Ch 4 Agriculture

Agriculture is the mainstay of India due to the following reasons:

 Two-thirds of the population is engaged in agricultural activities.
 It is an age-old economic activity of India.
 Agriculture is a primary activity & produces most of the food that we
consume.
 Besides food grains, it also produces raw materials for various
industries.
 Some agricultural products like tea, coffee, spices, etc., are also
exported.

Types of Farming

Differentiate between Primitive Subsistence Farming and Intensive

Subsistence Farming

Primitive Subsistence Farming Intensive Subsistence Farming

1. It is practiced on small patches of 1. It is practiced in areas of high

land. population pressure on land.
2. Farmers use primitive tools like hoe, 2. HYV seeds and modern tools are
dao, digging sticks, etc. used to increase production.
3. Family labour is used for farming. 3. Labour is hired for farming.

4. Depends on monsoon, natural 4. Farmers use various means of

fertility of the soil, and other irrigation like tube wells, canals etc.
environmental conditions. Soil fertility is also increased by the
use of fertilizers.

5. Land productivity is low and farmers 5. Land productivity is high and it is

grow crops for self-consumption. meant for commercial purpose.
6. The land for cultivation is not fixed. 6. The land for cultivation is fixed.
hence it is known as shifting
agriculture.

Shifting Agriculture or Slash and Burn Agriculture: Farmers clear a patch of land
and produce cereals and other food crops to sustain their families. When the soil
fertility decreases, the farmers shift and clear a fresh patch of land for cultivation.
This type of shifting allows nature to replenish the fertility of the soil through natural
processes. Land productivity in this type of agriculture is low as the farmer does not
use fertilizers or other modern inputs.
Shifting agriculture is known by different names in different parts of the world:

Name State in India

Jhumming In north-eastern states like Assam, Meghalaya,
Mizoram, and Nagaland.

Pamlou In Manipur

Dipa In Bastar district (Chattishgarh) , Andaman and Nicobar

islands.

Name Other Countries

Milpa Mexico and Central America
Conuco Venzuela
Roca Brazil
Ray Vietnam
Masole Central Africa

Commercial Farming

1. There is higher use of modem agricultural inputs, e.g., HYV seeds, fertilizers,
irrigation, etc. to obtain higher productivity.
2. In this, crops are mainly grown for commercial purposes.
3. It is practiced on large pieces of land on scientific and commercial lines using
machines and modem technology.
4. Capital investment is very high in commercial farming.
5. The degree of commercialization varies from one region to another. For
example, Rice is a commercial crop in Punjab, while in Odisha it is a
subsistence crop.

Plantation: The plantation is a type of commercial farming. In this type of farming, a

single crop is grown on a large area using capital-intensive inputs, with the help of
migrant labourers. Examples: Tea, coffee, rubber, sugarcane, etc.

Characteristics of Plantation Farming:

 Plantations have very large areas.
 Capital-intensive inputs and migrant labour is used.
 A well-developed network of transport and communication is used.
 It is done mainly for the market. The sole aim is to earn profit.
 It has an interface between agriculture and industry.
 All the produce is used as raw material in respective industries.
Cropping Pattern
India has three cropping seasons — Rabi, Kharif, and Zaid.

Points to Remember
 Success of Green Revolution in Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and parts of
Rajasthan has been an important factor in growth of Rabi crops
 In states like Assam, West Bengal and Odisha three crops of paddy namely –
Aus, Aman and Boro are grown in a year.
 Zaid crop sugarcane takes almost a year to grow
 India is the world's largest producer of milk, pulses and jute.
 India is the 2nd largest producer of sugarcane in the world after Brazil.
 India is the 2nd largest producer of groundnut & cotton in the world after China.
 India is the 3rd largest producer of “rai” after Canada and China.

Major Crops
The major crops grown in India are –
 Food Crops - Rice, Wheat, Millets, Maize, Pulses, Sugarcane, Oilseeds, Tea,
Coffee and Horticulture Crops
  Non-food Crops - Rubber, Cotton, Jute
1. Rice
Rice is the staple food crop of a majority of people in India.
 It is a kharif crop and requires high temperature (above 25°C).
 It needs high humidity with annual rainfall above 100 cm.
 In areas of less rainfall, it grows with the help of irrigation.
 It is grown in the plains of north and north-eastern India
 Major producing areas: West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil
Nadu, Punjab, Haryana.

2. Wheat
Wheat is the second most important cereal crop of a majority of people in India.
 It is a rabi crop and requires a cool growing season and bright sunshine at the
time of ripening.
 Wheat needs 50-75 cm of annual rainfall evenly distributed over the growing
season.
 It is the main food crop in north and north-western part of the country.
 Major producing areas: Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh,
Bihar, and Rajasthan.
 Important wheat-growing zones in the country – the Ganga-Satluj plains in the
north-west and the black soil region of the Deccan plateau.

3. Millets
Jowar, bajra, and ragi are the important millets grown in India. Though these are
known as coarse grains, they have very high nutritional value.

Jowar:
 Jowar is the third most important food crop with respect to area and
production.
 It is a rain-fed crop mostly grown in moist areas which hardly needs irrigation.
 The major Jowar-producing States are Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra
Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh.

Bajra
 Bajra grows well on sandy soils and shallow black soil.
 It is used both as food crop and fodder crop in northern parts of India.
 Major Bajra-producing States are Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra,
Gujarat, and Haryana.

Ragi
 Ragi is a crop of dry regions and grows well on red, black, sandy, loamy, and
shallow black soils.
  Major ragi-producing states are Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Himachal Pradesh,
Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Jharkhand, and Arunachal Pradesh.
 Ragi is very rich in iron, calcium, other micronutrients, and roughage.
4. Maize
 It is a crop which is used both as food and fodder.
 It is a kharif crop that requires a temperature between 21°C to 27°C.
 Maize grows well in old alluvial soil.
 Major maize-producing states are Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar
Pradesh, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

5. Pulses
 India is the largest producer and consumer of pulses in the world.
 A major source of protein in a vegetarian diet.
 Pulses need less moisture and survive even in dry conditions.
 Pulses being leguminous crops help restore soil fertility (except arhar) by
fixing nitrogen from the air.
 Major pulse-producing states are Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra,
Uttar Pradesh, and Karnataka.
 Pulses of Kharif season – arhar, urad, moong ; Rabi season – gram.

Food Crops other than Grains

6. Sugarcane
 It is a tropical as well as subtropical crop.
 It grows well in a hot & humid climate with a temperature of 21°C to 27°C
 Needs annual rainfall between 75cm and 100cm
 Irrigation is required in regions of low rainfall.
 It can be grown in a variety of soils & needs manual labour from sowing to
harvesting.
 It is the main source of sugar, gur (jaggary), khandsari, and molasses.
 The major sugarcane-producing states are Uttar Pradesh (largest producer),
Maharashtra (best quality), Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh,
Telangana, Bihar, Punjab and Haryana.

7. Oil Seeds
 In 2018, India was the second largest producer of oilseeds after China.
 12% of the total cropped area of the country is under oilseed production.
 Major oil seeds produced in India are Groundnut (kharif), Mustard (rabi),
Coconut, Soyabean, Sesamum (til) (kharif in north & rabi in south) , Castor
seeds (both rabi and kharif), Cotton seeds, Linseed (rabi) and Sunflower.
 Most of the oilseeds are edible and used as cooking mediums.
 Some are used as raw materials in production of soap, cosmetics &
ointments.
Importance of Groundnut
Groundnut is a kharif crop & accounts for about half of the total oilseeds produced in
the country. Gujarat is the largest producer of groundnut followed by Rajasthan &
TN.
8. Tea
 Tea is a plantation crop and an important beverage crop of India.
 Tea grows well in tropical and sub-tropical climates.
 It requires deep and fertile well-drained soil, rich in humus and organic matter.
 Tea bushes require a warm and moist frost-free climate all through the year.
 Major tea-producing states are Assam (Darjeeling) and West Bengal
(Jalpaiguri

9. Coffee
 Indian coffee is known in the world for its good quality.
 The Arabica variety initially brought from Yemen is produced in the country.
 Initially coffee cultivation was introduced in the Baba Budan Hills.
 India produces two main varieties of coffee: Arabica and Robusta.
 Coffee is cultivated mainly in Nilgiris in Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu.

10. Horticulture Crops

In 2018, India was the second largest producer of fruits and vegetables in the world
after China. India is an important producer of Mangoes, Pear, Oranges, Bananas,
Apples, Litchi, Guava etc and peas, cauliflower, onion, cabbage, tomato, potato etc.

Non- Food Crops

1. Rubber
 Rubber is an important raw material for industries.
 It is grown in tropical as well as sub-tropical region.
 It is an equatorial crop and requires a moist and humid climate
 It requires rainfall of more than 200 cm and temperature above 25°C.
 Major rubber-producing states are Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Garo hills
of Meghalaya and Andaman & Nicobar Islands.

2. Fiber Crops
 Cotton, jute, hemp, and natural silk are the four major fiber crops grown in
India.
 Silk is obtained from cocoons of the silkworms fed on green leaves, especially
mulberry. (Sericulture - Rearing of silkworms for the production of silk fiber).

(i) Cotton
 In 2017 India was the 2nd largest producer of cotton in the world after China.
 Cotton grows well in drier parts of the black cotton soil of the Deccan plateau.
 It requires high temperature, light rainfall, 210 frost-free days, and bright sun-
shine for its growth.
 It is a kharif crop and requires 6 to 8 months to mature.
  Major cotton-producing states are Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, MP,UP
etc

(ii) Jute (also known as golden fiber)

 Jute grows well on well-drained fertile soils in the flood plains where soils are
 High temperature is required during the time of growth.
 Major jute producing states – West Bengal, Bihar, Assam, Odisha &
Meghalaya
 It is used in making gunny bags, ropes, mats, yarn, carpets etc. but due to its
high-cost jute is losing market to synthetic fibres like nylon.
Technological and Institutional Reforms

How is government helping the Indian farmers to increase their agricultural

production? Explain any 5 points.

We need technical and institutional reforms in agriculture because:

1. Sustained uses of land without compatible techno-institutional changes have
hindered the pace of agricultural development.
2. In spite of the development of sources of irrigation, most of the farmers still
depend upon monsoons and natural fertility in order to carry on their
agriculture.
3. Agriculture which provides a livelihood for more than 60 % of its population,
needs some serious technical and institutional reforms.

Institutional reforms
1. Collectivization, consolidation of holdings, cooperation, and abolition of
zamindari, etc. were given priority to bring about institutional reforms after
Independence.
2. Laws of land reforms were enacted.
3. Provision of crop insurance against drought, flood, cyclone, fire, and disease.
4. Establishment of Grameen banks, cooperative societies, and banks for
providing loan facilities to the farmers at lower rates of interest.
5. Schemes introduced by the government -
 Introduction of Kissan Credit Card (KCC) and Personal Accident Insurance
Scheme (PAIS).
 Announcement of minimum support price (MSP), remunerative, and
procurement prices for important crops.

Technological reforms
1. Green revolution and white revolution (operation flood) based on technology
package and strategies were agricultural revolutions in India to increase food
and milk production respectively:
2. HYV seeds, chemical fertilizers, and pesticides were provided.
3. Methods of irrigation were modernized with introduction of latest agricultural
equipment.
4. Special weather bulletins and agricultural programs for farmers were
introduced on Radio and Television.

Bhoodan and Gramdan or Blood-less Revolution

  The Bhoodan-Gramdan Movement or Land Gift Movement was a voluntary
land reform movement in India that was started by Acharya Vinoba Bhave the
spiritual heir of Mahatma Gandhi in 1951.
 The Bhoodan Gramdan Movement began when Sri Ram Chandra Reddy
offered 80 acres of land and distributed it among 80 land-less villagers and it
was known as Bhoodan.
 Some zamindars, owners of many villages offered to distribute some villages
among the landless It was known as Gramdan.
 However, many land owners chose to provide some part of their land to the
poor farmers due to the fear of the Land Ceiling Act.

Qs Explain any 5 factors which have hindered the pace of agricultural development in
India.
Ans. (i) Overcrowding in agriculture: Too many people who depend on agriculture. Since
1901, the proportion of people dependent on agriculture has almost remained constant, i.e.,
70%.
(ii) Problem of inputs: Indian agriculture suffered because of the inadequacy of finance,
seeds, fertilizers, marketing, transportation, etc
(iii) Small landholdings: The average size of holding in India is very low, less than 2
hectares or 5 acres and they are also fragmented. In certain parts of the country, plots of land
have become so small that it is impossible to use modern machinery.
(iv) Over dependence on nature: In spite of the development of sources of irrigation, most
of the farmers in large parts of the country still depend upon monsoon and natural fertility for
agriculture.
(v) Soil degradation: Soil degradation has become a major problem for Indian
agriculture as it causes decreased crop yields, lower crop productivity and lower
quality crops. Soil erosion can reduce crop yields by up to 50%.

Qs Suggest any five ways to enhance agricultural production in India.

Ans 5 ways to enhance agricultural production in India:

1. Improving irrigation facilities: Agricultural production can be enhanced by improving

irrigation facilities like building more canals, dams, and reservoirs. This will enable farmers
to irrigate their crops throughout the year independent of monsoon.

2. Promoting the use of hybrid seeds: Hybrid seeds have the potential to increase crop
yields by 20-30%. The government should promote the use of hybrid seeds among farmers by
providing subsidies and incentives. Hybrid seeds are more resistant to pests require less
water, making them ideal for Indian conditions.

3. Encouraging crop diversification: India is predominantly a rice and wheat-growing

country. However, it is the need of the hour to diversify their crops. Government should
encourage farmers for Horticulture, Sericulture, Pisciculture, Floriculture etc.

4. Providing access to credit: Lack of access to credit is a major impediment to agricultural

growth in India. The government should provide easy and affordable credit to farmers to
enable them to invest and increase productivity.

5. Investing in agricultural research: The government should invest more in agricultural

research to develop new technologies and farming practices to help farmers increase their
productivity, reduce costs, and improve the quality of their produce.
Horticulture Crops in India
 Mangoes of Maharashtra, AP, Telangana, UP and WB
 Oranges of Nagpur and Cherrapunjee (Meghalaya)
 Bananas of Kerala, Mizoram, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu.
 Lichi and Guava of UP and Bihar.
 Pineapples of Meghalaya
 Grapes of Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana.
 Apples, pear, apricot and walnuts of J&K and UP.
Terms to Know
1. Horticulture: cultivation of fruits, vegetables, and ornamental plants.
2. Pisciculture: Commercial breeding, rearing, and transplantation of fish.
3. Sericulture: Commercial rearing of silkworms to produce raw silk.
4. Viticulture: The cultivation of grapevines.
5. Floriculture: The farming of different types of flowers.

Qs Describe the contribution of agriculture to the national economy,

employment and output

Agriculture is a major sector and backbone of the Indian economy,

1. Agriculture contributes around 17–19.9% of the country's GDP.
2. More than 60% of the population is engaged in agriculture though this creates
pressure in agricultural fields leading to disguise and seasonal
unemployment.
3. It also provides food security, earns foreign exchange, and provides raw
materials for industries
4. It provides raw materials to industries.
5. It is a major consumer of sectors like secondary and tertiary.

Qs. The process of increasing the area under cultivation does not have a
bright future. What steps should be taken to increase the food supply?

The steps taken to increase the food supply are-

1. Increasing productivity by the use of modern agricultural inputs like
HYV seeds, irrigation, fertilizers, and pesticides.
2. Initiating agricultural research to evolve better production techniques.
3. Increasing the use of organic manure.
 4. Using better irrigation methods like sprinklers and drip irrigation to
irrigate the larger areas with less water.
5. Implementing land reform measures like a ceiling on land holdings,
consolidation of holdings, etc.

Qs Why the Indian farmers should grow more pulses?

1. India is the one of the largest consumers of pulses as these are the major
source of protein in a vegetarian diet.
2. Pulses need less moisture and can survive even in dry conditions ideal for
Indian conditions.
3. Pulses are leguminous crops as these help in restoring soil fertility by fixing
nitrogen from the air.
Qs. “The decline share of agriculture in the GDP is a matter of serious
concern”. Explain.
Ans. Decline share of agriculture in the GDP is a matter of serious concern because-
1. Any decline in the share of agriculture means low production of foodgrains
this may lead to food shortage.
2. Any decline and stagnation in agriculture will lead to a decline in other
spheres of the economy having wider implications for society.

Qs Globalization has had both positive and negative impacts on Indian

agriculture:

Ans
1. The impact of globalisation can be seen during colonisation.
2. In the 19th century when the European traders came to India to trade, the
Indian spices exported to various countries of the world.
3. Also, in 1917 Champaran movement started in Bihar because farmers of that
region were forced to grow indigo required for the textile industries of Britain.
Due to this the farmers in India were exposed to new challenges under
globalisation, particularly in 1990.

Positive impacts

 Improved technology: New farming techniques and HYV seeds has

increased productivity
 Access to global markets: Farmers can export their produce to other
countries leading to increased income.
 Food processing industries: New food processing industries have
increased employment.
 Minimum wastage: Farmers can adopt techniques from developed
countries to minimize wastage of fruits, vegetables, and grains.
 Negative impacts
 Exploitation: Indian products may not be able to compete with subsidized
agricultural products from other countries
 Reduced human resources: Globalization has led to a reduction in human
resources in agriculture as farmers migrate to other technologies

Chapter 4: Agriculture (Identification only)

Very Less Possibility
Rice
The main rice-producing states are West Bengal (largest producer of rice), Bihar,
Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab etc.
Chapter 4: Agriculture (Identification only)
Very Less Possibility
Wheat
The major wheat-producing states are Uttar Pradesh (largest producer of wheat),
Punjab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Gujarat etc.
Chapter 4: Agriculture
1 Mark from the following
Major Producer States of India
1. Sugarcane: Uttar Pradesh. 4. Rubber: Kerala.
2. Tea: Assam. 5. Cotton: Maharashtra
3. Coffee: Karnataka. 6. Jute: West Bengal.