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Green Revolution, Farm Measures and FCI: ICSE Class 9

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EconomicsICSE Class 9 · Primary Sector: Agriculture

Government Measures, the Green Revolution and Food Security with the FCI (ICSE Class 9 Economics)

Updated 18 October 2026 · Fact-checked

The government improves farming through HYV seeds, fertilisers and insecticides, irrigation, technology, research institutes, rural credit and better storage and marketing. The Green Revolution of the mid-1960s sharply raised food grain output using a package of HYV seeds, fertilisers, irrigation and machinery. Food security means availability, accessibility and affordability of food, and the Food Corporation of India procures, stores and distributes grain.

Notice the package of four inputs together raises output, and the FCI chain of procure, store, distribute turns that grain into food security.

Illustration drawn for QuestionBuddy.

Understand Government Measures, the Green Revolution and Food Security with the FCI

Government measures (each answers a problem).
1. High yielding variety (HYV) seeds: give much higher output per hectare with water and fertilisers.
2. Fertilisers and insecticides: restore soil nutrients and protect crops; supply is encouraged, often with subsidies.
3. Better irrigation: canals, dams, tube wells and minor works, plus drip and sprinkler systems, reduce dependence on the monsoon and allow two or more crops a year.
4. Adoption of technology: tractors, power tillers, harvesters, pumps and scientific methods, spread through extension services.
5. Research centres and institutes: the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi, state agricultural universities and Krishi Vigyan Kendras.
6. Rural credit: co-operative societies, Regional Rural Banks (from 1975), NABARD (1982) and the Kisan Credit Card scheme (1998).
7. Storage and marketing: warehouses of the Central Warehousing Corporation and state corporations, regulated markets (mandis), minimum support prices and the electronic National Agriculture Market (e-NAM).

Green Revolution. The large and rapid rise in food grain production, especially wheat and later rice, which began in India in the mid-1960s through a technology package of HYV seeds, chemical fertilisers, pesticides, assured irrigation and machinery. M. S. Swaminathan led the work in India, building on the high-yielding dwarf wheat developed by Norman Borlaug. It spread first in Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh.
Positive impacts: higher production and productivity; self-sufficiency in food grains and buffer stocks; higher farm incomes; growth of industry (demand for fertilisers, pesticides, tractors, pumps); more employment through multiple cropping and agro-industries; a change in farmers' attitude towards scientific farming.

Food security. All people at all times have physical and economic access to enough safe and nutritious food. Its parts: availability (enough food is produced or imported and stored), accessibility (food is within reach of every person) and affordability (everyone has enough money to buy it).

Food Corporation of India (FCI). Set up in 1965 under the Food Corporations Act, 1964. Roles: procurement of wheat and rice from farmers at the minimum support price (MSP), which protects them from distress sale; storage in godowns and maintenance of buffer stocks for shortages, droughts and emergencies; distribution of grain to state governments for the Public Distribution System (PDS), where eligible families buy at low prices through fair price (ration) shops; and price stabilisation by releasing stocks when prices rise. FCI serves farmers (fair price) and consumers (affordable food).

Neighbouring topics: the contribution of agriculture and its five problems are on the previous page of this chapter.

Government Measures, the Green Revolution and Food Security with the FCI: key facts

Problem to measure
TechnologyHYV seeds, machines
monsoonirrigation
creditbanks and co-operatives
storage and marketingwarehouses, mandis, MSP
Learn as pairs.
Food security
  • Availability
  • accessibility
  • affordability
Three parts.
FCI roles
  • Procurement at MSP
  • storage and buffer stock
  • distribution to the PDS
  • price stabilisation
Serves farmers and consumers.
Green Revolution package
  • HYV seeds
  • fertilisers and pesticides
  • assured irrigation
  • machinery
Mid-1960s, wheat first.

Government Measures, the Green Revolution and Food Security with the FCI in real life

The idea, met in an everyday situation. Answer the question in your own words, then compare with the model answer. The one-line hook is what to remember.

MSP and a farmer

Suppose the market price of wheat at harvest is Rs 1,700 a quintal, but the minimum support price is Rs 2,000 a quintal, and a farmer sells 80 quintals to the FCI.

How much does the farmer receive, and how much more than the market price?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. Receipts at MSP: 80 x 2,000 = Rs 1,60,000.
  2. Receipts at market price: 80 x 1,700 = Rs 1,36,000.
  3. Gain: 1,60,000 - 1,36,000 = Rs 24,000.

Answer: Rs 1,60,000 at MSP, which is Rs 24,000 more than the market price would give.

Memory hook: MSP is a floor under the price.

Tricks to remember Government Measures, the Green Revolution and Food Security with the FCI

Short memory aids. Say each one aloud once, then use it on a question the same day.

  • HYV-FIT-ARC-S

    HYV seeds, Fertilisers, Irrigation, Technology, Agricultural research, Rural credit, Storage and marketing.

    Use it when: Government measures.

  • AAA

    Availability, Accessibility, Affordability.

    Use it when: Food security.

  • P-S-D-P

    Procure, Store, Distribute, stabilise Prices.

    Use it when: FCI roles.

Government Measures, the Green Revolution and Food Security with the FCI: solved examples

Ordered from board level to HOTS. Try each one before you open the solution.

Example 1: Procurement · 1 mark · MCQBoard level

The FCI buys wheat and rice from farmers at:
(a) the retail price (b) the minimum support price (c) the import price (d) no fixed price

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. MSP protects farmers from distress sales.

Answer: (b) the minimum support price

Example 2: Match problem and measure · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level

Match each problem with a government measure: (i) dependence on the monsoon; (ii) lack of rural credit; (iii) limited use of technology.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. (i) Better irrigation facilities such as canals, tube wells and drip systems. (1 mark)
  2. (ii) Rural credit through co-operatives, Regional Rural Banks, NABARD and the Kisan Credit Card. (1 mark)
  3. (iii) HYV seeds, fertilisers and machinery, with extension services. (1 mark)

Answer: (i) irrigation (ii) rural credit institutions (iii) HYV seeds, fertilisers and machines

Example 3: MSP in numbers · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level

The minimum support price of wheat is Rs 2,000 a quintal while the market price at harvest is Rs 1,700 a quintal. A farmer sells 80 quintals to the FCI. How much more does he receive than at the market price? Why does the government announce an MSP?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. At MSP he receives 80 x 2,000 = Rs 1,60,000; at the market price 80 x 1,700 = Rs 1,36,000. (1 mark)
  2. The gain is Rs 24,000. (1 mark)
  3. The MSP protects farmers from distress sale at low prices and encourages production. (1 mark)

Answer: Rs 24,000 more; MSP protects farmers from low prices.

Example 4: Case study: a drought year · 4 marks · Case-basedHOTS / competency

After a weak monsoon the production of wheat in a region falls and market prices rise. The government releases wheat from the FCI godowns to the PDS and to the open market.
(i) What is the stock kept for such emergencies called? (1)
(ii) Name two roles of the FCI shown. (2)
(iii) Which part of food security is protected by this action? (1)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. (i) The buffer stock.
  2. (ii) Storage and maintaining buffer stocks; distribution through the PDS; price stabilisation by releasing stocks when prices rise (any two).
  3. (iii) Affordability and availability: families can still obtain grain at low prices.

Answer: (i) buffer stock (ii) storage and price stabilisation (or distribution to the PDS) (iii) availability and affordability

Example 5: Effects on industry and jobs · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level

Explain how the Green Revolution raised (i) industrial demand and (ii) employment.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. It increased the demand for fertilisers, pesticides, tractors and pumps. (1 mark)
  2. Rising farm incomes also raised the demand for consumer goods from industry. (1 mark)
  3. Multiple cropping, irrigation work, transport, storage and agro-industries created more jobs. (1 mark)

Answer: See steps: inputs and consumer goods demand; jobs in farming and related activities.

Where students lose marks in Government Measures, the Green Revolution and Food Security with the FCI

The slips examiners see most often, and what to write instead.

  • Mistake: Giving the Green Revolution without the package

    Only increase in output is written.

    Wrong working

    Green Revolution is more wheat

    Right working

    Green Revolution is a rise in food grains through HYV seeds, fertilisers, irrigation and machinery

    Do this: Name the package.

    Usually costs: 1 mark

  • Mistake: Writing negative impacts

    The question asks for positive impacts.

    Wrong working

    Soil damage and inequality

    Right working

    Higher output, self-sufficiency, incomes, industry, jobs

    Do this: Read the question.

    Usually costs: 2 marks

  • Mistake: Wrong year for FCI

    Years are mixed.

    Wrong working

    FCI was set up in 1991

    Right working

    FCI was set up in 1965

    Do this: Learn 1965 for FCI and 1991 for reforms.

    Usually costs: 1 mark

Exam tips

  • Answer government measures as problem and measure pairs.
  • Write only the positive impacts of the Green Revolution.
  • Use the three words availability, accessibility, affordability for food security.
  • Describe the FCI under procurement, storage, distribution and price stabilisation.

Practice questions on Government Measures, the Green Revolution and Food Security with the FCI

Write each answer on paper first. Open the hint only if you are stuck, and the answer only when you have finished.

  1. Q1 · 1 mark · MCQBoard level

    The Green Revolution began in India in:
    (a) the early 1950s (b) the mid-1960s (c) the 1980s (d) 1991

    Hint

    Dwarf wheat.

    Answer

    (b) the mid-1960s

  2. Q2 · 2 marks · Very short answerBoard level

    Expand MSP and say who announces it.

    Hint

    Support for farmers.

    Answer

    MSP is the minimum support price; it is announced by the government.

  3. Q3 · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level

    Wheat yield rose from 12 quintals per hectare to 30 quintals per hectare on a farm of 5 hectares. Find the total output before and after and the percentage increase in yield.

    Hint

    Percentage = increase / old x 100.

    Answer

    Before: 5 x 12 = 60 quintals; after: 5 x 30 = 150 quintals. Increase in yield = 18; 18 / 12 x 100 = 150 per cent.

  4. Q4 · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level

    State the three parts of food security with an example of each.

    Hint

    Think of food in the godown, the shop and the family.

    Answer

    Availability: enough grain stored in godowns. Accessibility: a ration shop within reach of a village. Affordability: families can pay for food, for example through low prices at PDS shops.

  5. Q5 · 3 marks · Short answerHOTS / competency

    How does the FCI serve both farmers and consumers?

    Hint

    Think of procurement and distribution.

    Answer

    It buys grain at the MSP, so farmers get a fair price and are protected from distress sale. It stores grain and distributes it through the PDS at low prices, and releases stock when prices rise, so consumers get affordable food.

Test your recall

Answer in your head or on paper first, then open the card. Pulling an answer out of memory makes it stick far better than re-reading.

  1. 1.When was the FCI set up?Show answer

    1965

  2. 2.What is a buffer stock?Show answer

    A reserve of grain kept for shortages and emergencies.

  3. 3.Which grain did the Green Revolution first raise?Show answer

    Wheat.

  4. 4.What is e-NAM?Show answer

    The electronic National Agriculture Market, an online trading platform.

  5. 5.Name an institute of agricultural research.Show answer

    The Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi (or ICAR).

  6. 6.What does PDS stand for?Show answer

    Public Distribution System.

Government Measures, the Green Revolution and Food Security with the FCI: frequently asked questions

Should an answer on the Green Revolution mention its drawbacks?

No. The syllabus asks only for its meaning and positive impacts.

What is a mandi?

A regulated market where produce is sold by open auction with correct weights.

Is the MSP the same as the market price?

No. The MSP is the minimum price announced by the government at which the FCI buys grain; the market price at harvest may be lower.