Green Revolution in Kerala: A Discourse on Technology and Nature

In: Comparative studies of South Asia, Africa and the Middle East, Band 15, Heft 2, S. 109-118

Abstract

This paper attempts to interpret the known failure of the Green Revolution in Kerala in light of the crucial influence of climatic and geographical factors on the performance of the Green Revolution package in the region. Based on the analysis of the experiments conducted by the scientists of the Kerala Agricultural University (KAU), this paper shows that the net effect of the Green Revolution technology was not impressive even in the research stations. However, an analysis of the discourses on, and the policies of, agricultural development in Kerala shows the complete neglect of these "natural" limiting factors. The authors also examine the socio-political forces and the ideological elements which result in the neglect of climatic and geographical factors.