Agriculture

We get food from plants. For that purpose, we sow grains in fields and plant fruit trees in orchards. About 60% of the land in our country is used for agriculture. There are two main agricultural seasons in our country.

Every farmer wishes to get a good harvest. A good harvest provides a good income. Fertile land, good-quality seeds and fertilisers, and water availability are essential for a good harvest. Tilling the land is also necessary. The crop in the field must be protected, and the harvested crop must also be stored safely. All of these processes are important. The population of our country is increasing, and still, the needs of all the people are being met. This has been possible because of modern, improved methods of agriculture.

• In traditional agricultural methods, ploughing, tilling, etc., were done with oxen.
• A 'mot’ (a huge leather bag) driven with the help of oxen was used to draw water from the well.
• Harvesting, threshing, etc., was done by the members of the farmer’s family themselves with the help of oxen.

However, farmers now carry out all these tasks with the help of machines.

Ploughing the land

• ​Govt aimed at growth with equity via land reforms + Green Revolution.
• Land reforms: removed zamindars, gave land to tillers; land ceiling planned but weakly implemented, real success mainly in Kerala, West Bengal.
• Green Revolution: HYV seeds + fertilisers + irrigation → big rise in wheat/rice, richer states first, later spread → self-sufficiency in food grains and more marketed surplus.
• Subsidies (water, power, fertilisers): helped small farmers use new tech but caused waste, environmental damage, and burden on govt, so there is debate on reforming them.
• 1950–1990 problem: agri share in GDP fell, but most people still in agriculture because industry and services did not absorb extra workers → seen as policy failure.