India People And Economy Chapter 5 Land Resources And Agriculture

B.

Marginal land

C.

Increase in notified area allocated for forest growth.

C.

Salinisation of soils

D.

Sugarcane

B.

Mexico and Philippines

The intensity of cropping is important in a country like India for following reasons: 
(i)To increase the production of food grains for the increasing population and to meet out the demand of raw material for the agro-based industries.
(II)A high cropping intensity is desirable not only for fuller utilisation of land resources but also for reducing unemployment in the rural economy.

The significance :
(i) Agriculture is a purely land based activity unlike secondary and tertiary activities. In other words, contribution of land in agricultural output is more compared to its contribution in the outputs in the other sectors. Thus, lack of access to land is directly correlated with incidence of poverty in rural areas.
(ii)Quality of land has a direct bearing on the productivity of agriculture, which is not true for other activities.
(iii)In rural areas, aside from its value as a productive factor, land ownership has a social value and serves as a security for credit, natural hazards or life contingencies, and also adds to the social status.

The different types of environmental problems of land resources in India are followings:

(i)Soil erosion

(ii)Water logging

(iii)Salinisation

(iv)Alkalinisation of land.

(v)Drought
(vi)Erratic Monsoon

It is measured by adding up net shown area, all fallow land and cultivable wasteland.

For a land scarce but labour abundant country like India, a high cropping intensity is desirable not only for fuller utilisation of land resource, but also for reducing unemployment in the rural economy.
The cropping intensity (CI) is calculated as follows :

Cropping Intensity in percentage 

The principal rice producing states are:

(i)West Bengal (ii)Uttar Pradesh (iii)Orissa
(iv)Andhra Pradesh (v)Bihar  (vi)Chattisgarh
(vii)Punjab (viii)Tamil Nadu. 

Reasons:

The crop with states:
(i)Wheat — Punjab, Uttar Pradesh
(ii)Rice — West-Bengal, TamilNadu

The difference:
(i)Crop rotation means the cultivation of different crops in the same field year after year. The change of crops helps in maintaining the fertility of fields.
(ii)Crop intensity means the number of crops grown on the same field in the agricultural year.
(iii)Mixed cropping refers to the practice of sowing two to three crops together in the same field in one crop season.

Pulses;

Rapeseed and Mustard:
(i)Rapeseed and mustard comprise several oilseeds as rai, sarson, toria and taramira.
(ii)These are subtropical crops cultivated during rabi season in north-western and central parts of India.
(iii)These are frost sensitive crops and their yields fluctuate from year to year. But with the expansion of irrigation and improvement in seed technology, their yields have improved and stabilised to some extent.
(iv)About two-third of the cultivated area under these crops is irrigated. These oilseeds together occupy only 2.5 per cent of total cropped area in the country.
(v)Rajasthan contributes about one-third production while other leading producers are Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh. Yields of these crops are comparatively high in Haryana and Rajasthan.

Faulty strategy of irrigation and agriculture development.

The cultivation of rice in India is explained below:
(i)Though, it is considered to be a crop of tropical humid areas, it has about 3,000 varieties which are grown in different agro-climatic regions. These are successfully grown from sea level to about 2,000 m altitude and from humid areas in eastern India to dry but irrigated areas of Punjab, Haryana, western U.P. and northern Rajasthan.
(ii)In southern states and West Bengal the climatic conditions allow the cultivation of two or three crops of rice in an agricultural year. In West Bengal farmers grow three crops of rice called ‘aus’, ‘aman’ and ‘boro’. But in Himalayas and northwestern parts of the country, it is grown as a kharif crop during southwest Monsoon season.
(iii)About one-fourth of the total cropped area in the country is under rice cultivation. West Bengal, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu are five leading rice producing states in the country.
(iv)Rice cultivation in the irrigated areas of Punjab and Haryana was introduced in 1970s following the Green Revolution.
(v)Genetically improved varieties of seed, relatively high usage of fertilisers and pesticides and lower levels of susceptibility of the crop to pests due to dry climatic conditions are responsible for higher yield of rice in this region.

Uttar Pradesh

Sugarcane is a crop of tropical areas. Under rainfed conditions, it is cultivated in sub-humid and humid climates. But it is largely an irrigated crop in India.
(i)In Indo-Gangetic plain, its cultivation is largely concentrated in Uttar Pradesh. Sugarcane growing area in western India is spread over Maharashtra and Gujarat.
(ii)In southern India, it is cultivated in irrigated tracts of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. India is the second largest producer of sugarcane after Brazil.
 
(iii)Uttar Pradesh produces about two-fifth of sugarcane of the country. Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh are other leading producers of this crop where yield level of sugarcane is high. Its yield is low in northern India.

The foodgrains are classified as:
(i)cereals
(ii)pulses.

The Explanation:
(i)Production and yield of many crops such as rice and wheat has increased at an impressive rate.
(ii)Among the other crops, the production of sugarcane, oilseeds and cotton has also increased appreciably. India ranks first in the production of pulses, tea, jute, cattle and milk.
(iii)It is the second largest producer of rice, wheat, groundnut, sugarcane and vegetables. Expansion of irrigation has played a very crucial role in enhancing agricultural output in the country.
(iv)It provided basis for introduction of modern agricultural technology such as high yielding varieties of seeds, chemical fertilizers, pesticides and farm machinery. 
(v)Modern agricultural technology has diffused very fast in various areas of the country. Consumption of chemical fertilizers has increased by 15 times since mid-sixties.  

Lack of Commercialisation:

The importance jute:

The intensity of cropping vary from state to state for the following reasons:

(i)Irrigation : In such states where the means of irrigation are available the intensity of cropping is higher, such as Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab etc. have the high intensity of cropping.

(ii)Chemical Fertilizers : The use of fertilizers is very common. In those states where the use of fertilizers and pesticides are common, the crops intensity is also higher. For example, Punjab is a state where intensity or cropping is higher.

(iii)Mechanisation : Modern machines and tools are necessary for farm operation in order to save time. Tractors, pumping sets and harvesters are very useful for increasing intensity of cropping.

Green Revolution was initially confined to irrigated areas only.

The three crops of rice grown in West Bengal are:
(i)aus
(ii)aman
(iii)boro

The distinction:

Increase in areas under forests and non-agricultural uses in India:
(i)The rate of increase is the highest in case of areas under non-agricultural uses. This is due to the changing structure of Indian economy, which is increasingly depending on the contribution from industrial and services sectors and expansion of related infrastructural facilities. Also, an expansion of area under both urban and rural settlements has added to the increase. Thus, the area under non-agricultural uses is increasing at the expense of wastelands and agricultural land.
(ii) The increase in the share under forest, as explained before, can be accounted for by increase in the demarcated area under forest rather than an actual increase in the forest cover in the country.

(iii) The increase in the current fallow cannot be explained from information pertaining to only two points. The trend of current fallow fluctuates a great deal over years, depending on the variability of rainfall and cropping cycles.

The following explanations can be stated for the declining trends:

Land-use in a region, to a large extent, is influenced by the nature of economic activities carried out in that region:
(i) The size of the economy grows over time as a result of increasing population, change in income levels, available technology and associated factors. As a result, the pressure on land will increase with time and marginal lands would come under use.
(ii) Secondly, the composition of the economy would undergo a change over time. In other words, the secondary and the tertiary sectors usually grow much faster than the primary sector, specifically the agricultural sector. This type of change is common in developing countries like India. This process would result in a gradual shift of land from agricultural uses to non-agricultural uses. The agricultural land is being used for building purposes.
(iii)Thirdly, though the contribution of the agricultural activities reduces over time, the pressure on land for agricultural activities does not decline.
The reasons for continued pressure on agricultural land are:
(a) In developing countries, the share of population dependent on agriculture usually declines much more slowly compared to the decline in the sector’s share in GDP.
(b) The number of people that the agricultural sector has to feed is increasing day by day.

Composition of Total Cultivable  Land

C.

Tea

C.

Gram

D.

Jute

D.

Primitive subsistence

A.

Maharashtra

D.

43%

B.

summer

Differentiation between protective irrigation and productive irrigation :

 Protective irrigation- (i) It protects the crops from adverse effects of soil moisture deficiency. (ii) Irrigation acts as a supplementary source of water over and above rainfall. (iii) Provides soil moisture to maximum possible area.

Productive irrigation- (i) It provides sufficient soil moisture in the cropping season to achieve high productivity. (ii) In such irrigation the water input per unit area of cultivated land is higher than protective irrigation. (iii) Productivity is high. 

Importance of Food grains in Indian agricultural economy:

(i)These crops occupy about two-third of total cropped area in the country.

(ii) Food grains are dominant crops in all parts of the country  whether they have subsistence or commercial agricultural economy.

Characteristics of Rice Cultivation:

(i) Though, it is considered to be a crop of tropical humid areas, it has about 3,000 varieties which are grown in different agro-climatic regions.

(ii) These are successfully grown from sea level to about 2,000 m altitude and from humid areas in eastern India to dry but irrigated areas of Punjab, Haryana, western U.P. and northern Rajasthan.

(iii) But in Himalayas and northwestern parts of the country, it is grown as a kharif crop during southwest Monsoon season.

There are three distinct crop seasons: 

(i) Kharif-The Kharif season largely coincides with Southwest Monsoon under which the cultivation of tropical crops such as rice, cotton, jute, jowar, bajra and tur is possible.

 (ii) Rabi - The Rabi season begins with the onset of winter in October-November and ends in March-April. The low temperature conditions during this season facilitate the cultivation of temperate and subtropical crops such as wheat, gram and mustard.

 (iii) Zaid - Zaid is a short duration summer cropping season beginning after harvesting of Rabi crops. The cultivation of watermelons, cucumbers, vegetables and fodder crops during this season is done on irrigated lands.

The three strategies of development adopted by the government to increase food grains productions just after independence:

(i) Switching over from cash crops to food crops

(ii) Intensification of cropping over already cultivated land

(iii) Increasing cultivated area by bringing cultivable and fallow land under plough.

Land use in a region is influenced by economic activities carried out in that region:

(i) The size of the economy - It grows over time as a result of increasing population, change in income levels, available technology and associated factors. As a result, the pressure on land will increase with time and marginal lands would come under use

(ii) The composition of the economy - The composition of the economy would undergo a change over time. In other words, the secondary and the tertiary sectors usually grow much faster than the primary sector, specifically the agricultural sector.

(iii) The contribution of the agricultural activities- Though the contribution of the agricultural activities reduces over time, the pressure on land for agricultural activities does not decline.

India contributes 22 % of rice production in the world.

Problems of Indian Agriculture

(i) Dependence on Erratic Monsoon- Irrigation covers only about 33 per cent of the cultivated area in India. The crop production in rest of the cultivated land directly depends on rainfall. Poor performance of south-west Monsoon also adversely affects the supply of canal water for irrigation.

(ii) Low productivity- The yield of the crops in the country is low in comparison to the international level. Per hectare output of most of the crops such as rice, wheat, cotton and oilseeds in India is much lower than that of U.S.A., Russia and Japan. The vast rain fed areas of the country, particularly dry lands which mostly grow coarse cereals, pulses and oilseeds have very low yields.

(iii) Small Farm size and Fragmentation of Landholdings- More than 60 per cent of the ownership holdings have a size smaller than one (ha). Furthermore, about 40 per cent of the farmers have operational holding size smaller than 0.5 hectare (ha). In India, the land holdings are mostly fragmented.

(iv) Lack of commercialization- A large number of farmers produce crops for self-consumption. These farmers do not have enough land resources to produce more than their requirement.

(v) Vast under -Employment- There is a massive under-employment in the agricultural sector in India, particularly in the un-irrigated tracts. In these areas, there is a seasonal unemployment ranging from 4 to 8 months. Even in the cropping season work is not available throughout, as agricultural operations are not labour intensive.

The three cropping session in the India are:

(i)Rabi

(ii)Kharif

(iii) Zaid Rabi

The characteristics:

i. The kharif season largely coincides with Southwest Monsoon under which the cultivation of tropical crops such as rice, cotton, jute, jowar, bajra and tur is possible.

ii. The rabi season begins with the onset of winter in October-November and ends in March-April. The low temperature conditions during this season facilitate the cultivation of temperate and subtropical crops such as wheat, gram and mustard.

iii. Zaid is a short duration summer cropping season beginning after harvesting of rabi crops.

Problems of Indian Agriculture

(i) Dependence on Erratic Monsoon- Irrigation covers only about 33 percent of the cultivated area in India. The crop production in rest of the cultivated land directly depends on rainfall. Poor performance of south-west Monsoon also adversely affects the supply of canal water for irrigation.
(ii) Low productivity- The yield of the crops in the country is low in comparison to the international level. Per hectare output of most of the crops such as rice, wheat, cotton and oilseeds in India is much lower than that of U.S.A., Russia and Japan. The vast rainfed areas of the country, particularly drylands which mostly grow coarse cereals, pulses and oilseeds have very low yields.
(iii) Small Farm size and Fragmentation of Landholdings- More than 60 percent of the ownership holdings have a size smaller than one (ha). Furthermore, about 40 percent of the farmers have operational holding size smaller than 0.5 hectare (ha). In India, the land holdings are mostly fragmented.

(iv) Lack of commercialization- A large number of farmers produce crops for self-consumption. These farmers do not have enough land resources to produce more than their requirement.

(v) Vast under -Employment- There is a massive under-employment in the agricultural sector in India, particularly in the un-irrigated tracts. In these areas, there is a seasonal unemployment ranging from 4 to 8 months. Even in the cropping season work is not available throughout, as agricultural operations are not labour intensive.

This is due to the changing structure of Indian economy, which is increasingly depending on the contribution from industrial and services sectors and expansion of related infrastructural facilities.

1. Dry land farming.
2. Wet land farming.

9.1. Area under non-agricultural use has shown the highest increasing trend i.e. 5:9 or 80%

9.2.

• Changing structure of the Indian Economy.
• Expansion of industrial and service sector.
• Expansion of related infrastructural facilities.
• Expansion of area under urban and rural settlements.
• It is expanding at the expense of waste lands and agricultural lands. (ANY TWO)

Five measures adopted to solve the problems of Indian agriculture :- To increase food grains production by

i. Intensification of cropping over cultivated land.

ii. Increase cultivated area wherever possible.

iii. To use HYV seeds,

iv. Easy availability of fertilizers, pesticides and insecticides.

v. Expansion of irrigation facilities,

 vi. Use modern agricultural technology.

Classification of intensive subsistence agriculture :-

i. Intensive subsistence agriculture dominated by wet paddy cultivation.

ii. Intensive subsistence agriculture dominated by crops other than paddy.

Difference :-

Intensive subsistence agriculture dominated by wet paddy cultivation:

i.Dominance of the rice crop.

ii. Farmers work with the help of family labour leading to intensive use of

land.

iii. The yield per unit area is high.

iv. Per labour productivity is low.

Intensive subsistence agriculture dominated by crops other then paddy:

i.Due to difference in relief, climate soil and other geographical factors it is not practical to grow paddy in many parts of monsoon Asia.

ii. Not used manual labour.

iii. The yield per unit area is not high.

iv. Per labour productivity is high.

‘The proportion of workers in the agricultural sector in India has shown a declining trend over the last few decades’. This trend indicates that

a) There has been employment generation in other sectors of the economy.

b) Mechanisation of farms has increased.

Breaking arable land into smaller pieces is called fragmentation of land.

A] Because of fragmentation of land, the average land holding becomes very small. That makes agriculture uneconomical. Following measures can be taken to overcome this problem:

a. Proper implementation of land reforms will help reconsolidate and equally redistribute the land among people.

b. Increasing population is responsible for the division of land. If we control the population growth and divert some population to other sectors such as manufacturing, fragmentation of land can be checked.

B] Degradation of land is caused by wrong techniques of irrigation, over use of fertilisers and deforestation. Land degradation can be checked by taking the following measures:

a. Farmers can shift from old irrigation techniques such as flood irrigation to drip irrigation or water sprinklers. It will avoid waterlogging in fields.

b. Check the overuse of chemical fertilisers such as urea and pesticides. Increase in the use of organic fertilisers and biofertilisers or cultivating leguminous crops improves the quality of land.