Agriculture - 2 | SSC CGL Tier 2 - Study Material, Online Tests, Previous Year PDF Download

5. CASH CROPS

• Cash crops are crops that are grown for sale in the market. E.g. Cotton, jute, tobacco, castor, oilseeds, sugarcane etc.
• They occupy only about 15 percent of cropped area but account for over 40 percent of agriculture production by value.

Cotton

• Cotton is chiefly a tropical and sub-tropical crop.
• Temperature: Between 21-30°C
• Rainfall: Around 50-100 cm
• Soil Type: Well drained deep black soils (regur-lava soil) of the Deccan Plateau, Malwa Plateau and those of Gujarat are best suited for cotton cultivation.
• It is a tropical and subtropical crop grown in the kharif season in semi-arid areas of the country.
• India grows both short staple (Indian) cotton as well as long staple (American) cotton called ‘Narma’ in north-western parts of the country
• Cotton occupies about 4.7 per cent of the total cropped area in the country.
• India is the Largest producer of cotton. (2018-19)
• Almost 65 per cent of the area under cotton is rainfed with erratic and poorly distributed rains. It is also subjected to severe attack of pests and diseases.
• There are three cotton growing areas, i.e. parts of Punjab, Haryana and northern Rajasthan in north-west, Gujarat and Maharashtra in the west and plateaus of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
• Largest producer is Gujarat followed by Maharashtra. (2018-19)
• Labor – Since picking of cotton is not yet mechanized, a lot of cheap and efficient labour is required.
  

BT in Bt Cotton refers to the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis. This bacterium produces a toxin known as Bt toxin, which is harmful to specific pests, particularly bollworms that afflict cotton crops. Genetic modification is employed to introduce this trait from Bacillus thuringiensis into cotton. The initial testing of Bt cotton took place in the U.S.A., and it began cultivation there in 1995. Subsequently, China adopted Bt cotton cultivation in 1997, and India followed suit in 2002. 

Jute

• Jute is the second most important fiber crop in India after cotton.
• Humid climate (120-150 cm) with 80-90 percent relative humidity during the period of its growth.
• It is a cash crop in West Bengal and adjoining eastern parts of the country.
• India lost large jute growing areas to East Pakistan (Bangladesh) during partition.
• At present, India produces about three-fifth of jute production of the world.
• West Bengal accounts for about three-fourth of the production in the country. Bihar and Assam are other jute growing areas.
• Just like cotton, jute also exhausts the fertility of soil rapidly. It is necessary that the soil is replenished annually by the silt-laden flood water of the rivers.
• Large supply of cheap labor and lot of water are necessary for processing the jute fiber post-harvest.
• Over 99 per cent of the total jute of India is produced in just five states of West Bengal, Bihar, Assam, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha.
• Being concentrated only in a few states, this crop accounts for only about 0.5 per cent of the total cropped area in the country.
• Jute is used for making coarse cloth, bags, sacks and decorative items.

 Sugarcane

• Temperature: Between 21-27°C with hot and humid climate.
• Rainfall: Around 75-100 cm.
• Soil Type: Deep rich loamy soil.
• Sugarcane is a crop of tropical areas. Under rainfed conditions, it is cultivated in sub-humid and humid climates. But it is largely an irrigated crop in India.
• India became the largest sugarcane producer in 2018-19, beats brazil for first time in 16 years.
• In the Indo-Gangetic plain, its cultivation is largely concentrated in Uttar Pradesh.
• Sugarcane growing area in western India is spread over Maharashtra and Gujarat.

Why is the sugar industry shifting from northern to peninsular India?

• The tropical climate of Peninsular India results in higher yield per unit hectare of land.
• Higher sucrose content in peninsular cane as here grows tropical varieties of Sugarcane. Tropical sugarcane areas are the northern plains.
• Sub-tropical variety has low sugar content.
• Sugar factories shut in winter. From northern plains the factories shifted to Punjab, Haryana, South India and Western India.
• Long crushing season in the south.
• Cooperative sugar mills are more successful in management in south India.

6. PLANTATION CROP

A plantation is a large-scale estate meant for farming that specializes in cash crops. The crops that are grown include cotton, coffee, tea, cocoa, sugar cane, sisal, oil seeds, oil palms, fruits, rubber trees and forest trees.

Tea

Cofee

• It is indigenous to Abyssinia Plateau (Ethiopia).
• Coffee was first raised in the Baba Budan Hills of Karnataka. British planters established large coffee estates in 1820s near Chikmagalur (Karnataka), Wayanad, Shevoroys and Nilgiris in TN.

In wetland agriculture, the precipitation exceeds the plants' soil moisture needs during the rainy season, leading to potential risks of flooding and soil erosion. These areas cultivate water-intensive crops like rice, jute, and sugarcane, while also engaging in aquaculture in freshwater bodies.

Rubber

• Rubber is obtained from the latex of Hevea brasiliensis and many other tropical trees. It begins to yield latex in 5-7 years after planting.
• Hevea brasiliensis requires hot (25°-35°C) and humid climate (200 cm). The rainfall should be well distributed throughout the year.
• Deep well drained loamy soils are best suited for rubber plantations.
• Almost entire rubber is produced in Kerala (92%), Tamil Nadu (3%) and Karnataka (2%) and Tripura (2%) is the fourth largest producer. Andaman & Nicobar Islands also produce small quantities of rubber.

7. SPICES

• Pepper, cardamom, chillies, turmeric, ginger are some of the important spices produced in India. They are used for flavoring foodstuffs.
• Well drained sandy, clayey or red loams and laterites are best suited soils for the cultivation of most of the spices mentioned above.
• These soil conditions exist predominantly in the hilly regions of Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
• India is an exporter of spices. There has been a constant increase in area and production of spices in India.

8. HORTICULTURE

• Second only to China, India holds the position of the world's second-largest producer of fruits and vegetables.
• The horticulture sector makes a substantial contribution, accounting for approximately 25-30 percent of the agricultural GDP.
• India stands as the leading global producer of bananas and mangoes.

Crop Diversification

It refers to a shift from the regional dominance of one crop to production of a number of crops.

 Why is it Needed?

• Maintaining soil fertility: Only those crops are grown in a particular region which are suitable to a particular agro climate zone and it helps in maintaining soil fertility because excessive use of nutrients, irrigation is not required.
• To arrest depletion of groundwater: It will help in diversifying cropping patterns from water guzzling crops such as paddy to pulses, oilseeds, maize with the aim of tackling the problem of depleting water tables.
• Diversification can also provide habitat for beneficial insects and at the same time reduce colonization by pests.
• Additional employment opportunities
• Reducing risk from agriculture sector
• Insurance against vagaries of nature, pests etc.
• Higher level of income – reduction in poverty (SDG-1)

 Meaning and Reasons for Diversification of Agricultural Activities

It means reducing the share of labour force in agriculture sector and finding employment in Non- farm activities

Reasons

1. To Reduce Risk of Earning from Agriculture Sector
2. To Give Wider Choice

Types of Farming

On the basis of main source of moisture for crops, the farming can be classified as-

Main source of moisture

1. Irrigated
2. Rainfed

Irrigated farming can be of two types –

• Protective
• Productive

Climate Smart Agriculture

• According to the World bank, Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) is an integrated approach to managing landscapes – cropland, livestock, forests and fisheries – that address the interlinked challenges of food security and climate change.
• Climate Smart Agriculture also known as Climate Resilient Agriculture. It is the development of agriculture under new realities of climate change.
• “Agriculture that sustainably increases productivity, enhances resilience (adaptation), reduces/removes GHGs (mitigation) where possible, and enhances achievement of national food security and development goals” – FAO

Climate-smart agriculture helps in the following ways:

• Triple win-increase yield
• Make yield resilient
• Make farm a solution to climate changes problem
• Reduction and removal of GHGs
• Would help in achieving SDGs and food security.
• Adapt and build resilience to climate change
• Reduce and/or remove greenhouse gas emissions, where possible.

Practices under Climate smart Agriculture:

• Minimum soil disturbance
• Zero tillage is ideal, but the system may involve controlled tillage in which no more than 20 to 25% of the soil surface is disturbed.
• Retention of crop residues or other soil surface cover
• Use of crop rotations – Crop rotation helps reduce build-up of weeds, pests and diseases. Where farmers do not have enough land to rotate crops, intercropping can be used. Legumes are recommended as rotational crops for their nitrogen-fixing functions.
• Increasing organic content of soil
• Promoting carbon soil capture

 Key initiatives

• Paramparagat Krishi vikas yojana
• Soil health cards
• PM Fasal Bima Yojana
• PM Krishi sinchai yojana
• National mission for sustainable agriculture
• National Initiative on Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA)
• National Adaptation Fund
• National and State Action Plan on Climate Change.

Impact of climate change on agri.

• Less agri. production
• rural and farmers distress
• depletes natural resources
• droughts & heatwaves
• hits poor’s most
• 5% loss in GDP

The Integrated Farming System

• Integrated Farming refers to an agriculture system that integrates livestock and crop production. It is also called an Integrated Biosystem.
  • Crop
  • Farming
  • Livestock
•  The Integrated Farming system has revolutionized conventional farming of livestock, aquaculture, horticulture, agro-industry and allied activities.
• It is a combined approach aimed at efficient sustainable resource management for increased productivity in the cropping system.
• The IFS approach has multiple objectives of sustainability, food security, farmer’s security and poverty reduction by involving livestock, vermicomposting, organic farming etc.
• IFS provides multiple benefits that are sustainable and can pave the way for climate-smart agriculture. India needs to adopt a “well designed” Integrated Farming System (IFS) to realize the vision of doubling farmers’ income by 2022 (Ashok Dalwai Committee) and having sustainable agricultural practices

 Integrated Farming

• Climate change and air quality
• Organization and Planning
• Crop health and protection
• Crop Nutrition
• Human and Social Capital
• Waste Management and pollution control
• Landscape and Nature conservation
• Animal husbandry and animal welfare
• Energy Efficiency
• Water Use and Protection
• Soil Management

Irrigation

• Irrigation is described as the artificial application of water to the land or soil.
• It is the substitute or supplement of rainwater with another source of water.

Irrigation

• Tanks
• Drip irrigation
• River Lift Systems
• Wells
• Canals

Well and Tube Well Irrigation:

• Wells are mainly found in P., Bihar, Tamil Nadu, etc.
• There are various types of wells – shallow wells, deep wells, tube wells, artesian wells, etc. From the shallow wells water is not always available as the level of water goes down during the dry months.
• Deep wells are more suitable for the purpose of irrigation as water from them is available throughout the year.
• At places where groundwater is available, a tube well can be installed near the agricultural area. A deep tube well worked by electricity, can irrigate a much larger area than a surface well.
• Tube wells are mostly used in P., Haryana, Punjab, Bihar and Gujarat.

Canal Irrigation:

• Canals can be an effective source of irrigation in areas of low-level relief, deep fertile soils, perennial source of water and extensive command area.
• Therefore, the main concentration of canal irrigation is in the northern plain of India, especially the areas comprising Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Punjab.
• The digging of canals in rocky and uneven areas is difficult and uneconomic. Thus, canals are practically absent from the Peninsular plateau area. However, the coastal and the delta regions in South India do have some canals for irrigation.

• Two types: Inundation canals, which are taken out from the rivers without any regulating system like weirs etc. at their head. Such canals provide irrigation mainly in the rainy season when the river is in flood and there is excess water.
• Perennial Canals are those which are taken off from perennial rivers by constructing a barrage across the river. Most of the canals in India are perennial.

Tanks Irrigation:

• A tank is developed by constructing a small bund of earth or stones built across a stream. The water impounded by the bund is used for irrigation and other purposes. Tank comprises an important source of irrigation in the Karnataka Plateau, MP, Maharashtra, Odisha, Kerala Bundelkhand area of MP, Rajasthan and Gujarat.

Drip irrigation:

• In drip irrigation, water is applied near the plant root through emitters or drippers, on or below the soil surface, at a low rate varying from 2-20 liters per hour. The soil moisture is kept at an optimum level with frequent irrigations.
• Among all irrigation methods, drip irrigation is the most efficient and can be practiced for a large variety of crops, especially in vegetables, orchard crops, flowers and plantation crops.

Sprinkler Irrigation:

• In this method, water is sprayed into the air and allowed to fall on the ground surface somewhat resembling rainfall. The spray is developed by the flow of water under pressure through small orifices or nozzles.
• The sprinkler irrigation system is a very suitable method for irrigation on uneven lands and on shallow soils.
• Nearly all crops are suitable for sprinkler irrigation systems except crops like paddy, jute, etc.
• The dry crops, vegetables, flowering crops, orchards, plantation crops like tea, coffee are all suitable and can be irrigated through sprinklers.

Fertigation:

• Fertigation is a method of fertilizer application in which fertilizer is incorporated within the irrigation water by the drip system.
• In this system fertilizer solution is distributed evenly in irrigation. The availability of nutrients is very high therefore the efficiency is more.
• In this method liquid fertilizer as well as water soluble fertilizers are used. By this method, fertilizer use efficiency is increased from 80 to 90 per cent.

Advantages of fertigation

• Nutrients and water are supplied near the active root zone through fertigation which results in greater absorption by the crops.
• As water and fertilizer are supplied evenly to all the crops through fertigation there is possibility for getting 25-50 per cent higher yield.
• Fertilizer use efficiency through fertigation ranges between 80-90 per cent, which helps to save a minimum of 25 per cent of nutrients.
• By this way, along with less amount of water and saving of fertilizer, time, labour and energy use is also reduced substantially.

Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY)

PMKSY envisages amalgamation of –

• Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP) of the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation (MoWR RD & GR)
• Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP) of Department of Land Resources (DoLR)
• On Farm Water Management (OFWM) of Department of Agriculture and Cooperation (DAC)

Objectives:

• Achieve convergence of investments in irrigation at the field level
• Har Khet ko pani – Expand cultivable area under assured irrigation
• More crop per drop – Improve on-farm water use efficiency to reduce wastage of water & enhance the adoption of precision-irrigation and other water saving technologies
• Enhance recharge of aquifers and introduce sustainable water conservation practices by exploring the feasibility of reusing treated municipal based water for peri-urban agriculture
• Attract greater private investment in precision irrigation systems.

 Salient features

• Decentralized State level planning and projectized execution’ structure, in order to allow States to draw up a District Irrigation Plan (DIP) and a State Irrigation Plan (SIP). These plans need to be prepared in order to access PMKSY fund.
• It will be supervised and monitored by Inter-Ministerial National Steering Committee (NSC) under PM with Union Ministers of all concerned Ministries. A National Executive Committee (NEC) is to be constituted under the Chairmanship of the Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog to oversee programme implementation.
• PMKSY has been formulated amalgamating ongoing schemes Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP); Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP); and On Farm Water Management (OFWM) component of National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA).
• Water budgeting is done for all sectors namely, household, agriculture and industries.
• Investments will happen at farm level. So, farmers know what is happening and can provide valuable feedback.
• Recently, Long Term Irrigation Fund has been instituted under PMKSY in NABARD for funding and fast tracking the implementation of incomplete major and medium irrigation projects.

National Watershed Project

• Watershed project involves conservation, regeneration and judicious use of all the resources like land, water, plants, animals and humans within the watershed area.
• The National Watershed Project also known as Neeranchal. National Watershed Project is a World Bank assisted watershed management project.
• The objective of this project is to support Integrated Watershed Management Program (IWMP) through technical assistance to improve incremental conservation outcomes for the natural resources including water, soil and forests while enhancing agricultural yields in a sustainable manner for farming communities.
• Water-stressed regions of India such as Northwest India, Vidarbha region of Maharashtra etc. are prone to drought and water scarcity thus affecting the agricultural production in the regions. The National Watershed Project has the potential in increasing agricultural production in these regions.

Soil Nutrition

Nutrition provided to the soil plays an important role in soil fertility and productivity. It can be provided through Manure or fertilizer. However, fertilizer is more commonly used.

Sustainable Practices of Soil Nutrition

Organic farming:

• Organic farming can be defined as an agricultural process that uses biological fertilizers and pest control acquired from animal or plant waste.
• Advantages of Organic Farming:
• Economical– In organic farming no expensive fertilizers, pesticides, HYV seeds are required for the plantation of crops. Therefore, no extra expense.
• Good return on Investment– With the usage of cheaper and local inputs, a farmer can make a good return on investment.
• High Demand– There is a huge demand for the organic product in India and across the globe, generating more income through export.
• Nutritional – As compared to chemical and fertilizer utilized products, organic products are more nutritional, tasty, and good for health.
• Environment-Friendly – The farming of organic products is free of chemicals and fertilizers, so it doesn’t harm the environment.
• Disadvantages:
• Incompetent – The major issue of organic farming is the lack of Inadequate infrastructure and marketing of the product.
• Less production– The organic farming products are lesser in the initial years as compared to the chemical product. So, the farmers find it difficult to accommodate large scale production.
• Shorter shelf-life– Organic products have more flaws and shorter shelf life than the chemical product.( organic fruits and vegetables aren’t treated with waxes or preservatives, they may spoil faster.)
• Limited production– Off-season crops are limited and have fewer choices in organic farming.
• As the yield productivity is less in organic farming the cost of food is very high.

Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana:

• To promote natural resource based integrated and climate resilient sustainable farming
• To reduce the cost of agriculture to farmers through sustainable integrated organic farming systems thereby enhancing farmer’s net income per unit of land.
• To protect the environment from hazardous inorganic chemicals by adoption of eco-friendly low-cost traditional techniques and farmer friendly technologies.
• To empower farmers through their own institutional development in the form of clusters and groups with capacity to manage production, processing, value addition and certification management.
• To make farmers entrepreneurs through direct market linkages with local and national markets

 Zero budget natural Farming (ZBNF):

• Zero budget natural farming is a method of chemical-free agriculture drawing from traditional Indian practices.
• It was originally promoted by agriculturist Subhash Palekar, who developed it in the mid-1990s as an alternative to the Green Revolution’s methods that are driven by chemical fertilizers and pesticides and intensive irrigation.
• Andhra Pradesh has pledged to switch to ZBNF by 2024 and govt’s support.

ZBNF is based on 4 pillars:

Jeevamrutha :- It is a mixture of fresh cow dung and aged cow urine (both from India’s indigenous cow breed), jaggery, pulse flour, water and soil; to be applied on farmland

Bijamrita :- It is a concoction of neem leaves & pulp, tobacco and green chilies prepared for insect and pest management, that can be used to treat seeds.

Acchadana (Mulching) :- It protects topsoil during cultivation and does not destroy it

Whapasa :- It is the condition where there are both air molecules and water molecules present in the soil.

Seeds: Present Scenario and Measures

• Among the various inputs required for crop production, Seed is the most basic and vital one, hence timely availability of good quality seeds is the deciding factor in the growth of the agriculture sector in India.
• Issues involved in acquiring quality seeds:
• The high cost of hybrid as well as genetically modified seeds especially with respect to the seeds of commercial crops.
• Introduction of some spurious seeds by some private companies in the market.
• High fertilizer and irrigation requirement of hybrid seeds.
• Requirement of a special environment by genetically modified seeds to germinate.
• Due to the huge demand supply gap, India suffers from a dismal seed Replacement Ratio.

 Seed replacement Ratio (SRR): Seed Replacement Rate (SSR) or Seed Replacement Ratio is a measure of how much of the total cropped area was sown with certified seeds in comparison to farm saved seeds

 Government Measures under Seed mission:

• To ensure easy availability of high-quality certified seeds at reasonable prices to farmers, the agriculture ministry has launched the National Mission on Seeds for the 12th Plan Period.
• To increase production of certified quality seeds
• To enhance the seed replacement rate (SRR).
• To upgrade quality of farm saved seeds
• To establish a seed reserve at regional levels to meet requirement during natural calamities
• Up-gradation of public sector seed producing agencies

 What needs to be done?

• The government should prepare and monitor seed production and formulate a supply plan for meeting the requirement of seeds according to the season.
• With the help of proper extension service government can make farmers aware of the value of SRR in the productivity of crops especially in case of pulses.
• The government should increase its contribution in production as well in distribution of good quality seeds to the farmers as compared to the contribution of private seed companies, so that the farmers are ensured of getting good quality seeds at a reasonable price.
• The government should make such policies that allow regular check on black marketing of seeds.
• The government should promote the concept of “Zero Budget Natural Farming” in which quality seeds are developed by farmers themselves.