Negative impacts of green revolution

• Green Revolution resulted in environmental degradation and increased income inequality, inequitable asset distribution etc.
• Large farms were the main adopters of the new technologies because of their better access to irrigation water, fertilizers, seeds, and credit.
• Small farmers were either unaffected or harmed because the Green Revolution resulted in lower product prices, higher input prices, and efforts by landlords to increase rents.
• Green Revolution was spread only in irrigated and high-potential rainfed areas, and many villages or regions without access to sufficient water were leftout.

Negative impacts on farmers’ livelihood

• Removed a large source of employment from the rural economy.
• Increased rural-urban migration.
• These monoculture crops are often used for export, feed for animals, or conversion into biofuel.
• According to Emile Frison of Bioversity International, the GR has also led to a change in dietary habits, as fewer people are affected by hunger and die from starvation, but many are affected by malnutrition such as iron or vitamin-A deficiencies.
• Almost 60% of yearly deaths of children under age five in developing countries are related to malnutrition.
• High yielding rice varieties was found to have inferior flavor and be more glutinous and less savory than their native varieties.
• Use of heavy pesticides in rice farming and killed-off fish and weedy green vegetables.
• In India, the GR also contributed to better nutrition by raising incomes and reducing prices, which permitted people to consume more calories and a more diversified diet.
• Long term exposure to pesticides such as organochlorines and sulfate have been correlated with higher cancer rates and organochlorines DDT, chlordane, and lindane as tumor promoters in animals.
• According Vandana Shiva (Environmental activist) has written GR in Punjab heavy use of chemical inputs and monocultures has resulted in water scarcity, vulnerability to pests, and incidents of violent conflict and social marginalization.

Negative impact on agro-environment

• The GR has also been widely criticized for causing environmental damage.
• Excessive and inappropriate use of fertilizers and pesticides has polluted waterways, poisoned agricultural workers, and killed beneficial insects and other wildlife.
• The heavy dependence on a few major cereal varieties has led to loss of biodiversity on farms.