Various types of agriculture farming in India

Dr. Hannah Krujia

ACTO Agronomy, KVK Phek

 

India has a long agricultural history, which dates back approximately ten thousand years. Today, India has the 2nd highest crop output in the world. Different types of Farming Systems in India are strategically utilised, according to the locations where they are most suitable. The farming systems that significantly contribute to the agriculture of India are subsistence farming, organic farming and commercial farming. Regions throughout India differ in types of farming they use, some are based on horticulture, ley farming, agroforestry, and many more. Due to India’s geographical location, certain parts experience different climates, thus affecting each region’s agricultural productivity differently. India is very dependent on its monsoon cycle for large crop yields. Based primarily on nature of land, climatic characteristics and available irrigational facilities, the farmers in India practise different types of farming.

 

1. Shifting Agriculture: In this type of agriculture, first of all a piece of forest land is cleared by felling trees and burning of trunks and branches. After the land is cleared, crops are grown for two to three years and then the land is abandoned as the fertility of the soil decreases. The farmers then move to new areas and the process is repeated. Dry paddy, maize, millets and vegetables are the crops commonly grown in this type of farming. This is practiced in most parts of India especially North East Region.

2. Subsistence Agriculture: In subsistence agriculture, farmer and his family produce cereals for themselves only or for local market. It is characterised by small and scattered land holdings and use of primitive tools. As the farmers are poor, they do not use fertilisers and high yielding variety of seeds in their fields to the extent they should do. Cereals like wheat, rice, millets are mainly raised.

 

3. Intensive Farming: Intensive farming aims at maximum possible production on the limited farms with all efforts possible under the circumstances. It is capable of raising more than one crop a year and huge capital and human labour is employed on every hectare of land. It is practiced in most parts of densely populated areas.

 

4. Extensive Farming: It is the modern system of farming done on large farms also known as mechanical farming due to extensive use of machines. Extensive farm raises only one crop a year and employment of labour and capital per hectare of land is comparatively less.

 

5. Plantation Agriculture: In plantation agriculture, bush or tree farming is done on huge areas. It is capital centered and needs good managerial ability, technical knowledge, improved machineries, fertilizers, irrigation and transport facilities. A particular or single sown crop like rubber, tea, coconut, coffee, cocoa, spices and fruit crops etc. is sown and the yield is generally obtained continuously for a number of years. Plantation agriculture is export oriented agriculture. Most of the crops grown in plantation agriculture have a life cycle of more than two years. It is practiced in Kerala, Karnataka, Assam and Maharashtra.

 

6. Commercial Agriculture: Commercial Agriculture is practiced to raise crops on a large scale with a view to export them to other countries and earn money. This type of agriculture farming is done mostly in sparsely populated areas. Gujarat, Punjab, Haryana and Maharashtra, mainly practice this type of farming. Wheat, cotton, sugarcane, corn etc. are some of the commercial crops.

 

7. Dry Land Farming: Dry farming or dry-land farming may be defined as a practice of growing crops without irrigation in areas which receive an annual rainfall of 750 mm – 500 mm or even less. In dry land farming, moisture is maintained by raising special type of crops. Gram, jowar, bajra and peas are such crops which need less water. It is practiced in low rainfall areas or where there is inadequate irrigation facility. This is practiced in dry areas of the country such as western, north-western India and central India.

 

8. Wet Land Farming: Wet land farming depends mainly upon rains, so it is practiced in high rainfall or well irrigated areas. In this type of farming rice, jute and sugarcane are grown. This type of farming is prevalent in the north, north-eastern India and on the slopes of the Western Ghats. On the basis of seasons, crops grown in India can be classified as follows—

 

(i) Kharif: Kharif crops are grown with the start of monsoon till the beginning of winter (June-July to October-November).

Rice, maize, millets, cotton, groundnut, moong, urad etc. are kharif crops.

 

(ii) Rabi: Rabi crops are sown with the start of winter till the beginning of summer (October-November to March-April).

Wheat, barley, gram and oilseeds are rabi crops.

 

(iii) Zaid: Zaid crops are grown in short season of summer. Watermelon and cucumbers are zaid crops.

 

9. Terrace Agriculture: The hill and mountain slopes are cut to form terraces and the land is used in the same way as in permanent agriculture. Due to scarcity of the availability of flat land, terraces are made to provide small patch of level land. Soil erosion is also checked due to terrace formation on hill slopes.

 

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