(The Third

(The Third
Agricultural
Agricultural
Revolution)
Revolution)

And Biotechnology
And Biotechnology

19
19
th th
century economist
century economist

Believed that because population grows

Believed that because population grows
geometrically and food production
geometrically and food production
arithmetically famine was inevitable
arithmetically famine was inevitable

!lowing the growth of population was the only

!lowing the growth of population was the only
possibility to prevent starvation
possibility to prevent starvation
"istory (so far) has proven #althus wrong
POPULATION and FOOD PRODUCTI ON GROWTH
Percentage i ncreases 1980-1990
$% &% 1$% 1&% '$% '&% ($% (&% )$% )&%
*+R ,A*-TA -.,R+A!+ -.
/001 *R012,T-0.
/001 *R012,T-0.
*0*23AT-0.
31,s #1,s
-.,R+A!+ -. A4R-,23T2RA3 *R012,T-0. *+R ,A*-TA

Adoption of new5
Adoption of new5
improved varieties of
improved varieties of
grains
grains

Application of better
Application of better
agricultural
agricultural
techni6ues
techni6ues

-rrigation -rrigation

#echani7ation #echani7ation

2se of fertili7er 2se of fertili7er

2se of pesticides 2se of pesticides

!ince 19&$8s
!ince 19&$8s

4reatest effect felt in

4reatest effect felt in
31,s
31,s

Agricultural output
Agricultural output
outpaced population
outpaced population
growth even without
growth even without
adding additional
adding additional
cropland
cropland
A c!"#e$ % i!"r&e!ents '(ic( great#)
increased agric*#t*ra# "rd*ctin

9"+AT
9"+AT
#e:ico #e:ico
+gypt +gypt
Tur;ey Tur;ey

R-,+
R-,+
Thailand Thailand
<ietnam <ietnam
=orea =orea
-ndonesia -ndonesia
*rincipal Beneficiaries of the 4reen Revolution

B0T"
B0T"
-ndia -ndia
,hina ,hina
*a;istan *a;istan
THE GREAT YELLOW THE GREAT YELLOW HOPE HOPE

-n 19>'5 the Roc;efeller -n 19>'5 the Roc;efeller

/oundation funded research /oundation funded research
into rice varieties to promote into rice varieties to promote
global health global health

.utritionally enhanced rice .utritionally enhanced rice

2sed a daffodil gene 2sed a daffodil gene

Rice now produces beta?carotene Rice now produces beta?carotene

The body converts beta?carotene The body converts beta?carotene

to vitamin A to vitamin A

Blindness in 31,s is caused by Blindness in 31,s is caused by

vitamin A deficiencies vitamin A deficiencies

Time #aga7ine declares@ AThis Time #aga7ine declares@ AThis

rice could save a million ;ids a rice could save a million ;ids a
yearB yearB

4reenpeace ac;nowledged@ 4reenpeace ac;nowledged@

A4olden rice is a moral A4olden rice is a moral
challenge to our positionB challenge to our positionB
THE GREAT YELLOW THE GREAT YELLOW HYPE HYPE

An 11 year?old child would need to An 11 year?old child would need to

eat 1& pounds of golden rice a day eat 1& pounds of golden rice a day
to satisfy the minimum daily to satisfy the minimum daily
re6uirement of vitamin A re6uirement of vitamin A

,onversion of beta?carotene to ,onversion of beta?carotene to

vitamin A re6uires fat and protein in vitamin A re6uires fat and protein in
the diet (these are lac;ing in 31,s) the diet (these are lac;ing in 31,s)

Asians may not want to eat golden Asians may not want to eat golden
rice C they prefer white rice over the rice C they prefer white rice over the
more nutrient rich brown rice which more nutrient rich brown rice which
has always e:isted has always e:isted

+ducation to push golden rice costs +ducation to push golden rice costs
money C why not Dust hand out money C why not Dust hand out
vitamin AE vitamin AE

4olden rice cost more than F1$$ 4olden rice cost more than F1$$
million to develop C it is Dust a *R million to develop C it is Dust a *R
stunt for genetically altered foods stunt for genetically altered foods

Green Revolution
Green Revolution
ene!it"
ene!it"

,ore e:ports high?yield AmiracleB seeds

,ore e:ports high?yield AmiracleB seeds

.eeded oil?based fertili7ers5 pesticides

.eeded oil?based fertili7ers5 pesticides

Asian rice crop up GG% in 19G&?>&

Asian rice crop up GG% in 19G&?>&

/avored areas with good soil5 weather

/avored areas with good soil5 weather

Green Revolution
Green Revolution

Green Revolution
Green Revolution
dr#$#c%"
dr#$#c%"

/avored farmers who could afford seeds5 /avored farmers who could afford seeds5
inputs5 machines5 irrigation inputs5 machines5 irrigation

-ndebted farmers lost land5 moved to cities -ndebted farmers lost land5 moved to cities

.ew AmonocropsB lac;ed resistance to diseaseHpests .ew AmonocropsB lac;ed resistance to diseaseHpests

+nvironmental contamination5 erosion +nvironmental contamination5 erosion

0riented to e:port Acash crops5B not domestic food 0riented to e:port Acash crops5B not domestic food

#a;e or modify products #a;e or modify products

-mprove plants or animals -mprove plants or animals

1evelop new microorganisms 1evelop new microorganisms

,rossing natural divides between species ,rossing natural divides between species

.ot Dust crossbreeding .ot Dust crossbreeding

Consumer concerns
began in Europe,
now in U.S. too
G+ N+ T IC AL L , - O D IF I+ D CR O P . - W O R L DW ID +
$
' $
) $
G $
> $
1$ $
1' $
19 9G 1 99I 199 > 1 999 '$$ $

4 + . + T - , A 3 3 J # 0 1 - / - + 1 , R 0 * ! ? ' $ $ $
0 th e r s 5 9 %
A r g e n ti n a 5 ' ( %
2 ! A 5 G > %

-ncrease yields
-ncrease yields

-ncrease pest resistance

-ncrease pest resistance

4row crops in new areas

4row crops in new areas

"igh costs (available to few)

"igh costs (available to few)

#onocrops have less tolerance to disease

#onocrops have less tolerance to disease

*ossible health effects

*ossible health effects

,ontamination of wild crops (AsuperweedsB)

,ontamination of wild crops (AsuperweedsB)

,orporate patents on life forms

,orporate patents on life forms
First calf cloned in
Wisconsin, 1997.
Many clones die
of complications.
Ethical and
economic conflicts
San Francisco
Farmers Market
Minneapolis airport
flower stand