Question

The Green Revolution has arguably been the most striking technological triumph of the 20th century in food production and land yields. Yet, there are serious concerns about its ill-effects on the environment. Which of the following concerns is/are TRUE?

• A. The disruption of the Nitrogen cycle by the massive use of chemical fertilizers is unsustainable for the environment.
• B. The Green Revolution has unequivocally been the most striking technological triumph of the 20th century in the realm of food production.
• C. Large monocultures of crops brought about by the Green Revolution are susceptible to sudden destruction by pests and disease.
• D. Increasing the supply of food through the Green Revolution would encourage unlimited population growth, leading to worldwide famine.

Hint:

When a question asks for “concerns,” filter out value judgments that praise the technology and focus on concrete environmental risks (e.g., nutrient cycles, biodiversity).

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A, C

(A) True — heavy synthetic fertilizer use alters the nitrogen cycle and creates long-term environmental stress (runoff, soil degradation).
(B) False — this is a praise, not a concern; the prompt asks for concerns about ill-effects.
(C) True — monocultures have low genetic diversity and are vulnerable to pest/disease outbreaks.
(D) False — it is an exaggerated Malthusian claim and not a specific environmental concern tied to the technology itself.
Hence, the valid concerns are \(\boxed{(A),(C)}\).