Agriculture in India

Importance of Agriculture

• Employs about 50% of the Indian workforce.
• Contributes around 17-18% to the country’s GDP.
• Provides raw materials for many industries like textile, sugar, and food processing.
• Supports rural economy and livelihood.
• Feeds the growing population by producing food grains and other crops.

Types of Agriculture in India

• Subsistence Agriculture: Practiced mainly for family consumption, common in rain-fed areas.
• Commercial Agriculture: Farming for sale in the market, common in areas with better irrigation and infrastructure.
• Primitive Agriculture: Traditional methods with low productivity, often shifting cultivation (Jhum) in hilly regions.
• Intensive Agriculture: High use of labor and inputs to increase yield, mainly in densely populated areas.
• Mixed Farming: Combination of crop cultivation and animal husbandry.

Irrigation in India

• Canals: Derived from rivers, e.g., Indira Gandhi Canal in Rajasthan.
• Wells and Tube Wells: Major source in northern plains and Punjab.
• Tanks: Used mainly in southern India.
• Drip and Sprinkler Irrigation: Modern methods conserving water.

Major Crops of India

Kharif Crops (Monsoon Crops)

• Rice – grown mainly in eastern and southern India.
• Maize – grown in central and southern India.
• Millets (Bajra, Jowar, Ragi) – grown in dry regions.
• Pulses – tur (arhar), moong, urad.
• Cash Crops – cotton, sugarcane, groundnut.

Rabi Crops (Winter Crops)

• Wheat – grown mainly in northern and northwestern India.
• Barley, peas, gram.
• Mustard and sesame.

Zaid Crops (Summer Crops)

• Watermelon, cucumber, muskmelon.
• Green peas and vegetables.

Green Revolution

The Green Revolution in the 1960s introduced high-yielding varieties of seeds, increased use of fertilizers and irrigation, which greatly boosted food production, especially wheat and rice.

• Key states: Punjab, Haryana, Western Uttar Pradesh.
• Helped India become self-sufficient in food grains.
• Challenges: Regional imbalance, environmental concerns.

Challenges in Indian Agriculture

• Dependence on monsoon and erratic rainfall.
• Small and fragmented land holdings.
• Low irrigation coverage.
• Outdated farming techniques.
• Soil degradation and erosion.
• Market instability and lack of adequate storage facilities.

Previous Year Questions

• SSC CGL 2019: What is the significance of the Green Revolution in Indian agriculture?
• The Green Revolution increased food grain production and made India self-sufficient.
• RRB JE 2018: Name two major irrigation methods used in India.
• Canals and tube wells.
• HSSC CET 2020: Mention any three challenges faced by Indian agriculture.
• Dependence on monsoon, small land holdings, soil erosion.
• SSC MTS 2017: What are Kharif crops? Give examples.
• Crops grown during the monsoon season like rice, maize, and millets.