Boserup's assertion is that economic development by raising agricultural productivity through agricultural advancement follows the historical trend from the original slash-and-burn cultivation to the cyclical cultivation, then to the intensive cultivation under the increased population pressure, and this theory may be approved as pertinent in preference to Malthus.
2. Economic and Social Appraisal of the Green Revolution
1. Macro Contribution of the Green Revolution
As seen above, the technical result throughout the world of the Green Revolution was increased yields of rice, which raised the ratio of self supplied food in populous countries in Asia, including India and Indonesia which had relied heavily on imported food, and made a great contribution to improving the balance between the food supply and demand world-wide, not just in those countries, and also played an important role in solving the global food problem.
It is worth noting the rapid economic growth in Asian countries recently, but the existence of this agricultural development and increased food yield should not be ignored as a factor. Although low labor cost is one of conditions for strengthening international competitiveness when industrializing the developing countries, the significant increase in food yield resulting from the Green Revolution made a contribution to industrialization through controlling the rise in food prices, which has a strong effect on wages. It is remarkable that Japan and the NIEs are expanding businesses in the developing countries at present, but the significance of increased yields in food which has contributed to maintaining low labor cost is large. It is no exaggeration to say that the Green Revolution has made a positive contribution to the dynamic development of the macro economy in Asian countries. This fact is clear if we compare the sluggish economies of African countries which still suffer from food shortages and are receiving grant aid food every year.
The Green Revolution contributed to the supply of low-cost food, the
