Agricultural Patterns in India Chapter Notes | Footprints Class 7: Book Solutions, Notes & Worksheets PDF Download

Introduction

Dr. M. S. Swaminathan, who passed away on September 28, 2023, was a key figure in India's Green Revolution. He collaborated closely with the Indian government to enhance agricultural productivity significantly through the adoption of modern technologies.

Key Points

• India's major crops include rice, wheat, maize, millets, oilseeds, and pulses.
• Various types of farming in India are plantation (like tea, coffee, rubber) and small-scale production (subsistence, shifting, and intensive).
• Large-scale alternative farming methods in India consist of commercial, extensive plantation, animal husbandry, dairying, and mixed farming.
• India is blessed with abundant agricultural resources including fertile land, suitable climate, diverse soil types, water sources, and plant and animal resources.
• The fertile plains formed by rivers in Northern Plains, Coastal Plains, and parts of the Peninsular Plateau facilitate agriculture in India.
• Indian agriculture benefits from the tropical monsoon climate, allowing for almost year-round cultivation and the growth of multiple crops in a year.
• Over one-fourth of India's cultivated land is under irrigation, crucial for sustaining crop growth throughout the year.
• In India, agriculture plays a vital role in the economy, with around half of the population depending on it for their livelihood.
• The Indian cropping pattern comprises two main growing seasons: kharif (before monsoons) and rabi (after summer monsoons).

Major Crops in India

• Crops in India are categorized into cereals, oilseeds, pulses, spices, fruits, vegetables, fibers, and beverages. Many of these are food crops, including cereals like wheat, rice, maize, and millets; pulses such as grams and lentils; spices like cumin, turmeric, coriander, cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves; oilseeds like groundnut, mustard, sesame, and soybean; along with fruits and vegetables consumed by people.
• Other crops are known as cash or commercial crops, including sugarcane, fibers like jute and cotton, rubber, tobacco, and beverages such as tea, coffee, and cocoa. These crops undergo processing before consumption and are often traded.

Food Crops

Among the significant food crops grown in India are rice, wheat, millets, maize, pulses, oilseeds, and spices.

Rice 

• Rice stands as the most crucial food crop in India, serving as the staple food for over half of the country’s population. Two to three rice crops are cultivated annually across extensive areas of India. Kharif rice, which makes up about 70% of total rice production, is harvested in early November. Rice grown during the rabi season contributes roughly 30% of the total rice yield, with planting occurring from November to January and harvesting in late April.
• Rice cultivation thrives with approximately 50 cm of rainfall, temperatures between 15°C and 30°C, and fertile alluvial clayey soils. It is primarily grown in the Northern Plains, coastal plains, delta regions, the eastern plateau, and the Brahmaputra valley in the northeast of India. Major producers include West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and Odisha.
• The cultivation process for rice is known as paddy transplantation, where seedlings grown in seedbeds are moved to water-rich fields. Rice farming is labor-intensive, with tasks like sowing, transplanting, weeding, and harvesting often done manually.
• In the 2021-22 period, India produced 130.3 million metric tons of rice, making it the second-largest rice producer globally. Byproducts like rice bran and husk are used to extract edible oil and serve as cattle fodder.

Wheat 

• Wheat is the staple food in northern, central, and western India, where it is predominantly grown. These regions have a sub-tropical to temperate climate, which, along with suitable soil, supports wheat cultivation. Wheat requires 20 cm to 50 cm of rainfall, lower temperatures between 13°C and 25°C, and loamy soil.
• Wheat is typically grown as a rabi crop in India, often with the aid of irrigation. While large machines like combine harvesters are commonly used in states like Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, manual labor is still employed in the hilly regions of Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh. Rajasthan and Gujarat are also significant wheat producers.
• During the 2021-22 period, India produced 109.59 million metric tons of wheat, placing it as the fourth-largest wheat producer in the world.
• Millets In regions where rainfall is less than 65 cm and the soil lacks fertility, millets are the primary kharif crop. India cultivates three main types of millets: jowar, bajra, and ragi. The Deccan Region, Gujarat, and Rajasthan are key millet-producing areas. In 2020-21, India was the world’s top producer of millets, with an output exceeding 13 million metric tons.
• Ragi, also known as finger millet, is primarily grown in the wetter southern regions of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, as well as in Uttarakhand. Bajra, or pearl millet, is cultivated on the less fertile soils of Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Rajasthan, while jowar, or sorghum, is grown more extensively across the Deccan Plateau, including in Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Haryana. Rajasthan leads in millet production.
• Millets thrive in drier regions with 40 cm to 50 cm of rainfall and can tolerate higher temperatures of 25°C to 30°C. They are adaptable to both light sandy soils and red and yellow soils. Due to their high nutrient content, millets are considered a superfood.

Maize 

• Maize is a significant crop both for food and fodder. It is ideally grown in the cooler uplands of the Himalayas and the moist regions of the middle and upper Ganga Plains. In India, maize is grown as a kharif crop in areas where wheat is also cultivated.
• Maize flourishes in conditions with temperatures ranging from 21°C to 27°C, 50 cm to 80 cm of rainfall, and well-drained loamy soils. Major maize-producing states include Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and eastern Rajasthan, followed by Maharashtra, Telangana, and Karnataka.

Pulses

• Pulses are grown throughout the country, with Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh being the leading producers. Common varieties include lentils like arhar, masur, urad, and moong, as well as peas, beans, and gram.
• India is the world’s largest producer and consumer of pulses, producing 26.96 million tonnes, accounting for about one-fifth of global pulse production.

Oilseeds 

• Oilseeds are extensively cultivated across many parts of India, particularly in the middle Ganga Plains and Peninsular India. The oil extracted from these seeds is used for both edible and industrial purposes.
• Key oilseeds include groundnuts, rapeseed, mustard, sesame, soybean, sunflower, safflower, linseed, and castor seed, which occupy a significant area under cultivation. In 2020-21, India produced over 36.5 million tonnes of oilseeds, making it the fourth-largest oilseed producer in the world, contributing 10% of global production. Major oilseed-producing states include Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat.

Spices 

• Spices serve both as food and cash crops, with India being the world’s largest producer, consumer, and exporter of spices. The most commonly produced spices include pepper, cardamom, chilli, ginger, turmeric, coriander, cumin, celery, fennel, fenugreek, garlic, nutmeg, mace, curry powder, and spice oils. Chilli, cumin, turmeric, ginger, and coriander alone account for about 76% of total spice production.
• The largest spice-producing states in India are Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Assam, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala. Spice production has been growing rapidly in recent years, reaching 10.7 million tonnes in 2020-21, with chilli being the most significant in terms of trade.

Cash Crops

India's major cash crops include sugarcane, coffee, tea, cotton, jute, and rubber.

Sugarcane 

• Sugarcane is a prominent cash crop in India, with an annual production exceeding 355 million tonnes and a record output of 500 million tonnes in 2021-22, making India the second-largest producer globally, after Brazil. 
• It thrives in the plains of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Punjab, and Bihar, with Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and Gujarat also being significant producers. 
• Sugarcane cultivation requires 70 cm to 120 cm of rainfall, temperatures between 20°C and 27°C, and soils like deep clayey loams, black cotton soils, and red and lateritic soils, often with irrigation. 
• The crop provides raw material for India's second-largest agro-based industry, used to produce sugar, gur, and khandsari. The byproduct, bagasse, is used for fertilizer, fodder, and paper production.

Coffee 

• India is among the top ten coffee producers globally, contributing about 3% of the world’s coffee output in 2020. The country produces two main types of coffee: Arabica, known for its mild aromatic flavor, and Robusta, recognized for its strong flavor. 
• Coffee cultivation primarily occurs in the southern plateau region on large plantations, where hilly, well-drained land is ideal. It grows best in temperatures between 14°C and 28°C, with 40 cm to 50 cm of rainfall and rich loamy soils, including volcanic, red, and lateritic soils. 
• Karnataka is the largest coffee producer, contributing about 70% of India’s total output, followed by Kerala (23%) and Tamil Nadu (6%). In 2020-21, India produced 354 million kilograms of coffee, much of which was exported.

Tea 

• India ranks as the second-largest tea producer in the world, known for some of the finest teas globally, which are major exports. The country also ranks among the top tea consumers, with 50% of the production consumed domestically. 
• Tea cultivation requires temperatures between 25°C and 30°C, rainfall of 100 cm to 250 cm, and acidic, well-drained soil with high fertility. The best tea is grown in Assam's Assam Valley and Cachar regions, as well as the Duars, Terai, and Darjeeling regions in West Bengal. 
• Southern India contributes about one-fifth of the country’s tea production, with Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka as key producers. In 2020-21, India's tea production reached 1,283 million kilograms.

Jute 

• Jute, often referred to as the golden fiber, is crucial for India's jute textile industry, one of the oldest industries in the country. Major jute-producing states include West Bengal, Assam, Bihar, Odisha, and Andhra Pradesh, with Mesta, a jute variety, now also cultivated in parts of Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, and Maharashtra. 
• Jute cultivation thrives in temperatures around 24°C, rainfall exceeding 150 cm, and well-drained alluvial or loamy soils. Jute is a natural, renewable, biodegradable, and eco-friendly material used to produce various products like hessian, sacking, yarn, carpet backing cloth, blankets, fabrics, floor coverings, and shopping bags. In 2020-21, jute production reached 9.56 million tonnes.

Cotton 

• Cotton, a plant that produces fibers for yarn and textiles, is India’s largest agro-based industry. With one-fourth of the global production, India is the second-largest producer of cotton fiber in the world. Cotton cultivation requires temperatures between 21°C and 27°C, 200 frost-free days, 50 cm to 100 cm of rainfall, and well-drained loamy or black volcanic soil. 
• It is grown over 11.7 million hectares in India, particularly thriving in the drier regions of the western Deccan with fertile black cotton soils. Gujarat and Maharashtra dominate cotton production, with Telangana, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh also being key producers, followed by Punjab, Tamil Nadu, and Madhya Pradesh. 
• In 2021-22, India’s total cotton production was 5.33 million metric tonnes, making it the third-largest exporter globally. After fiber extraction, cotton seeds are used for oil extraction and as fodder.

Rubber 

• Rubber is a cash crop grown in regions with a hot, wet, and humid climate. It is primarily cultivated on small holdings and plantations in Kerala, which produces most of India’s rubber. 
• Smaller amounts are produced in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Tripura, and the Garo hills of Meghalaya. India ranks third among natural rubber producers worldwide. 
• The latex extracted from rubber trees is used for various purposes, including the production of automobile tires, tubes, and other industrial products, as well as everyday items like erasers.

Types of Farming in India

India practices various types of farming based on factors such as land characteristics, climate, irrigation facilities, market access, and loan availability. The two main types of farming in India are subsistence farming and commercial farming.

Subsistence Farming 

Subsistence farming is primarily for the consumption of the farmers and their families. The farming is done using simple, traditional tools and mainly relies on organic fertilizers. There is usually little or no surplus for trade. This type of farming is characterized by small, scattered land holdings, where cereals like wheat, rice, and millets, along with some pulses, fruits, and vegetables, are grown.
Forms of subsistence farming include:

• Shifting Cultivation: Common in forested and tribal areas, particularly in the hilly northeastern states and parts of the Deccan Plateau in Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh. In this method, a piece of forest land is cleared using the slash-and-burn technique, and crops are grown for two to three years before the land is abandoned as soil fertility declines. The farmers then move to a new forest patch to repeat the process. Crops like paddy, maize, millets, and vegetables are commonly grown.
• Sedentary Primitive Farming: In this type, the same fields are cultivated repeatedly after a fallow period, with the community staying in one place. Organic fertilizers, such as animal manure, are used to enhance soil fertility, and some irrigation is necessary to grow crops year-round.
• Intensive Farming: Practiced in areas with scarce but fertile land and dense populations, this farming method involves maximizing production and yield per hectare through intensive cultivation methods, including the use of labor, fertilizers, high-yielding seeds, and irrigation. Intensive farming is common in West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, and Bihar.

Commercial Farming 

Commercial farming involves large-scale crop production or animal rearing for high yields, with a significant surplus for sale and export. This type of farming is more suitable for areas with moderate population density where large areas can be cultivated.
Forms of commercial farming include:

• Extensive Farming: Involves cultivating large pieces of land to produce significant yields. This modern farming system uses machines extensively and typically grows one major crop. It is common in Punjab and Haryana, where large farms focus on crops like wheat, which is the main crop, with other crops grown in rotation to enhance soil fertility.
• Mixed Farming: This involves both livestock rearing and crop cultivation together. It is common in parts of India where integrating livestock, fish, and crops helps maximize resource use and avoid dependence on a single produce. Livestock provides an additional source of income, and animal manure is used as an organic fertilizer.
• Animal Husbandry and Dairy Farming: Besides crop cultivation, Indian agriculture includes rearing animals for milk and meat. India has the largest cattle population in the world, with goats and sheep being the main animals reared in drier regions. Dairy farming has grown significantly since the launch of Operation Flood, making India the largest milk producer globally.
• Plantation Farming: Plantation farming involves growing and processing a single cash crop on a large scale, mainly for export. Common plantation crops in India include tea, coffee, rubber, sugarcane, and coconut. This type of farming is capital intensive, requiring large-scale use of fertilizers and pesticides to ensure good yields.

This variety of farming practices reflects the diversity of agricultural conditions across India, each adapted to the specific environmental and economic conditions of different regions.

Modern Agricultural Practices

Agriculture is a vital component of the Indian economy, serving as a source of food, raw materials for industries, income, and employment for nearly half of the population in 2021-22. It also plays a crucial role in earning foreign exchange through the export of agricultural products.
Since gaining independence, India has implemented various agrarian reforms to enhance agricultural practices:

• Land Reforms: Introduced during the five-year plans, these reforms aimed to abolish the zamindari system, end farmer exploitation and bonded labor, set tenancy rates, enable farmers to purchase the land they work on, distribute land to landless laborers, and consolidate fragmented land holdings.
• Financial Support: Government banks, regional rural development banks, credit societies, and cooperatives provide soft loans and credit facilities to farmers, encouraging them to adopt improved production techniques.
• Storage and Marketing: Facilities have been developed at the block level to enhance the marketing of agricultural produce, ensuring farmers receive better prices for their crops.

The Green Revolution

• The Intensive Agricultural Development Program of 1961 set the stage for the Green Revolution in India during the 1960s. Initiated by Dr. N.E. Borlaug, an American scientist and biologist, the Green Revolution transformed global agriculture, particularly wheat and rice production, through selective breeding.
• The Green Revolution focused on increasing agricultural production through technological advancements. Before this period, India's food production between 1947 and 1960 was so low that famine was a serious concern. The primary goal of the Green Revolution was to introduce high-yielding varieties (HYVs) of cereals like wheat and rice to boost food production, prevent famine, and alleviate poverty and malnutrition.
• Key aspects of the Green Revolution included:
  • The use of high-yielding and quick-maturing seed varieties.
  • Improved irrigation techniques and the utilization of groundwater resources to combat droughts and expand agricultural areas.
  • Establishing multipurpose projects to provide irrigation water during dry periods, control floods, prevent soil erosion, promote fish farming, and generate electricity for agricultural machinery.
  • The use of chemical fertilizers to enhance soil productivity and fertility.
  • The use of pesticides to prevent crop failure.
  • Increased mechanization in agriculture.
  • Rural electrification.
• The Green Revolution led to significant progress in modernizing agriculture in India. Government initiatives increased the production of rice, wheat, pulses, and other crops, leading to food self-sufficiency in the country.
• The White Revolution and Operation Flood: Launched in 1965, these initiatives improved milk and milk product production and processing standards. The National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) established milk cooperatives, such as Amul in Gujarat and Mother Dairy in Delhi, to modernize and strengthen the dairy industry in India.
• Agricultural Education and Meteorology: Agricultural universities and institutes are helping farmers improve various agricultural operations and supply chains. Knowledge is shared through media, digital platforms, and demonstration farms to educate farmers. Advances in meteorology and weather forecasting are prioritized to provide timely information to farmers, reducing risks and enabling timely interventions when needed.
• Digital Agricultural Mission: The digital agricultural mission focuses on using new digital technologies to accelerate and improve the efficiency of activities throughout the entire agricultural production chain. This initiative aims to:
  • Provide timely information and data to farmers.
  • Offer better insights into which crops are best suited for different regions.
  • Direct pesticides and fertilizers to areas in need.
  • Determine when and where water is required.
  • Promote best practices to maximize yields.
• This modernization of agriculture through digital tools and knowledge sharing is aimed at enhancing productivity and sustainability in Indian agriculture.