AGRICULTURE

DO YOU K N O W ?
 Agri
 Seri
 Pisci +
 Viti Culture
 Horti
 Agricultur
ehe science and art of cultivation on the soil, raising crops
T
and rearing livestock . I t is also called farming.
Sericulture
Comercial rearing of silk worms . I t may supplement
the income of the farmer
Pisciculture
reeding of fish in specially constructed tanks and
ponds .
Viticulture
Cultivation of crops .
Horticulture
Growing vegetables ,flowers and fruits for commercial
use .
Farm System
A g r i c u l t u re or f a r m i n g c a n be looked
a t as a system. The i m p o r t a n t i n p u t
a r e seeds, f e r t i l i s e r s , m a c h i n e r y a n d
l a b o u r. S o m e o f t h e o p e r a t i o n s
i n v o l v e d a re ploughing, sowing,
irrigation, weeding a n d harvesting.
The outputs f ro m the system include
c rop s , w o o l , d i a r y a n d p o u l t r y
p ro d u c t s .
T he f a r m s y s t e m of a n arable l a n d
Physical a n d h u m a n f a r m inputs
 Ty p e s Of F a r m i n g
Primitive Subsistence
Farming
T h i s t y p e of f a r m i n g is still p r a c t i s e d i n f e w pockets of India.
P r i m i t i v e s u b s i s t e n c e a g r i c u l t u re is p r a c t i s e d o n s m a l l p a t c h e s of
l a n d w i t h t h e h e l p o f p r i m i t i v e tools l i k e hoe, d a o a n d d i g g i n g
st ic ks, a n d f a m i l y / c o m m u n i t y l a b o u r. T h i s t y p e of f a r m i n g
d e p e n d s u p o n m o n s o o n , n a t u r a l f e r t i l i t y o f t h e soil a n d
s u i t a b i l i t y o f o t h e r e n v i r o n m e n t a l c o n d i t i o n s t o t h e c ro p s g r o w n .
I t is a ‘slash a n d b u r n ’ a g r i c u l t u re . F a r m e r s c l e a r a p a t c h o f
l a n d a n d p r o d u c e c e re a l s a n d o t h e r f o o d c ro p s t o s u s t a i n t h e i r
f a m i l y. W h e n t h e soil f e r t i l i t y d e c re a se s , t h e f a r m e r s s h i f t a n d
c l e a r a f re s h p a t c h o f l a n d f o r c u l t i v a t i o n . T h i s t y p e o f
s h i f t i n g a l l o w s N a t u r e t o re p l e n i s h t h e f e r t i l i t y o f t h e soil
t h r o u g h n a t u r a l processes; l a n d p r o d u c t i v i t y i n t h i s t y p e of
a g r i c u l t u r e is l o w a s t h e f a r m e r d oe s n o t u s e f e r t i l i s e r s o r o t h e r
m o d e r n i n p u t s . I t is k n o w n b y d i f f e r e n t n a m e s i n d i f f e r e n t p a r t s
of t h e c o u n t r y.
Intensive Subsistence
Farming
T h i s t y p e o f f a r m i n g is p r a c t i s e d i n a re a s o f
h i g h p o p u l a t i o n p re s s u re o n l a n d . I t is l a b o u r
i n t e n s i v e f a r m i n g , w h e r e h i g h doses o f
biochemical i n p u t s a n d i r r igation a r e u sed
f o r o b t a i n i n g h i g h e r p ro d u c t i o n .
T h o u g h t h e ‘right of inheritance’ leading to t h e
division of l a n d a m o n g successive
generat ions has re n d e re d land-holding size
uneconomical, the farmers continue to take
m a x i m u m output f rom the limited land in
t h e a b s e n c e o f a l t e r n a t i v e s o u rc e o f
l i v e l i h o o d . T h u s , t h e r e is e n o r m o u s p re s s u re
on agricultural land.
Commercial
Farming
The m a i n characteristic of this t y p e of
f a r m i n g is t h e u s e o f h i g h e r doses o f m o d e r n
i n p u t s , e.g.
h i g h y i e l d i n g v a r i e t y ( H Y V ) seeds,
c h e m i c a l f e r t i lisers, i n s e c t i c i d e s a n d
pesticides in o rd e r to
o b t a i n h i g h e r p r o d u c t i v i t y. T h e d e g re e o f
c o m m e rc i a l i s a t i o n o f a g r i c u l t u r e v a r i e s f r o m
o n e re g i o n
t o a n o t h e r. F o r e x a m p l e , r i c e is a
c o m m e r c i a l c ro p i n H a r y a n a a n d P u n j a b ,
b u t i n Orissa, i t is a
s u b s i s t e n c e c ro p .
Plantation
P l a n t a t i o n is also a t y p e o f c o m m e r c i a l f a r m i n g . I n
t h i s t y p e o f f a r m i n g , a s i n g l e c ro p is g r o w n o n
a l a rg e a re a . T h e p l a n t a t i o n h a s a n i n t e r f a c e o f
a g r i c u l t u r e a n d i n d u s t r y. P l a n t a t i o n s c o v e r l a rg e
t r a c t s of land, using capital i n t e n s i v e inputs, w i t h
t h e h e l p o f m i g r a n t l a b o u re r s . A l l t h e p ro d u c e is
u s e d a s r a w m a t e r i a l i n re s p e c t i v e i n d u s t r i e s . I n
I n d i a , t e a , coffee, r u b b e r, s u g a rc a n e , b a n a n a ,
etc.. a r e i m p o r t a n t p l a n t a t i o n c ro ps . Te a i n A s s a m
a n d N o r t h B en g a l coffee i n K a r n a t a k a a re s o me
o f t h e i m p o r t a n t p l a n t a t i o n c ro p s g r o w n i n t h e s e
s t a t e s . S i n c e t h e p r o d u c t i o n is m a i n l y f o r
m a r k e t , a well developed n e t w o r k of t r a n s p o r t
and
communication connecting the plantation
a re a s ,
p ro c e s s i n g i n d u s t r i e s a n d m a r k e t s p l a y s a n
i m p o r t a n t rol e i n t h e d e v e l o p m e n t o f p l a n t a t i o n s .
M a j o r c ro p s
Rice: I t is t h e s t a p l e f o o d c ro p o f a m a j o r i t y
o f t h e p e o p l e i n I n d i a . O u r c o u n t r y is t h e
s e c o n d l a rg e s t p r o d u c e r o f r i c e i n t h e
w o r l d a f t e r C h i n a . I t is a k h a r i f c ro p
w h i c h re q u i re s h i g h t e m p e r a t u r e , ( a b o v e
25°C) a n d h i g h h u m i d i t y w i t h a n n u a l
r a i n f a l l a b o v e 100 c m . I n t h e a re a s o f less
rainfall, i t g ro w s w i t h t h e help of
i r r i g a t i o n . R i c e is g r o w n i n t h e p l a i n s o f
n o r t h a n d north-eastern India, coastal
a re a s a n d t h e d e l t a i c re g i o n s . D e v e l o p m e n t
of dense n e t w o r k of c a n a l i rri gat i on a n d
t u b e w e l l s h a v e m a d e i t possible t o g r o w r i c e
i n a re a s o f less r a i n f a l l s u c h a s
Punjab,Haryana and western Uttar
Pradesh a n d p a r t s of R a j a s t h a n .
Millets : J o w a r, b a j r a a n d r a g i a r e t h e i m p o r t a n t
millets g ro w n i n India. Though, these are k n o w n
as coarse grains, t h e y h a v e v e r y high
n u t r i t i o n a l v a l u e . F o r e x a m p l e , r a g i is v e r y
r i c h i n i ro n , c a l c i u m , o t h e r m i c r o n u t r i e n t s a n d
ro u g h a g e . J o w a r is t h e t h i r d m o s t i m p o r t a n t f o o d
c ro p w i t h re s p e c t t o a r e a a n d p ro d u c t i o n . I t is a
r a i n - f e d c ro p m o s t l y g r o w n i n t h e m o i s t a re a s
w h i c h h a r d l y n e e d s i r r i g a t i o n . M a h a r a s h t r a is t h e
l a rg e s t p r o d u c e r o f j o w a r f o l l o w e d b y
K a r n a t a k a , A n d h r a Pradesh a n d M a d h y a
P r a d e s h . B a j r a g r o w s w e l l o n s a n d y soils a n d
s h a l l o w b l a c k soil.
R a j a s t h a n is t h e l a rg e s t p r o d u c e r of b a j r a f o l l o w e d
b y U t t a r Pradesh, M ah ara sh t ra, Gujarat a n d
H a r y a n a . R a g i is a c ro p o f d r y re g i o n s a n d
g r o w s w ell o n r e d , bl a c k , s a n d y , loa m y a n d
s h a l l o w b l a c k soils. K a r n a t a k a is t h e l a rg e s t
p r o d u c e r o f r a g i f o l l o w e d b y Ta m i l N a d u .
A p a r t f ro m these states, Himachal Pradesh,
Uttaranchal, Sikkim, Jharkhand a n d A run ac hal
P r a d e s h a r e also i m p o r t a n t f o r t h e p r o d u c t i o n
of ragi.
Cotton: I n d i a is b e l i e v e d t o b e t h e o r i g i n a l h o m e o f t h e
c o t t o n p l a n t . C o t t o n is o n e of t h e m a i n r a w m a t e r i a l s f o r
c o t t o n t e x t i l e i n d u s t r y. I n d i a is t h e t h i rd - l a rg e s t
p r o d u c e r of c o t t o n i n t h e w o r l d .
C o t t o n g r o w s w e l l i n d r i e r p a r t s o f t h e b l a c k c o t t o n soil o f
t h e D e c c a n p l a t e a u . I t re q u i re s h i g h t e m p e r a t u r e , l i g h t
r a i n f a l l o r i r r i g a t i o n , 210 f ro s t - f re e d a y s a n d b r i g h t
s u n s h i n e fo r i t s g r ow t h . I t is a k h a r i f c r o p a n d r e q u i r es
6 t o 8 m o n t h s t o m a t u r e . M a j o r c o t t o n - p ro d u c i n g
states a re – M a h a r a s h t r a , Gujarat, M a d h y a Pradesh,
K a r n a t a k a , A n d h r a P r a d e s h , Ta m i l N a d u , P u n j a b ,
H a r y a n a a n d U t t a r Pradesh.
Coffee: I n d i a p ro d u c e s a b o u t f o u r p e r
c e n t o f t h e w o r l d ’s c o f f e e p ro d u c t i o n .
I n d i a n c o f f e e is k n o w n i n t h e w o r l d f o r
i t s g o o d q u a l i t y. T h e A r a b i c a v a r i e t y
i n i t i a l l y b r o u g h t f r o m Y e m e n is
p r o d u c e d i n t h e c o u n t r y. T h i s v a r i e t y is
i n g r e a t d e m a n d all o v e r t h e w o r l d .
I n t i a l l y its c u l t i v a t i o n w a s i n t ro d u c e d
o n t h e B a b a B u d a n Hi l l s .
 A G R ICU L T U R A L
DEVELOPMENT
A g r i c u l t u r a l d e v e l o p m e n t re f e r s t o e f f o r t s
m a d e t o i n c re a s e f a r m p r o d u c t i o n i n o r d e r t o
m e e t t h e g r o w i n g d e m a n d o f i n c re a s i n g
population.
This c a n be a c h i ev ed i n m a n y w a y s such as
i n c re a s i n g t h e c ro p p e d a re a , t h e n u m b e r o f
c ro p s g r o w n , i m p r o v i n g i r r i g a t i o n fa c il i ti e s ,
use
of fertilisers a n d high yielding v a r i e t y of
seeds.
M e c h a n i s a t i o n o f a g r i c u l t u r e is also a n o t h e r
aspect of a g ricu ltu ra l d e v el o p m e n t . Th e
u l t i m a t e a i m o f a g r i c u l t u r a l d e v e l o p m e n t is t o
i n c re a s e f o o d s e c u t i r y.
FA R M I N I N D I A

A g r i c u l t u r e i n I n d i a h a s a s i g n i f i c a n t h i s t o r y.
To d a y, I n d i a r a n k s s e c o n d w o r l d w i d e i n f a r m
output. A g ri c u l t u r e a n d allied sectors
li ke f o r e s t r y a n d f i s h e r i e s a c c o u n t e d f o r 16.6% of
t h e G D P i n 20 1 9 , a b o u t 50% of t h e t o t a l
workforce. [ 1 ] T h e e c o n o m i c c o n t r i b u t i o n of
a g r i c u l t u r e t o India's G D P is s t e a d i l y d e c l i n i n g
w i t h the country's broad-based economic growth.
Still, a g r i c u l t u r e is d e m o g r a p h i c a l l y t h e b r o a d e s t
e c o n o m i c s e c t o r a n d p l a y s a s i g n i f i c a n t ro l e i n t h e
o v e r a l l soci o-econom i c f a b r i c of I n d i a .
 FA R M I N U S A
A g r i c u l t u r e is a m a j o r i n d u s t r y i n
t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s a n d t h e c o u n t r y is a
n e t e x p o r t e r o f f ood. A s o f t h e l a s t
c e n s u s o f a g r i c u l t u r e i n 2019, t h e r e
w e r e 2.2 m i l l i o n f a r m s , c o v e r i n g a n
a r e a o f 922 m i l l i o n a c re s (3,730,000
k m 2 ) , a n a v e r a g e o f 418 a c re s (1.69
km2 ) per farm.