TOPIC: AGRICULTURE
SUB TOPICS:
1. WHAT IS AGRICULTURE?
2. TYPES OF FARMING
3. CROPPING PATTERN
4. MAJOR CROPS
5. TECHNOLOGICAL AND INSTITUTIONAL REFORMS
6. IMPACT OF GLOBALISATION ON AGRICULTURE
•What is Agriculture :
● Agriculture is the systematic practice of cultivating land to grow crops and rearing
animals to produce food, raw materials, and other essential products required for
human survival.
● It is a purposeful human activity that uses natural resources such as soil, water, and
sunlight to produce usable goods.
● In India, nearly two-thirds of the population depends directly or indirectly on
agriculture for their livelihood.
● Agriculture also provides economic advantage by contributing to national income,
supporting employment, and supplying raw materials to industries, thereby
strengthening the overall economy.
•Types Of Farming:
The types of farming are:
1.Primitive Subsistence Farming:
● Primitive subsistence farming is one of the oldest forms of agriculture and is still
practiced in certain parts of India. This type of farming is carried out on small patches
of land using very basic and traditional tools such as the hoe, dow, and digging
sticks, and relies mainly on family or community labor rather than hired workers.
● This farming method is highly dependent on the monsoon, the natural fertility of the
soil, and other environmental conditions such as rainfall, sunlight, and local climate.
Farmers cultivate crops primarily for their own family’s consumption rather than for
commercial purposes.
● A characteristic feature of primitive subsistence agriculture is slash-and-burn
cultivation. In this system, farmers clear a patch of forested or uncultivated land by
cutting and burning vegetation. They then grow cereals and other food crops on this
land. Once the soil loses its fertility, farmers move to a new patch of land, allowing
the abandoned area to naturally regenerate its fertility over time. Because this
method does not involve the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, or modern
machinery, the productivity of the land remains low.
● This type of cultivation has been known by different local names across India. For
example:
● Jhumming in Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Nagaland
, ● Pamlou in Manipur
● Dipa in Bastar, Chhattisgarh
● Podu or Penda in Andhra Pradesh
● Pama dabi, Koman, or Bringa in Odisha
● Kumari in the Western Ghats
● Valre or Waltare in southeastern Rajasthan
● Khil in the Himalayan belt
● Kurwa in Jharkhand
● Globally, slash-and-burn agriculture is also recognized by other names:
● Milpa in Mexico and Central America
● Conuco in Venezuela
● Roca in Brazil
● Masole in Central Africa
● Ladang in Indonesia
● Ray in Vietnam
● Primitive subsistence farming reflects a close relationship between humans and
nature, emphasizing sustainability, low-input farming, and adaptation to local
environmental conditions.
2.Intensive Subsistence Farming:
● Intensive subsistence farming is practiced in areas where there is high population
pressure on land.
● In such regions, land is scarce, and farmers must maximize output from every
available plot, because they cannot afford to leave land uncultivated.
● This type of farming is labor-intensive, meaning that it relies heavily on human labor
rather than machinery.
● Farmers work long hours to prepare the land, sow, irrigate, and harvest crops. To
achieve higher production, they use high doses of biochemical inputs, including
fertilizers, pesticides, and improved seeds, as well as modern irrigation techniques
wherever possible.
● A key factor influencing intensive subsistence farming is the inheritance system.
● Over generations, land is divided among heirs, which gradually reduces the size of
individual holdings.
● Many of these plots become uneconomical in size, but because farmers often lack
alternative sources of income, they continue to cultivate the land intensively to meet
their livelihood needs.
● As a result, there is enormous pressure on agricultural land, with farmers pushing the
soil to its limits. This can lead to soil degradation, nutrient depletion, and increased
reliance on chemical inputs to maintain crop yields. Despite the challenges, intensive
subsistence farming supports dense populations by producing sufficient food from
limited land resources.
3.Commercial Farming:
● Commercial farming is a type of agriculture primarily focused on producing crops for
sale in the market rather than for personal consumption. The main feature of this
SUB TOPICS:
1. WHAT IS AGRICULTURE?
2. TYPES OF FARMING
3. CROPPING PATTERN
4. MAJOR CROPS
5. TECHNOLOGICAL AND INSTITUTIONAL REFORMS
6. IMPACT OF GLOBALISATION ON AGRICULTURE
•What is Agriculture :
● Agriculture is the systematic practice of cultivating land to grow crops and rearing
animals to produce food, raw materials, and other essential products required for
human survival.
● It is a purposeful human activity that uses natural resources such as soil, water, and
sunlight to produce usable goods.
● In India, nearly two-thirds of the population depends directly or indirectly on
agriculture for their livelihood.
● Agriculture also provides economic advantage by contributing to national income,
supporting employment, and supplying raw materials to industries, thereby
strengthening the overall economy.
•Types Of Farming:
The types of farming are:
1.Primitive Subsistence Farming:
● Primitive subsistence farming is one of the oldest forms of agriculture and is still
practiced in certain parts of India. This type of farming is carried out on small patches
of land using very basic and traditional tools such as the hoe, dow, and digging
sticks, and relies mainly on family or community labor rather than hired workers.
● This farming method is highly dependent on the monsoon, the natural fertility of the
soil, and other environmental conditions such as rainfall, sunlight, and local climate.
Farmers cultivate crops primarily for their own family’s consumption rather than for
commercial purposes.
● A characteristic feature of primitive subsistence agriculture is slash-and-burn
cultivation. In this system, farmers clear a patch of forested or uncultivated land by
cutting and burning vegetation. They then grow cereals and other food crops on this
land. Once the soil loses its fertility, farmers move to a new patch of land, allowing
the abandoned area to naturally regenerate its fertility over time. Because this
method does not involve the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, or modern
machinery, the productivity of the land remains low.
● This type of cultivation has been known by different local names across India. For
example:
● Jhumming in Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Nagaland
, ● Pamlou in Manipur
● Dipa in Bastar, Chhattisgarh
● Podu or Penda in Andhra Pradesh
● Pama dabi, Koman, or Bringa in Odisha
● Kumari in the Western Ghats
● Valre or Waltare in southeastern Rajasthan
● Khil in the Himalayan belt
● Kurwa in Jharkhand
● Globally, slash-and-burn agriculture is also recognized by other names:
● Milpa in Mexico and Central America
● Conuco in Venezuela
● Roca in Brazil
● Masole in Central Africa
● Ladang in Indonesia
● Ray in Vietnam
● Primitive subsistence farming reflects a close relationship between humans and
nature, emphasizing sustainability, low-input farming, and adaptation to local
environmental conditions.
2.Intensive Subsistence Farming:
● Intensive subsistence farming is practiced in areas where there is high population
pressure on land.
● In such regions, land is scarce, and farmers must maximize output from every
available plot, because they cannot afford to leave land uncultivated.
● This type of farming is labor-intensive, meaning that it relies heavily on human labor
rather than machinery.
● Farmers work long hours to prepare the land, sow, irrigate, and harvest crops. To
achieve higher production, they use high doses of biochemical inputs, including
fertilizers, pesticides, and improved seeds, as well as modern irrigation techniques
wherever possible.
● A key factor influencing intensive subsistence farming is the inheritance system.
● Over generations, land is divided among heirs, which gradually reduces the size of
individual holdings.
● Many of these plots become uneconomical in size, but because farmers often lack
alternative sources of income, they continue to cultivate the land intensively to meet
their livelihood needs.
● As a result, there is enormous pressure on agricultural land, with farmers pushing the
soil to its limits. This can lead to soil degradation, nutrient depletion, and increased
reliance on chemical inputs to maintain crop yields. Despite the challenges, intensive
subsistence farming supports dense populations by producing sufficient food from
limited land resources.
3.Commercial Farming:
● Commercial farming is a type of agriculture primarily focused on producing crops for
sale in the market rather than for personal consumption. The main feature of this
