- Cooperative farming is a system where farmers work jointly while owning land individually.
- Farmers pool resources like labour, tools and inputs to reduce costs and increase efficiency.
- Profits are shared among members according to the land owned by each farmer.
- It helps farmers get better prices, reduce risks and share skills and knowledge.
- Cooperative farming improves farmers’ living standards by reducing workload and providing mutual support.
Key Points
Key Points: Importance and Features of Indian Agriculture
- Agriculture means cultivation of land to grow crops and rear livestock; the word comes from Latin words ‘ager’ (land) and ‘culture’ (cultivation).
- India is an agricultural country, with about two-thirds of the population dependent on agriculture, making it the backbone of the Indian economy.
- Agriculture contributes significantly to the economy by adding around 16.5% to GVA, about 17% to GDP, 13% to exports, and providing employment to nearly 58% of the workforce.
- Indian agriculture largely depends on the monsoon, as nearly 55% of the net sown area is rain-fed, making agricultural output uncertain.
- Agriculture is important because it provides food and fodder, raw materials for industries, employment, and supports foreign trade, with three cropping seasons—Kharif, Rabi and Zaid.
Key Points: Problems Faced by the Agricultural Sector in India > Economic Problems
- Globalisation has reduced government support to agriculture, leading to withdrawal of subsidies and increased cost of inputs like fertilisers and pesticides for Indian farmers.
- Indian farmers face tough international competition due to reduced import duties on foreign agricultural products, which lowers farmers’ profits in the domestic market.
- Subsistence agriculture is common in India because of very small landholdings, low income and lack of mechanisation, resulting in low production meant mainly for family consumption.
- Poor socio-economic background of farmers—poverty, illiteracy, lack of credit facilities, dependence on moneylenders, and absence of crop insurance—adds to their financial insecurity.
- Lack of surplus production due to small farms and low productivity prevents farmers from earning enough income, keeping them trapped in poverty.
Key Points: Problems Faced by the Agricultural Sector in India > Environmental Problems
- Unreliable and uneven monsoon rainfall makes Indian agriculture risky, as more than half of the cultivated land depends on rainfall, leading to crop failure during weak or delayed monsoons.
- Inadequate and uneven irrigation facilities force heavy dependence on groundwater and seasonal rivers, causing depletion of aquifers and failure of wells and tubewells, especially affecting small farmers.
- Soil erosion and soil degradation due to deforestation, overgrazing, and unscientific farming practices reduce soil fertility and lower crop productivity.
- Outdated methods of cultivation and lack of access to modern technology, quality seeds, and machinery result in low agricultural productivity compared to developed countries.
- Reduction in net sown area under food crops due to urbanisation, industrialisation, and a shift towards commercial crops has led to declining production of cereals and pulses.
Key Points: Problems Faced by the Agricultural Sector in India > Technological Problems
- Traditional farming methods like wooden ploughs, bullocks, and human labour are still widely used by Indian farmers.
- Limited mechanisation exists due to poverty and the subsistence nature of agriculture, restricting the use of modern machines.
- Old irrigation techniques are commonly used, due to which only about one-third of the cropped area receives irrigation facilities.
- Dependence on animal and human power instead of mechanical power reduces efficiency and productivity in agriculture.
- Lack of modern technology increases cost of production, resulting in low profitability for farmers.
Key Points: Problems Faced by the Agricultural Sector in India > Institutional Problems
- Landholdings in India are small and fragmented, which makes modern and scientific farming difficult.
- Small farmers earn low income, so they cannot invest in machinery, improved seeds, or advanced techniques.
- Small land size discourages mechanisation, as returns on investment are very low.
- Land tenure problems, such as the earlier Zamindari system, reduced farmers’ interest in improving productivity.
- Tenants, sharecroppers, and landless labourers are often exploited, receiving low wages and lacking motivation to increase agricultural output.
Key Points: Agricultural Reforms and the Green Revolution in India
- Agricultural reforms were introduced to stop the decline of agriculture’s role in GDP and to strengthen India’s overall economy.
- The Green Revolution (late 1960s) made India food-self-sufficient by using HYV seeds, modern farming methods, irrigation, fertilizers, credit and rural electrification.
- Major impacts of the Green Revolution include higher food grain production, shift from subsistence to commercial farming, more employment and increased rural prosperity.
- Land reforms such as abolition of the Zamindari system and consolidation of landholdings helped farmers get ownership and improved productivity.
- Government support measures include Minimum Support Price (MSP), fertilizer subsidies, irrigation projects, soil testing, agricultural universities and Kisan Call Centres to guide farmers.
Key Points: Minimum Support Price (MSP)
- Minimum Support Price (MSP) is a support measure announced by the Government of India to protect farmers from a sharp fall in crop prices.
- MSP is declared at the beginning of the sowing season, giving farmers price assurance before they grow crops.
- It acts as a guaranteed minimum price at which the government agrees to buy agricultural produce from farmers.
- MSP prevents distress sales by farmers during years of bumper production and excess supply in the market.
- Government agencies purchase crops at MSP if market prices fall below the announced rate, helping farmers and ensuring food supply for public distribution.
Key Points: Types of Farming in India > Subsistence Farming
- Subsistence farming is done mainly to meet the food needs of the farmer and their family, not for sale.
- Landholdings are small and scattered, and farming is done using traditional tools and methods.
- It largely depends on monsoon rainfall, natural soil fertility and favourable weather conditions.
- Use of modern inputs like HYV seeds, fertilizers, irrigation and machinery is very limited.
- Productivity is low, food crops dominate, and there is usually no surplus for the market.
Key Points: Types of Farming in India > Commercial Farming
- Commercial farming is practised mainly to produce crops for sale in the market and profit.
- Cash crops like sugarcane, oilseeds, fibre crops and even food crops (rice, wheat) are grown on a large scale.
- Large landholdings, high capital investment and mechanised farming methods are used.
- Modern inputs such as HYV seeds, chemical fertilisers, pesticides and machinery are widely used.
- It is mainly practised in regions with developed market economy like Punjab, Haryana, Western UP, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh.
Key Points: Types of Farming in India > Shifting Agriculture
- Shifting agriculture is a primitive method of farming, also called the slash and burn method, where forest land is cleared by cutting and burning trees.
- The ash acts as manure, and crops are grown for 2–3 years until the soil loses its fertility.
- When fertility decreases, the land is abandoned, and the farmer shifts to a new forest area.
- It mainly depends on monsoon rainfall and natural soil fertility and uses no modern inputs or fertilizers.
- This method causes deforestation, soil erosion, floods and land degradation, so it is discouraged by the government.
Key Points: Types of Farming in India > Intensive Farming
- Intensive farming is practised on small farms with high use of labour, fertilizers, manure and irrigation.
- The main aim is to increase yield per hectare by using HYV seeds and modern inputs.
- Two or more crops are grown on the same land in a year, keeping the land under continuous use.
- It is mainly found in densely populated areas, especially the plains of North India and coastal regions of South India.
- Rice and wheat are the main crops grown under this system.
Key Points: Types of Farming in India > Extensive Farming
- Extensive farming is practised on large-sized farms with low labour input per unit area.
- It is a highly mechanised and capital-intensive system of farming.
- Farmers usually specialise in one or two commercial crops like wheat, rice or sugarcane.
- Total production is high because of large landholdings, but yield per hectare is low.
- In India, it is rare and found mainly among rich farmers of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.
Key Points: Types of Farming in India > Plantation Farming
- Plantation farming involves growing a single crop on large estates using modern scientific methods.
- It is capital-intensive and labour-intensive, requiring heavy investment and skilled management.
- Commercial crops like tea, coffee, rubber and spices are grown mainly for export.
- The same crop gives yield for many years, making it a long-term farming system.
- In India, it is practised mainly in Kerala, Karnataka, Assam, North Bengal and North-East India.
Key Points: Types of Farming in India > Mixed Farming
- Mixed farming involves growing crops and rearing animals simultaneously on the same farm.
- Two or more crops with different maturing periods are cultivated together.
- Farm residues are efficiently reused (crop waste as fodder, dung as manure).
- It maintains soil fertility through crop rotation and organic manure.
- It ensures steady and secure income for farmers by reducing risk.
Key Points: Organic farming
- Organic farming is an eco-friendly agricultural system that avoids chemical fertilizers and pesticides and maintains natural balance in farming.
- It uses organic wastes, biofertilizers, animal manure, and microbes to supply nutrients and maintain soil fertility.
- Crop rotation, biological pest control, and resistant local varieties are used to manage weeds and diseases naturally.
- Organic farming promotes sustainable agriculture, soil health, biodiversity, and long-term productivity, ensuring safe food for humans and environment.
Key Points: Types of Farming in India > Cooperative Farming
Key Points: Agricultural Seasons in India
- Kharif season: Crops are sown in June–July and harvested in September–October; depends on monsoon.
- Rabi season: Crops are sown in October–November and harvested in February–March.
- Zaid season: Crops are grown during March–May, mainly fruits and vegetables.
- Different crops require different climatic conditions in each season.
- In southern India, crop seasons depend more on irrigation and altitude than temperature.
Concepts [17]
- Importance and Features of Indian Agriculture
- Problems Faced by the Agricultural Sector in India > Economic Problems
- Problems Faced by the Agricultural Sector in India > Environmental Problems
- Problems Faced by the Agricultural Sector in India > Technological Problems
- Problems Faced by the Agricultural Sector in India > Institutional Problems
- Agricultural Reforms and the Green Revolution in India
- Minimum Support Price (MSP)
- Types of Farming in India > Subsistence Farming
- Types of Farming in India > Commercial Farming
- Types of Farming in India > Shifting Agriculture
- Types of Farming in India > Intensive Farming
- Types of Farming in India > Extensive Farming
- Types of Farming in India > Plantation Farming
- Types of Farming in India > Mixed Farming
- Types of Farming in India > Organic Farming
- Types of Farming in India > Cooperative Farming
- Agricultural Seasons in India
