PRT 2008PRT 2008

Lecture 4Lecture 4

Agricultural revolutionAgricultural revolution

TypeType

• Green revolutionGreen revolution

• Blue revolutionBlue revolution

Green revolutionGreen revolution

Increase in food production Increase in food production because of new varieties (1960s). because of new varieties (1960s).

Prevent world-wide famine. Prevent world-wide famine. Integrated farming. Organic Integrated farming. Organic

farming.farming.

Blue revolutionBlue revolution

Need water for drinking and irrigation. Need water for drinking and irrigation. Done in sustainable manner (e.g. Done in sustainable manner (e.g.

construction of dam). United nation construction of dam). United nation believes by the year 2025, about 2.7 believes by the year 2025, about 2.7

billion people are short of water. Green billion people are short of water. Green revolution should go together with blue revolution should go together with blue

revolution.revolution.

Resource constraintResource constraint

• Soil resources – has to work on infertile Soil resources – has to work on infertile soil, sloping land, ex-mining land. soil, sloping land, ex-mining land. Weathered soils – low pH, low nutrients, Weathered soils – low pH, low nutrients, which affect the activities of organisms.which affect the activities of organisms.

• Labor shortage – the young refuse to work Labor shortage – the young refuse to work in the farm. We have old farmers. A large in the farm. We have old farmers. A large area of abandon land.area of abandon land.

• Import of food. Not enough food produced Import of food. Not enough food produced locally. Loss of foreign exchange. Need to locally. Loss of foreign exchange. Need to reduce the deficit. reduce the deficit.

Increase in populationIncrease in population

• World population increasesWorld population increases

• Malaysia – 26,000,000Malaysia – 26,000,000

• World – 6 billionWorld – 6 billion

• Need nutritious foodNeed nutritious food

• Shortage of food deteriorates healthShortage of food deteriorates health

• Affects national productionAffects national production

Product diversityProduct diversity

• All require foodAll require food

• Light food industriesLight food industries

• Feed industriesFeed industries

• Industries related to rubber, oil palm, Industries related to rubber, oil palm, cocoa, peppercocoa, pepper

Unsustainable productionUnsustainable production

• Mono-cropping requires heavy usage of Mono-cropping requires heavy usage of chemicals – fertilizer, hormone, pesticides.chemicals – fertilizer, hormone, pesticides.

• Cause soil and water pollution – nitrate, CdCause soil and water pollution – nitrate, Cd

• Cause eutrofication where algae grow, Cause eutrofication where algae grow, resulting in lack of oxygen for aquatic life resulting in lack of oxygen for aquatic life (fish)(fish)

• Excess amount of pesticides on Excess amount of pesticides on vegetables, causing diseases to human vegetables, causing diseases to human beingbeing

Technological advancementTechnological advancement

• Old technologies may be good, but Old technologies may be good, but are not efficientare not efficient

• New technologies require less labor New technologies require less labor (use of machinery)(use of machinery)

• Foreign workers cause social Foreign workers cause social problemsproblems

• Malaysia needs K-workers to improve Malaysia needs K-workers to improve productivityproductivity