Indian Agriculture Overview

The cultivation of the soil to grow crops and rear livestock.

Agriculture plays a crucial role in the Indian economy, providing food, raw materials, and employment for millions of people.

The dependence on monsoons, which are often erratic and unpredictable, makes Indian agriculture vulnerable to droughts and floods.

The lack of sufficient irrigation facilities leaves a sizable portion of farmland reliant on rainfall, making it susceptible to crop failure during drought.

Soil erosion, caused by deforestation, overgrazing, and improper land use, degrades soil fertility and reduces the amount of fertile land available for cultivation.

Traditional farming methods, inadequate irrigation, and limited access to quality seeds and modern equipment hamper productivity and limit yields.

Small and fragmented landholdings, typical of India, limit the adoption of modern agricultural techniques and practices.

The historical Zamindari system, where farmers were tenants, led to exploitation and hindered their ability to invest in their land. While abolished, its impact still lingers.

Subsistence agriculture, where farmers grow just enough food for their families, is common due to small landholdings and limited resources. This restricts the surplus for sale and market growth.

Farmers often face poverty, indebtedness, and limited education, hindering their access to modern farming techniques and equipment, and limiting productivity.

The removal of government subsidies on fertilizers has increased production costs for farmers.

The reduction of import duties on agricultural products has opened the market to cheaper foreign produce, creating competition and challenges for Indian farmers.

The gap between increasing production costs in India and falling prices in international markets creates a difficult situation for farmers.

The use of outdated farming techniques, limited mechanization, and traditional irrigation methods reduces efficiency and hinders productivity and yields.

The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) plays a vital role in promoting agricultural research and development, improving farming practices and technologies in India.

The Green Revolution, a period of rapid agricultural growth in the 1960s and 1970s, was marked by the introduction of high-yielding varieties of wheat and increased use of fertilizers, irrigation, and mechanization.

The Green Revolution resulted in a shift from subsistence farming to more commercial agriculture, increasing food production and making India self-sufficient in food grains.

Increased employment opportunities arose in agriculture and related industries due to the Green Revolution's increased production and demand for labor.

The Green Revolution led to increased profits for farmers, contributing to the overall economic improvement of rural villages.

The overuse of fertilizers and pesticides during the Green Revolution caused soil degradation and pollution, impacting the environment.

The Green Revolution's emphasis on monoculture (growing a single crop) reduced the diversity of crops grown, leading to a loss of biodiversity.

The National Agriculture Policy aims to achieve a sustained growth rate of over 4% in the agricultural sector.

The National Agriculture Policy encourages private sector involvement in contract farming and land leasing, promoting modern agricultural practices and investments.

The National Agriculture Policy prioritizes development in the livestock, poultry, dairy, and aquaculture sectors to enhance food production and generate income.

The National Agriculture Policy emphasizes removing restrictions on the movement of agricultural commodities within the country to facilitate trade and enhance market access.

The National Agriculture Policy recognizes the importance of rural electrification to power agricultural activities and promote crop insurance to mitigate risks for farmers.

Subsistence farming is characterized by small and scattered landholdings, traditional farming methods, low output consumed by family, and the absence of surplus production.

Commercial farming involves larger landholdings, modern farming methods, high output sold in the market, and the production of a surplus for sale.

Shifting agriculture, also known as slash and burn, involves clearing a forest patch by burning, using the ash as fertilizer, and leaving the land fallow after a few years.

Intensive farming involves small farms cultivated intensively, using multicropping, rich manure, and irrigation, resulting in high yields with higher labor input.

Extensive farming features large farms, utilizing natural soil fertility, monoculture on a large scale, minimal labor with a high capital input.

Plantation farming involves large-scale cultivation of a single crop, often commercial like tea or coffee, using modern techniques, chemical inputs, and high capital investment.

Mixed farming involves the integrated raising of crops and livestock on the same farm, often incorporating crop rotation to maintain soil fertility and income stability.