultural growth with environmental conservation. This approach ensures that future generations can meet their food needs without compromising natural resources.

Previous Year Questions on Evergreen revolution

1. UPSC CSE 2021

Question: What lessons can India learn from the Green Revolution to ensure sustainable agricultural practices under the Evergreen Revolution?

Answer: The Evergreen Revolution builds on the achievements of the Green Revolution by addressing its ecological limitations. The Green Revolution significantly increased crop yields but led to environmental challenges, including soil degradation, water overuse, and loss of biodiversity. To ensure sustainable agricultural practices under the Evergreen Revolution, India must focus on reducing chemical input use, promoting organic farming, and adopting eco-friendly technologies. Crop diversification, integrated pest management, and soil conservation techniques are essential to minimize environmental damage. India can also enhance food security by encouraging efficient water management and protecting biodiversity. The transition towards sustainable agriculture will ensure long-term productivity while maintaining ecological balance.

2. UPSC CSE 2020

Question: Analyze the impact of the Evergreen Revolution on rural livelihoods and environmental sustainability.

Answer: The Evergreen Revolution has a positive impact on both rural livelihoods and environmental sustainability. By promoting sustainable agricultural practices, such as organic farming and crop diversification, the revolution enhances soil health and reduces dependency on chemical inputs. Farmers benefit from diversified income sources, better crop yields, and reduced risks associated with market fluctuations and climate change. Additionally, sustainable practices like water-efficient irrigation and integrated pest management improve resource use and protect ecosystems. These measures contribute to rural economic stability, enhance food security, and ensure environmental conservation. The Evergreen Revolution exemplifies a balanced approach to achieving agricultural growth while safeguarding natural resources for future generations.