How have modern developments like the Green Revolution and appropriate technology changed farming in a developing country?
The impact of modern agricultural developments in a developing country - the Green Revolution, GM crops, irrigation, biofuels and appropriate (intermediate) technology - on the landscape, farming and people.
An SQA National 5 Geography answer on rural change in a developing country, covering the impact of the Green Revolution, GM crops, irrigation, biofuels and appropriate technology on the landscape, farming and people, with a developing-world example.
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What this dot point is asking
The SQA wants you to explain how modern agricultural developments have changed farming in a developing country, including the Green Revolution, GM crops, irrigation, biofuels and appropriate (intermediate) technology, and the impacts of these on the landscape, farming and people. You should refer to a real area, such as India or a country in sub-Saharan Africa.
The Green Revolution
- Advantages - far higher yields, more food to eat and sell, and two or three harvests a year, improving food security and incomes.
- Disadvantages - HYVs need costly fertilisers, pesticides and irrigation, so poorer farmers cannot keep up and the gap between rich and poor widens; heavy chemical and water use damages soil and pollutes water; and reliance on a few varieties is risky if pests or disease strike.
Other modern developments
Appropriate (intermediate) technology
Appropriate technology is small-scale, low-cost technology suited to the skills, money and conditions of local people. It is often a better fit for poor farmers than the costly Green Revolution.
- It is cheap and uses local materials and skills, so farmers can afford and repair it.
- It is small in scale and suited to local needs, such as a treadle pump, drip irrigation or a stone line to trap rainwater.
- It is sustainable - it does not rely on costly chemicals or fuel and does not damage the soil.
- It keeps people in work because it does not replace them with machines.
Impacts on landscape, farming and people
- Landscape - irrigation canals and dams change the land; HYVs and GM crops create large single-crop fields.
- Farming - much higher yields and more harvests, but greater dependence on chemicals, water and bought seed.
- People - more food and income for those who can afford the inputs, but a widening gap for those who cannot; appropriate technology spreads the benefits more fairly.
Examples in context
Example 1. India and the Green Revolution. HYV rice and wheat with irrigation and fertiliser hugely raised output in states such as Punjab, ending famine risk but causing falling water tables and growing debt for small farmers.
Example 2. Appropriate technology in sub-Saharan Africa. Treadle pumps, drip irrigation and stone lines (to trap rain and reduce erosion) let poor farmers raise yields cheaply and sustainably without costly imported inputs.
Try this
Q1. What do the letters HYV stand for? [1 mark]
- Cue. High-yielding variety.
Q2. State one advantage of appropriate technology for a poor farmer. [1 mark]
- Cue. It is cheap (or uses local materials, is easy to repair, is sustainable, keeps people in work).
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of SQA exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
SQA N5 style5 marksExplain the advantages and disadvantages of the Green Revolution for farmers in a developing country.Show worked answer →
A 5-mark answer wants both sides, so plan a balance of advantages and disadvantages, each explained.
Advantage 1. High-yielding varieties (HYVs) of rice and wheat produce far more food per field, so there is more to eat and to sell, reducing hunger.
Advantage 2. Two or three harvests a year become possible, raising farmers' incomes and the country's food security.
Disadvantage 1. HYVs need expensive fertilisers, pesticides and irrigation, so poorer farmers who cannot afford them fall behind, widening the gap between rich and poor.
Disadvantage 2. Heavy chemical and water use can damage the soil and pollute water, and reliance on a few HYVs reduces variety, so a pest or disease can be disastrous. Markers reward each advantage and disadvantage clearly explained, not just listed.
SQA N5 style4 marksExplain why appropriate (intermediate) technology can be more suitable than the Green Revolution for poor farmers in a developing country.Show worked answer →
A 4-mark Explain answer wants developed reasons, so contrast appropriate technology with the costly Green Revolution.
Appropriate technology is cheap and uses local materials and skills, so poor farmers can afford it and repair it themselves, unlike expensive HYV packages.
It is small in scale and suited to local conditions, such as a simple treadle pump, drip irrigation or a stone line to trap rain, so it helps a single family farm.
It is sustainable: it does not rely on costly chemicals or fuel, so it does not damage the soil or trap farmers in debt.
It keeps people employed because it does not replace them with machinery. Markers reward each reason explained as a real advantage for poor farmers (low cost, local materials, small scale, sustainable, keeps jobs).
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Sources & how we know this
- National 5 Geography Course Specification (C833 75) — SQA (2025)
- National 5 Geography - Course overview and resources — SQA (2025)