Thus food security for people in a countryis not only dependent on the quantum of
food
available but also on the ability of people to purchase/access food and
to stay in appropriate healthy environment. Just as other developmental
issues, food security of people is also related to a country’s overall
development process. After Independence, India chose to adopt a planned
developmental model After an initial focus on agriculture,
industrialisation was given priority. The recurrent droughts experienced
by India pushed her to be dependent on imports of food grains.
However,
the available foreign exchange reserve could not permit open market
purchases and import of grains. India had to plead for food grains from
richer countries at concessional rates. United States of America
extended assistance through its Public Law 480 (PL 480) scheme to India
during early 1960s.
A growing country with a massive population was perceived to be a potential
candidate
for revolution. The American administration and philanthropic
organisations like Ford Foundation formulated a plan to increase food
production in the country by introducing High Yielding Varieties (HYV)
of wheat and rice. This programme was implemented in select districts
where irrigation was assured. The results were promising and the
programme was extended to cover a larger
number of districts.Thus,
Green Revolution was born in the country paving way for self-sufficiency
in food grain production. Increased food grain production was made
possible by an increase area cultivated with HYV of rice and wheat as
also an increase in the yield of these major cereal crops. Area under
food grains was a little more than 98 million hectares during early
1950s. The country was producing just 54 million tonnes of food grains
then with an average yield of food grains of 547 kg per hectare. The
food situation has steadily improved over a period of 65 years.
Area
under foodgrain cultivation has grown to 122 million hectares, with an
increase of five-fold increase in food grain production. Yield of food
grains has increased four-fold between the time of independence and at
present.
8th class social quterily exam all District question Pdf download
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