🌾 Introduction
Land and agriculture are vital for India’s economy. Agriculture provides livelihood to over 50% of the population and plays a key role in food security and rural development.
🌍 Land Use Categories in India
The land use in India is classified under the following categories:
- Forests
- Land put to non-agricultural uses
- Barren and wasteland
- Pastures and grazing land
- Land under miscellaneous tree crops
- Culturable waste land
- Fallow lands (current and other)
- Net sown area
🔄 Land Use Changes in India
Over time, there has been a significant increase in land under non-agricultural use and decrease in cultivable land due to urbanization, industrialization, and infrastructure development. (1)a size of the economy (2)the composition of the economy (3)continued pressure on agricultural land
👥 Common Property Resources (CPRs)
CPRs include grazing lands, village ponds, forest areas, and water bodies. These are used collectively by the community. CPRs are essential for rural livelihood, especially for landless and marginal farmers.
🌱 Cropping Seasons
- Kharif: Sown with the beginning of monsoon (e.g., rice, maize)
- Rabi: Sown in winter (e.g., wheat, barley)
- Zaid: Short season between rabi and kharif (e.g., watermelon)
🌾 Major Crops and Cultivation
- Rice: Grown in eastern and southern India; requires high temperature and heavy rainfall.
- Wheat: Grown in Punjab, Haryana, UP; requires cool climate and moderate rainfall.
- Cotton: Black soil regions of Maharashtra and Gujarat; requires high temperature and light rainfall.
- Tea: Grown in Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu; needs humid climate and hilly terrain.
- Coffee: Karnataka, Kerala; grows best on hill slopes with moderate rainfall.
- Sugarcane: Grown in UP, Maharashtra; needs hot climate and fertile soil with high irrigation.
🌾 Agricultural Development in India
India has shifted from traditional subsistence farming to commercial and mechanized agriculture. Modern inputs like fertilizers, irrigation, HYV seeds, and agricultural research have improved production. Government schemes and rural credit facilities also support farmers.
🌿 Green Revolution
The Green Revolution started in the 1960s, especially in Punjab, Haryana, and Western UP. It introduced high-yielding seeds, chemical fertilizers, and irrigation. It significantly boosted food grain production but also led to regional disparity, environmental degradation, and overuse of chemicals.
⚠️ Problems of Indian Agriculture
- Fragmented land holdings
- Dependence on monsoon
- Low productivity and soil erosion
- Inadequate irrigation and poor infrastructure
- Lack of access to credit and technology
- Post-harvest losses and storage issues
- Land degradation and declining fertility
✅ Conclusion
Sustainable agricultural practices, modernization, and land reform are crucial to improve the livelihood of farmers and ensure food security for India’s growing population.