India has a long agricultural history, which dates back

approximately ten thousand years. Today, India has the 2nd

highest crop output in the world. Different types of Farming
Systems in India are strategically utilised, according to the
locations where they are most suitable. Regions throughout India
differ in types of farming they use based primarily on nature of
land, climatic characteristics and available irrigational facilities,
the farmers in India practise different types of farming.

– Extensive farming is also called extensive cultivation. Extensive

farming means when more land is brought under farming to increase
output. Extensive farming is an agricultural system that uses small
inputs of labour, fertilizers. Extensive farming is done on large
patches of land and the production is high due to the large area

– Intensive agriculture is known for high production per unit of land. It is the cultivator that uses a larger
amount of labour and capital in a relatively small area. This is performed in countries where the population to
land ratio is high which means the population is big, and the land is small. Annually 2 or 3 types of crops are
grown over the land in Intensive farming. Manual labour is used in this farming

Dryland Agriculture refers to cultivation of crops entirely under natural rainfall

without irrigation. It is a form of subsistence farming in the regions where
deficit of the soil moisture retards the growth of water consuming crops like
rice (Oryza sativa), sugarcane etc. Dryland areas are characterized by low and
erratic rainfall and no assured irrigation facilities. Dryland agriculture is
important for the economy as most of the coarse grain crops, pulses, oilseeds,
and raw cotton are grown on these lands. Dryland areas receive rainfall
between 500 and 1200 mm.