The second phase of the Green Revolution occurred from the mid-1970s to the mid-1980s and marked a significant expansion of the initial Green Revolution's successes. While the first phase primarily focused on increasing the production of staple crops like wheat and rice through the use of high-yielding varieties, fertilizers, and irrigation, the second phase broadened the scope to include a wider variety of crops and extended the benefits to new regions.
During this phase, agricultural technology and practices were applied to crops such as maize, pulses, and oilseeds, alongside the continued focus on rice and wheat. The spread of high-yielding varieties, modern irrigation techniques, and improved fertilizers helped boost production across a larger portion of India, including more remote regions that had not been included in the first phase.
This expansion helped increase food security in India and other developing countries, but it also led to environmental concerns, such as overuse of water resources, soil degradation, and increased dependency on chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Despite these challenges, the second phase of the Green Revolution played a crucial role in transforming agriculture and contributing to India's self-sufficiency in food production.