Some socio-economic consequences of the green revolution

The green revolution has, since the ‘60s, been the subject of lively debate among the international scientific community not only with regards to its technical aspects but, and above all, for socio-economic impacts it caused. The article starts with the analysis of the development theories for the rural sector in the ‘50s and ‘60s in order to determine the theoretical path that started the green revolution in the Developing Countries, i.e. the high pay-off input model. The article then describes the critical socio-economic elements that the literature analysis highlights within Asia, where 60% of the population lives on less than two dollars per day. The role of the agricultural sector has to be reconsidered not just in terms of changed economical structure, but also with an adequate evaluation of other components such as the social, political and institutional capital and the environment, so as to initiate sustainable development processes