Agriculture

Types of Agriculture
Primitive Subsistence Farming
Small Patches of Land - Primitive Tools

Depends upon: Monsoon, Natural Fertility + Oth. Environmental Conditions

Land Productivity ⬇ {Low}

Slash and Burn Agriculture

Allows for natural fertility to be replenished

“jhumming” → North-eastern states

Intensive Subsistence Farming

Areas where population pressure is high.

Labour Intensive

Biochemical Inputs and Irrigation → higher production

“right of inheritance” → division of land → uneconomical

Commercial Farming
Higher doses of modern inputs {HYV seeds, Fertilizers, Insecticides, Perticides}

Commercialization of Agriculture varies to regions

Plantation → Single crop on large area

Major Cropping Seasons

\ Kharif Rabi Zaid

Onset of Monsson
Sowing Season Oct - Dec
{Jun - Jul}

Harvesting Season Sep - Oct Apr - Jun

Crops Paddy, Maize, Jowar, Wheat, Barley, Peas, Watermelon,

Bajra, Moong, Gram and Mustard; Muskmelon,
Cotton, Jute, We Bake Pies Cucumber,

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 \ Kharif Rabi Zaid
Groundnut, Generally Made of Vegetables, Fodder
Soyabean; C MSG Mustard Crops
RAM

Rainfall ← Western
Irrigation
Temperate Cyclones

Assam, WB, Odisha,

N & N.W. {Punjab,
AP, Telengana, TN,
Haryana,
Region/States Kerala, Maharastra,
Uttarakhand, HP,
UP, Bihar, Punjab,
J&K, UP}
Haryana

3 Crops of Paddy →
Extra Notes
{Aus, Amam, Boro}

Cropping Pattern and Seasons

Temperature &
Conditions + Regions Notes
Rainfall

Punjab, Haryana,
Rice (Kharif) 25C (100cm) Largest Exporter After China
UP, Kerala

Growing - Cool Ganga-Satlug

Wheat (Rabi) Season (50cm - Plains + Black Soil
70cm) Region

Harvesting - Punjab, Haryana,

Sunshine UP, MP, Bihar

Moist Areas (Hardly Maharashtra,

[MILLETS] Coarse Grains {High Nut.
needs irrigation - Karnataka, Andhra
Jowar Value}; 3rd Most Imp.
rainfed) P, MP

Sandy Soil &

[MILLETS] Bajra
Shallow Black Soil

Rajasthan, UP,
Maharashtra,
Gujarat, Haryana

[MILLETS] Ragi Dry Regions

Karnataka, TN,
HP, Uttarakhand

Maize (Kharif) 21C - 27C Old Alluvial Soil Food + Fodder

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 Temperature &
Conditions + Regions Notes
Rainfall

Bihar: in Rabi season

Modern Methods

MP, Rajasthan,
Pulses Less Moisture Maharashtra, UP, Largest Producer & Consumer
Karnataka

Tur, Urad, Moong, Masur,

Dry Conditions
Peas, Gram

Leguminous Crops ↔ Nitrogen

Fixation (except arhar)

21C - 27C (75cm - Tropical & Sub

Sugarcane 2nd Largest, after Brazil
100cm) Tropical

UP, Maharashtra,
Source of Sugar, Gur
Karnataka, TN,
(Jaggery), Molasses
Andhra P

Crops: coconut, sesamum,

Oil Seeds 12% of TCA soybean, castor seeds, cotton
seeds, sunflower.

Rabi: mustard, linseed

Kharif: Groundnut (50%) -

Gujarat, Rajasthan, TN

Sesamum - Kharif in N, Rabi in

S

Castor: Both Kharif & Rabi

(2018) Groundnut: 2nd after

China

Rapeseed: 3rd after China,

Canada

Deep & Fertile Soil

Tropical & Sub-
Tea → Rich in humus & Plantation Agriculture
Tropical
org. matter

Warm & Moist Free Assam, WB, TN,

Introduced by the British
Climate Kerala

Frequent Showers Labour Intensive

→ Growth of tendar

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 Temperature &
Conditions + Regions Notes
Rainfall
leaves

(2018) 2nd Largest Producer

after China

Initially: Baba
Coffee Indian Coffee → Good Quality
Budan Hills

Nilgiri (Karnataka),
Arabica Variety ← Yemen
Kerala, T.N.

Horticulture - (2018) 2nd Largest Producer

Crops after China

Mangoes:
Maharashtra,
Andhra P,
Telengana, Uttar
Pradesh, West
Bengal

Oranges: Nagpur,
Cherrapunjee

Bananas: Kerala,
Mizoram,
Maharashtra, T.N.

Lichi & Guava:

Uttar Pradesh,
Bihar

Pineapples:
Meghalaya

Grapes: Andhra
Pradesh,
Telangana,
Maharashtra

Apples, Pears,
Apricots. Walnuts:
J&K and HP

Rubber Equatorial Crop; T.N., Karnataka, Industrial Raw Material

Tropical & Sub- Andaman &
Tropical Areas Nicobar islands,

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 Temperature &
Conditions + Regions Notes
Rainfall
Garo hills of
Meghalaya

Moist & Humid

Climate

More than 25C and

200cm

Cocoon of
Silk silkworms fed on Sericulture
mulberry

Drier parts of black

Cotton (Kharif) cotton soil of (2017) 2nd largest after China
Deccan Plateau

Maharashtra,
High Temp, Light Gujarat, M.P,
Rainfall/Irrigation, Karnataka, Andhra
210 frost-free days, P., Telangana,
bright sun-shine, 6- Tamil Nadu,
8months Punjab, Haryana,
Uttar Pradesh

Well-drained fertile West Bengal,

soils in flood plains Bihar, Assam,
Jute Golden Fibre
← (soil is renewed Odisha,
each year) Meghalaya

Gunny Bags, Mats, Ropes,

High Temperature Yarn, Carpets & Other
Artefacts

High Cost ← Losing Market to

Synthetic Fibres, Packing
Materials {Nylon}

Technological and Institutional Reforms

Long History of Agriculture: Agriculture has been practiced in India for thousands
of years.

Dependency on Monsoon: Despite the development of irrigation sources, many

Indian farmers still depend on monsoon rains and natural fertility for agriculture,

Agriculture 5
 which poses a challenge given the growing population.
Need for Reforms: With agriculture providing livelihoods for over 60% of the
population, there's a need for serious technical and institutional reforms.

Post-Independence Reforms: After India gained independence, there was a focus

on institutional reforms, including collectivization, consolidation of land holdings,
cooperation, and the abolition of zamindari (landlord system).

First Five-Year Plan: Land reform was a key focus of the First Five-Year Plan,
addressing issues like land fragmentation due to the right of inheritance.

Challenges in Implementation: While land reform laws were enacted,

implementation was lacking or insufficient.

Agricultural Reforms in the 1960s and 1970s: The Green Revolution and White
Revolution (Operation Flood) were initiated to improve Indian agriculture, but
development was concentrated in select areas.
1980s and 1990s Reforms: A comprehensive land development program was
launched, including institutional and technical reforms. Crop insurance, Grameen
banks, cooperative societies, and lower-interest loans were introduced.

Kissan Credit Card (KCC) and PAIS: The government introduced schemes like
KCC and PAIS for the benefit of farmers.

Information Dissemination: Special weather bulletins and agricultural programs for

farmers were broadcast on radio and television.

Minimum Support Price: The government also announced minimum support prices
for important crops to protect farmers from exploitation by speculators and
middlemen.

Bhoodan - Gramdan
Vinoba Bhave and His Role: Vinoba Bhave was declared as Mahatma Gandhi's
spiritual heir and was a prominent participant in Satyagraha, one of the foremost
practitioners of nonviolent resistance.
Advocate of Gram Swarajya: Vinoba Bhave supported Gandhi's concept of "gram
swarajya," which emphasized self-governance and self-sufficiency at the village
level.

Padyatra: After Mahatma Gandhi's assassination, Vinoba Bhave embarked on a

padyatra (a journey on foot) to spread Gandhi's message throughout the country.

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 Landless Villagers' Demand: During a lecture in Pochampalli, Andhra Pradesh,
some landless villagers demanded land for their economic well-being.

Bhoodan - The Gift of Land: Vinoba Bhave could not promise immediate land
distribution but suggested that the government might provide land if the villagers
engaged in cooperative farming. In response, Shri Ram Chandra Reddy stood up
and offered 80 acres of land to be distributed among 80 landless villagers. This act of
voluntary land donation came to be known as "Bhoodan" (the gift of land).

Gramdan - Village Donation: Subsequently, the movement expanded, and some

zamindars (landowners) who owned multiple villages offered to donate entire villages
or portions of their land to the landless and the poor. This initiative was termed
"Gramdan."

Fear of Land Ceiling Act: Some landowners chose to provide land to the poor
farmers as a response to the fear of land ceiling laws that limited the amount of land
one could own.

Blood-less Revolution: The Bhoodan-Gramdan movement initiated by Vinoba

Bhave is often referred to as the "Blood-less Revolution" because it sought to bring
about social and land reforms through voluntary land donations and cooperation
rather than through violent means.

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