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The Indian population is mainly dependent on agriculture for its sustenance. There are almost two-thirds of the population engaged in agricultural activities. Although the contribution in this field is more significant than other sectors, the share in GDP is meagre compared to other sectors like industrial and service sectors. However, it is essential to know different types of farming and cereal production in India to gauge its potential in the agricultural sector.
What is the basic farming system in India?
Farming involves cultivating crops for some commercial or non-commercial purposes. India is a vast region, and there are various food and non-food production in three seasons, i.e., Rabi, Kharif, and Zaid season. Rabi crops are also known as winter crops, including wheat, mustard, peas, etc. Rabi crops require less amount of water and irrigation in comparison to Kharif crops. On the other hand, Kharif crops are monsoon crops, including rice, groundnuts, cotton, millets, etc. These crops require a large amount of water and irrigation facilities. The last cropping season in India is about the Zaid season that includes cultivating some seasonal fruits and vegetables.
What are Different Types of Farming?
Agriculture in India has been practised since old age. Various factors determine the basis of farming. Factors like physical environment and various socio-cultural practises determine the type of farming. We can see the following types of farming in India.
Subsistence Farming:
It is nothing but hand-to-mouth farming. This farming is not for commercial purposes. The production is entirely for the farmer and his family; there would be no surplus production to sell. There are small and fragmented landholdings with primitive methods of cultivation. It does not involve modern equipment or technologies like tractors, chemical fertilisers, pesticides, and insecticides. Farmers use primitive tools like digging sticks, hoe, and other tools. It is mainly dependent on the monsoon.
Types of Subsistence Farming:
Primitive Subsistence Farming:
It involves cultivation in small patches of land with primitive technologies. The cultivation is dependent on monsoon, natural fertility, and other environmental conditions. There is no surplus production of crops, maintained only for self-consumption. It leads to static economic growth and does not lead to an increase in GDP growth.
Intensive Subsistence Farming:
In this type of agriculture, more labour is involved in a small patch of land. It is due to more pressure on land due to the increasing population. Therefore, there are more people in a small patch of land.
Shifting Agriculture:
It is a type of agriculture that aims to maintain or increase soil fertility. For the same purpose, farmers practice field rotation practice. This includes the method of slash and burn. Once in a small patch of land, they will grow crops and vegetables, and after two to three years, they cut or slash the trees and burn the remaining vegetation to increase the potassium level of soil through ashes. The essential feature of shifting cultivation involves modern agricultural techniques, unlike subsistence farming. It includes inputs like High-Yielding Variety Seeds, insecticides, pesticides, and chemical fertilisers. There is no ploughing in this type of farming, and seeds are directly sown in the soil. The rotation of the field is the main feature of this agriculture.
Dryland Farming:
Farming is practised in an area where the rainfall is less than 750 mm. It revolves around arid and semi-arid regions in India like Rajasthan, Maharashtra, some areas of Madhya Pradesh, some parts of Gujarat, southern Haryana, and some areas of Karnataka. There is an inferior moisture content of the soil. Therefore, only one crop can be grown in such areas. There are practises of saving water and using it efficiently with proper cropping and irrigation systems. It has a typical cropping pattern that includes millets, coarse grains, pulses, etc.
Wetland Farming:
It is a farming system conducted mainly in alluvial soil with an annual rainfall of more than 200 mm. If there is enough moisture in the soil, it is easy to conduct wetland farming. In India, it is mainly practised in West Bengal, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Assam, Tripura, Manipur, and Malabar coast. Rice, sugarcane, and jute are the main crops in this type of farming.
Mixed Farming:
It involves crop production with livestock rearing. There is the involvement of crop production with livestock raising to increase or add an increment in the income. There is crop forestry, horticulture, paddy with fish rearing, etc. Odisha and Kerala are mainly involved in this farming system. It is considered the most efficient way of farming which is more in demand in urban markets. The crops mainly cultivated in this farming system are Wheat, Oats, Barley, etc. Farmers also practice rotation of crops and grow potatoes, cereals, and legumes. This increases the soil productivity and fertility for the next cropping season.
Plantation Cropping:
This farming mainly involves the growth of cash crops or commercial crops. These crops can be sold in the commercial markets for additional income. This farming is suitable for a country like India to sustain its increasing population. Kerala, Karnataka, and Maharashtra follow such a cropping pattern. It is highly labour-intensive, and massive mechanised technologies can be used in this production.
Cereals Productions in India:
Cereals cover nearly about 54% of total production in India. In comparison to the world, there is 3rd rank of India in cereal production which accounts for around 11% of total production globally. The cereals in India are classified as coarse grains and fine grains.
- Rice: Rice is produced in a region with high humidity. It suits deep clayey and loamy soil. The rainfall of 150-300 cm is suitable for this crop. Top rice-producing states are West Bengal, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, and Bihar. The staple food of the majority of the population in India is rice. India is the second-largest producer in the world.
- Wheat: It is sown in temperatures between 10–26-degree regions. The rainfall of around 75-100 cm is suitable for this crop. Fertile loamy and clayey soil with high fertility is the best environment for wheat production. Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Haryana are the top wheat producers.
- Maize: Old alluvial from Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and Madhya Pradesh is suitable for this crop. A temperature between 21-27 degrees is suitable for maize. India stands seventh in the world in maize production.
- Pulses: Sand and loamy soil with 25-60 cm rainfall will lead to the production of pulses. India is the largest producer of pulses in the world. It is the primary source of protein for consumers in India. There is a high-quality product in this crop, and therefore India is a leading producer of the same.
Conclusion
In India, more than two-thirds of the population is dependent on agriculture. It is a primary activity. Here, people are dependent on nature directly to carry out the farming process. As India has a high rate of population growth, subsistence farming is practised on a large scale. It involves growing flowers, fruits and vegetables & rearing livestock animals such as cows, goats, sheep, etc. Due to India’s geographical location, certain parts experience different climates, thus affecting each region’s agricultural productivity differently. Farming also depends upon the demand for a product, labour, and level of technology. India is a vast region, and there are various food and non-food production in three seasons, i.e., Rabi, Kharif, and Zaid season. Rabi crops are also known as winter crops, including wheat, mustard, peas, etc. Rabi crops require less amount of water and irrigation in comparison to Kharif crops. On the other hand, Kharif crops are monsoon crops, including rice, groundnuts, cotton, millets, etc. These crops require a large amount of water and irrigation facilities. The last cropping season in India is about the Zaid season that includes cultivating some seasonal fruits and vegetables.
