A farmer from Haryana, India, named Pritam Singh, lost his wheat fields to a scorching heat wave in 2022. As temperatures rose to 127°F, his crop withered, and his harvest was reduced by half. Similar incidents occurred in Haryana and Punjab, prompting the government to suspend wheat exports to protect food security. Thanks to the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre’s (CIMMYT) climate-resilient wheat seeds, Singh’s fortunes improved in just two years. These seeds demonstrate how the Green Revolution’s heritage is being repurposed for contemporary issues, as they were developed to withstand heat and unpredictable rainfall. Green Revolution and climate change are now closely related, necessitating immediate adaptation to ensure the security of world food systems.

How Did the Green Revolution Shape Modern Agriculture?

Under the leadership of Indian scientist M.S. Swaminathan and Nobel laureate Norman Borlaug, the Green Revolution got underway in the 1960s. Through the development of disease-resistant, high-yield rice and wheat cultivars, the program turned India from a food-deficient nation into one of the world’s major grain producers.

• High-yielding varieties (HYVs): High-yielding varieties (HYVs) are crops that have been bred to produce more.
• Chemical pesticides and fertilizers: Improved growth but weakened soil.
• Irrigation expansion: Expanding irrigation uses more water, but it also strains groundwater supplies.

Millions were saved from starvation by the movement, but it also left behind adverse environmental effects, such as soil erosion, monocropping, and reliance on chemical inputs. Today, the Green Revolution and climate change are two sides of the same coin, with unpredictable rainfall and rising temperatures endangering harvests. Sustainably producing food is more difficult than simply increasing production.

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Can Crop Breeding Help Farmers Adapt to Extreme Weather?

Plant breeding is proving to be one of the most effective strategies for combating climate change. The goal of CIMMYT and its affiliated organizations has been to develop wheat and maize cultivars that are resistant to pests, heat waves, and droughts.

• Heat-tolerant wheat: These types withstand greater temperatures when the kernels are most susceptible, during the “grain-filling” stage.
• Drought-resistant maize: Developed to function even in the absence of abundant water.
• Crops high in nutrients: Enhanced with iron and zinc to fight malnutrition.

Many of the 109 climate-resilient crop varieties published by the Indian government in 2024 were developed in partnership with CIMMYT. In stressful situations, more than 80 percent of them have shown efficacy. The Green Revolution and plans for adapting to climate change are merging by tying breeding science to practical farming.

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What Are the Risks and Limitations of Climate-Resilient Seeds?

Pritam Singh and other farmers have benefited from new seeds, but they are hardly a panacea. There are still several difficulties:

• Soil degradation: If excessive chemical use causes the soil’s fertility to decline, even heat-resistant seeds may still fail to succeed.
• Farmer reluctance: Many are reluctant to adopt new types, favoring native breeds that have proven effective.
• Pathogen risks: Novel illnesses may circumvent inherited defenses.
• Water stress: Although seeds may withstand heat, yields are severely reduced by extended drought without irrigation.

Critics contend that rather than being soil- or ecosystem-centric, many solutions are crop-centric. In addition to seed innovation, sustainable methods, including crop rotation, organic farming, and soil health restoration, are necessary for long-term resilience. Seeds alone won’t solve the Green Revolution and climate change; structural reforms in agriculture are also essential.

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How Are Global Partnerships Supporting Climate-Smart Agriculture?

A key component of this new agricultural revolution is cooperation. The Indian Council of Agricultural Research, CIMMYT, and international organizations, such as the International Rice Research Institute, collaborate to provide smallholder farmers with free or low-cost seeds.

• 40 million hectares of heat-tolerant wheat are already grown in India.
• CIMMYT cultivars in South Africa are tailored to the requirements of smallholder farming.
• Over two-thirds of the wheat types currently in use worldwide may be traced back to CIMMYT breeding initiatives.

These collaborations are reminiscent of the internationalism of the original Green Revolution, but they are now explicitly linked to climate resilience and adaptation. Cross-border science and policy are now needed to address the shared challenges of the Green Revolution and climate change.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1. Why is climate change now associated with the Green Revolution?

Because global warming poses a threat to the same farming practices that have increased yields, it necessitates climate-smart responses. When talking about food security, the Green Revolution and climate change are inextricably linked.

Q2. What is the main drawback of seeds that are climate resilient?

Although they increase resistance to heat and drought, they are unable to address more fundamental problems, such as diminishing soil fertility or unequal access for small farmers.

Q3. How can farmers guarantee resilience over the long run?

By fusing sustainable methods like crop diversification, organic inputs, and water conservation with new seed varieties. This dual approach strengthens the Green Revolution and Climate Change response strategy.

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