Prevailing Conditions before the introduction of Green Revolution:

♤ The focus of Indian agriculture was only on institutional reforms, not on the technological base for agriculture.

♤ Despite very credible growth of agriculture output during 1949 to 65 of 3% per annum India had been facing food shortages since the mid 1950's.

♤ The massive jump in population growth rates after independence, steady rise in per capita income, huge outlays towards planned industrialisation put long term pressures on Indian agriculture which resulted in massive demand.

♤ To meet food shortage, India was forced to import food in greater amount.

♤ Two wars, one with China (1962) and another with Pak (1965) and successive droughts in years 1965–1966, led to fall in agriculture output massively. Food prices shot up.

♤ Arm twisting policies of United States. due to India’s stand on Vietnam and India's denial of accepting an economy policy package. For long India depended on the United Statesfor food import undert the PL-480 Scheme.

♤ Due to the grim Scenario of the mid 1960's economic self reliance and food self sufficiency became top priority objectives of Indian leadership.