Understanding India’s Green Revolution: A Case Study for Contemporary Agrarian Reform

Faced with large-scale food insecurity in the mid-twentieth century, India adopted innovative agricultural technologies as part of the Green Revolution. While these technologies expanded agricultural productivity, this paper argues that the program was a disruptive force to Indian social, economic, and political systems, specifically in the rural setting. An analysis of outcomes of the Green Revolution reveals that inadequate attention was given to India’s unique colonial history as well as to the regional differences, both ecological and socioeconomic, found within the country. Advocating for a holistic approach to global development, this paper offers a framework of policy recommendations aimed at minimizing the disruptive potential for contemporary agrarian reform. The potential for disconnect between economics and social systems is a major theme throughout.