Origins of the Green Revolution: Hybrid Seeds, Hunger, and Mexico-India Cooperation
Gabriela Soto Laveaga, Professor of the History of Science, Harvard University, will talk about the unexpected technological, environmental, and social impacts a 1966 shipment of hybrid wheat seeds from Mexico had on both Mexico and India.
As a devastating famine gripped India and Pakistan in 1966, a cargo of hybrid wheat seeds from Mexico arrived one fateful day on India’s coast. The seeds were first planted across the Punjab region using new agricultural methods, including intensive fertilizers and irrigation. The crop’s high yield surprised farmers and helped save many from hunger that year. Gabriela Soto Laveaga will talk about the origins of these hybrid seeds, their role in the Green Revolution, and the unexpected technological, environmental, and social impacts they had on both Mexico and India.
Free event parking available at 52 Oxford Street Garage. Hosted by the Harvard Museums of Science & Culture.
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