Feeding the World

Question

In the 1960s a "Green Revolution" in biotechnology boosted agricultural productivity. The efforts of agriculturalists and scientists resulted in improved fertilization and pest controls and the development of specially bred strains of high-yield, disease-resistant crops.
he founding of the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in 1945 signaled an international desire to create change in the postwar era through a sharing of knowledge and resources to improve crop performance and eliminate hunger. The FAO focused special attention on rural areas in developing nations, as this is where the majority of the poor and hungry were, and still are, located.
New methods
In the 1940s the biochemist Norman Borlaug (see right) initiated an experimental program to assist
America's breadbasket
Resembling a work of modern art, green crops cover what was once shortgrass prairie in Kansas. The crops are fed from underground water reserves and by circular sprinklers, which cause the round growth pattern.
New Rice for Africa (NERICA)- strain of rice suited to Africa's dry
ecosystems.
In the 1960s the insecticide DDT was the first of a range of new organic chemical insecticides that were widely used for their capacity to control multiple species of pests with a single treatment. These chemicals were put to use in developing countries. However,
INDIA AND PAKISTAN almost doubled their wheat production between 1965 and 1970.
poor Mexican farmers in increasing their wheat production. Borlaug concentrated on plant breeding. Over a 20-year period he developed a strain of high-yield dwarf wheat that was resistant to a variety of diseases and pests. Borlaug's wheat was cultivated in India and Pakistan with spectacular results. In 1960 the International Rice Research Institute was established in the Philippines to improve the production of rice. the staple diet of much of the world's population. The institute's work has helped rice farmers increase production by an average of 2.5 percent each year since 1965. These transformations in agriculture became known as the Green Revolution. Research continues to develop a range of rice varieties or "cultivars" to suit the needs of different regions including
in 1962 the American biologist Rachel
Carson cataloged the environmental impact of spraying DDT and said it may cause cancer. It was eventually banned worldwide. New methods, such as intensive irrigation. were introduced to maximize productivity on poor farming land.
However, the new agricultural methods have generated further problems. Pesticides, especially earlier,

cruder forms, killed not only the targeted pests but also other insects and organisms that previously acted as natural inhibitors of the pest population. Pests develop resistance to chemical treatments and the same is true of plant diseases. It is not uncommon for new plant varieties to become obsolete in the space of three to four years, which is the time it takes for diseases and insects to adapt and destroy the crop. One serious effect of this problem is that the poorest farmers of the developing world are spending

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Green Technology
Industrialization, consumerism, and a growing global population require enormous amounts of energy and resources that have put pressure on the Earth's natural systems. Green technology is designed to reduce that pressure, enabling us to live more sustainably.
apid industrialization along
Rwith new synthetic chemicals
and materials developed in the 20th century caused unprecedented air, water, and land pollution. However, until the 1960s, few were concerned about these issues. Many historians trace the beginning of the modern environmental movement to the publication of Silent Spring by American biologist Rachel Carson in 1962 (see box). In her book, Carson uncovered the effects of the insecticide
dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), which had decimated populations of animals other than the insects it aimed to control, and is said to cause cancer in humans.
Widening concerns
The environmental movement expanded during the 1970s as politicians and the general population alike became aware of other negative effects of the modern way of life. By the 1980s, scientists studying the global climate warned of
the terrible consequences of global warming-the rise in the Earth's surface temperature mostly caused by massive deforestation and the carbon dioxide (CO) released into the atmosphere as a result of burning fossil fuels. These grave concerns led to a worldwide drive to adopt more sustainable lifestyles. Many countries drew up legislation aimed at reducing pollution and introducing new cleaner technologies and greener industrial processes. Campaigns encouraged individuals to be more
energy efficient, too--turning off lights and heating when they were not needed, for example, and improving insulation in roofs and walls to reduce the amount of energy required to keep warm. Compact fluorescent and LED (light-emitting diode) lamps-which only used around 25 percent of the energy needed by conventional incandescent lamps to produce the same amount of light- became the norm. Recycling of materials also became more widespread, reducing the pressure on natural resources. As you read, record your notes in the space below. Your notes should focus on capturing key ideas and defining terms you do not know. written like a 8th grader
just use bullet points stop doing extra stuff with the " and *

Answer 1

• Green Revolution began in the 1960s to increase agricultural productivity.
• Improved fertilization and pest control methods were developed.
• Special strains of high-yield, disease-resistant crops were created.
• The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) was founded in 1945 to reduce hunger through knowledge and resource sharing.
• The FAO focused on rural areas in developing countries where most poor and hungry people lived.
• Norman Borlaug worked on improving wheat production in Mexico by developing a high-yield dwarf wheat strain.
• Borlaug's work led to a doubling of wheat production in India and Pakistan between 1965 and 1970.
• The International Rice Research Institute was established in 1960 to improve rice production, which is a staple for many people.
• New rice varieties (cultivars) were developed for different regions.
• DDT was an early insecticide used for pest control but was banned after Rachel Carson's book "Silent Spring" raised concerns about its health and environmental effects.
• New agricultural methods led to issues like pest and disease resistance and harm to beneficial organisms.
• The Green Revolution helped increase food production but caused problems for poor farmers who have to spend more on pesticides.
• Rapid industrialization and synthetic chemicals led to significant pollution by the 1960s.
• Rachel Carson's book raised awareness about environmental issues, marking the start of the modern environmental movement.
• Global warming concerns grew in the 1980s due to deforestation and CO2 emissions from burning fossil fuels.
• Legislation aimed at reducing pollution and cleaner technologies was adopted in many countries.
• Campaigns encouraged energy efficiency, like turning off lights and improving insulation.
• Compact fluorescent and LED lamps became popular for energy savings.
• Recycling became more widespread to help conserve natural resources.