- Agriculture supports over 60% of India’s population but depends heavily on the monsoon.
- After Independence, land reforms and abolition of zamindari were prioritised in the First Five-Year Plan.
- The Green Revolution (1960s–70s) and White Revolution improved agricultural production.
- In the 1980s–90s, schemes like crop insurance, KCC, PAIS, MSP, and Grameen banks were introduced.
- The Bhoodan–Gramdan Movement by Vinoba Bhave began with 80 acres for 80 landless villagers and is called a bloodless revolution.
Key Points
Key Points: Major Crops> Food Crops
- Rice is a kharif crop needing 150–300 cm rainfall and a warm climate; major producers are West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh.
- Wheat is a rabi crop requiring about 80 cm of rainfall, cool winters, and a warm harvest season; it is grown mainly in Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh.
- Millets (jowar, bajra, ragi) are dry crops needing low rainfall and grow in the poor soils of semi-arid regions.
- Pulses need 20–25°C temperature and 50–75 cm rainfall, grow on light soils, and are mainly produced in MP, Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh.
- India grows crops like rice, wheat, millets, maize, and pulses based on soil and climate conditions.
Key Points: Types of Farming
- India is an agricultural country where about two-thirds of the population depends on farming.
- Agriculture provides food, raw materials for industries, and export crops like tea and coffee.
- Farming types in India vary according to environment, technology, and culture.
- Primitive subsistence farming is done on small land using simple tools and monsoon rainfall.
- It follows the slash-and-burn method and is called jhumming, bewar, podu, etc.
- Intensive subsistence farming is practised in densely populated areas to get maximum output.
- Commercial and plantation farming use modern inputs to grow crops mainly for the market.
Key Points: Cropping Pattern
- India’s cropping pattern reflects its physical diversity and cultural variety.
- India has three cropping seasons: Rabi, Kharif, and Zaid.
- Rabi crops are sown in winter and harvested in summer; wheat and mustard are major rabi crops.
- Kharif crops are grown with the monsoon and include rice, maize, cotton, and pulses.
- Zaid crops are grown in the summer season and include fruits, vegetables, and fodder crops.
Key Points: Major Crops> Food Crops other than Grains
- Sugarcane grows at 21–27°C with 75–100 cm rainfall; India is the 2nd largest producer after Brazil.
- Oilseeds cover about 12% cropped area; in 2020, India was the 2nd largest groundnut producer after China.
- Tea is a plantation crop; in 2020, India ranked 2nd in tea production after China.
- Coffee (Arabica) is grown mainly in Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu.
- Horticulture: In 2020, India was the 2nd largest producer of fruits and vegetables after China.
Key Points: Major Crops> Non-Food Crops
- Rubber needs >200 cm rainfall and temperature above 25°C; grown mainly in Kerala.
- Fibre crops include cotton, jute, hemp, and silk; silk is produced by sericulture.
- Cotton is a kharif crop; India is the 2nd largest producer after China.
- Cotton needs 210 frost-free days and 6–8 months to mature; it grows well in black soil.
- Jute (golden fibre) grows in fertile floodplains, mainly in West Bengal and Assam.
Key Points: Technological and Institutional Reforms
Important Questions [13]
- Describe any three features of commercial farming.
- Name the Two Major Fibre Crops Grown in India. Describe the Conditions Required for Growth of These Two Crops with Their Growing Areas.
- Highlight Any Three Differences Between Primitive Subsistence Farming and Commercial Farming.
- Answer the Following Question. Compare 'Intensive Subsistence Farming' with that of 'Commercial Farming' Practiced in India.
- Highlight Any Three Differences Between Primitive Subsistence Farming and Intensive Subsistence Farming.
- Identify the Crop with the help of the following information and choose the correct option. This is the staple food crop. This is a Kharif crop.
- Explain any two features of Rabi cropping season.
- "Agriculture and industry move hand in hand," Support the statement with examples.
- Answer the Following Question. "The Government of India Has Introduced Various Institutional and Technological Reforms to Improve Agriculture in the 1980s and 1990s." Support this Statement
- "Agriculture gives boost to the industrial sector." Support the statement with arguments.
- Explain any three institutional reforms taken for the development of Indian agriculture.
