Changes in farming in developing countries
High Yield Variety (HYV)
High Yield Variety SeedsSeeds which can produce up to ten times more crops than regular seeds. were developed by scientists to improve food supplies and reduce famineAn extreme lack of food that leads to large numbers of people starving to death. in developing countries. These HYV or 'miracle' seeds can produce up to ten times more crops than regular seeds on the same area of land. The advantages and disadvantages of HYV seeds are shown in the table below:
| ADVANTAGES | DISADVANTAGES |
| Starvation and famine have been reduced | HYV crops need a lot of fertilisers and pesticides to grow increasing costs and pollution |
| HYV crops are shorter so are more able to withstand high winds and heavy rain | HYV crops require a more reliable source of water â irrigation increases costs |
| More food is grown on an area of land which increases farmers' profits | The poorest farmers have been unable to buy HYV seeds so they are of no benefit to them |
| ADVANTAGES | Starvation and famine have been reduced |
|---|---|
| DISADVANTAGES | HYV crops need a lot of fertilisers and pesticides to grow increasing costs and pollution |
| ADVANTAGES | HYV crops are shorter so are more able to withstand high winds and heavy rain |
|---|---|
| DISADVANTAGES | HYV crops require a more reliable source of water â irrigation increases costs |
| ADVANTAGES | More food is grown on an area of land which increases farmers' profits |
|---|---|
| DISADVANTAGES | The poorest farmers have been unable to buy HYV seeds so they are of no benefit to them |
Biofuels
biofuelA type of energy source derived from renewable plant and animal materials, eg ethanol (often made from corn in the United States and sugarcane in Brazil), biodiesel (vegetable oils and liquid animal fats) and biogas (methane from animal manure). are any kind of fuel manufactured from living things or from waste. Biofuels are a more environmentally friendlyActivities that are not damaging to the natural environment. and sustainableAn activity which does not consume or destroy resources or the environment. source of fuel and they are a cheaper alternative to fossil fuelNatural, finite fuel formed from the remains of living organisms, eg oil, coal and natural gas..
In India Jatropha plant seeds, which are very rich in oil (40 per cent) are cultivatedWhen land is used for growing crops. and processed. The oil can be used after extraction as it does not need to be refined. The oilâ biodiesel- is used to power diesel generators and engines, for example, in tractors.
| ADVANTAGES | DISADVANTAGES |
| The plant grows in dry marginal areas which are not used for farming, so no valuable farmland is lost to producing biofuels in India. | Energy used to grow and process the crops can be environmentally damaging, eg tractors burning diesel increases air pollution. |
| They are a much cheaper alternative to fossil fuels, which are costly and pollute the atmosphere. | Biofuels like ethanol are more corrosive than petrol or diesel so can't be used in aeroplanes or boats. |
| The cultivation of the plants provides jobs for people. | Industries are reluctant to invest heavily in the development of biofuels while fossil fuels are still available. |
| Trees do not have to be removed for fuel so they protect the soil from erosion. | Biofuels may not be long-term economically beneficial compared to fossil fuels as very little is known about them. |
| ADVANTAGES | The plant grows in dry marginal areas which are not used for farming, so no valuable farmland is lost to producing biofuels in India. |
|---|---|
| DISADVANTAGES | Energy used to grow and process the crops can be environmentally damaging, eg tractors burning diesel increases air pollution. |
| ADVANTAGES | They are a much cheaper alternative to fossil fuels, which are costly and pollute the atmosphere. |
|---|---|
| DISADVANTAGES | Biofuels like ethanol are more corrosive than petrol or diesel so can't be used in aeroplanes or boats. |
| ADVANTAGES | The cultivation of the plants provides jobs for people. |
|---|---|
| DISADVANTAGES | Industries are reluctant to invest heavily in the development of biofuels while fossil fuels are still available. |
| ADVANTAGES | Trees do not have to be removed for fuel so they protect the soil from erosion. |
|---|---|
| DISADVANTAGES | Biofuels may not be long-term economically beneficial compared to fossil fuels as very little is known about them. |
Changes in the rural landscape
Consolidation of land
As part of the Green Revolution, land reformWhen land is redistributed to landless people. has taken place. This involved the amalgamationWhen fields are joined together to make them bigger. of smaller fields to accommodate tractors and make the management of the land easier for farmers. Field sizes have therefore become bigger. Hillsides continue to be terraced and cultivated as land is a precious commodity.
Infrastructure
infrastructureThe basic structures needed for an area to function, for example roads and communications. such as roads and railways have been improved to meet the need to get crops to marketThe customers who buy goods and services. quickly and efficiently as well as allowing farm machinery to be brought into the region and transported around it. Roads have been built between major towns and cities and the quality of existing ones improved.
Employment structure and migration
The majority of the population still work in farming but there are fewer jobs available because of increased mechanisation. This area has become an area of out-migrationWhen people move away from an area. - many people are leaving rural areas to try to find work in the larger cities of Patna and Kolkata (Calcutta).