Agriculture and Animal Husbandry

• Agriculture is one of the most important activities to ensure food security. And animal husbandry is the branch of agriculture concerned with animals that are raised for meat, fibre, milk or other products.

Agriculture:

• Demographically and geographically, agriculture stands as the primary economic sector, playing a pivotal role in India's overall socio-economic landscape.
• Presently, India holds the second position globally in farm output, contributing a significant share to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
• The decline in the agricultural sector's share in GDP is primarily attributed to the transition from a traditional agrarian economy to industry and service sectors.
• Agriculture serves as the backbone of the Indian economy, with approximately 52% of the population relying on it for their livelihood. The model of inclusive growth in India revolves around activities related to agriculture.
• Indian agriculture grapples with various challenges, including both natural and man-made factors. Some prominent issues include small and fragmented land-holdings, poor seed quality, inadequate irrigation facilities, a lack of mechanization, soil erosion, substandard agricultural marketing infrastructure, insufficient storage facilities, limited transport capabilities, and a scarcity of capital.
• Salient Features of Indian Agriculture:
  • Dominance of subsistence agriculture.
  • Limited emphasis on fodder crops.
  • Seasonal pattern comprising three major crop seasons: Kharif, Rabi, and Zaid.
  • Population pressure on agriculture, resulting in low per capita availability of land.
  • High dependence on monsoon for irrigation.
  • Low yield and inadequate mechanization in agriculture.
  • Challenges in electricity supply, storage, credit availability, and marketing.
  • Cultivation of a wide variety of crops, with a dominance of food crops.
  • Labor-intensive cultivation practices.

Factors Affecting Indian Agriculture:

• Seeds: The quality of seeds significantly impacts agricultural productivity and overall growth.
• High Yield Variety (HYV) Seeds: Resistant to insects and diseases, these seeds contribute to high yields, playing a crucial role in the Green Revolution.
• Fertilizers: Used to address soil deficiencies, with India ranking as the fourth-largest global consumer of fertilizers.
• Climate: Climate, including temperature and rainfall, plays a vital role in determining suitable crops for cultivation.
• Agro Climatic Zones: Divided into 15 zones, based on major climates, suitable for specific crops and cultivators.
• Soil: Soil fertility, with black soil and alluvial soil considered most suitable for agriculture.

Types of Indian Agriculture/Farming Systems:

Subsistence Farming:

• Predominant farming style in India.
• Farmers grow crops for personal consumption.
• Typically small and dispersed landholdings.

Shifting Cultivation:

• Also known as Jhum cultivation.
• Farmers cultivate land temporarily for a few seasons before abandoning it.
• These farming systems reflect the diverse agricultural practices in India, addressing the country's unique geographical and climatic conditions.
• Farmers relocate when soil fertility declines or when land is infested with weeds.
• Cultivation time is generally shorter, allowing the ground to regenerate fertility.
• Prevalent in hilly areas of the North-Eastern region and tribal belts.

Extensive Farming:

• Also known as mechanical farming due to the extensive use of equipment.
• Yields only one harvest per year, utilizing less labor and capital per hectare compared to intensive farming.
• Utilizes a vast land area, resulting in high total production but lower per-unit production.

Commercial Farming:

• Generates significant revenue in the economy.
• Mainly practiced in states like Gujarat, Haryana, Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra.
• Involves the use of chemical pesticides, insecticides, and weed killers, ensuring large-scale cultivation.
• Provides employment opportunities and contributes to the economy through profit and foreign exchange policies.

Plantation Agriculture:

• Extensive farming with a focus on growing a single cash crop on large farms.
• Crops include sugarcane, coffee, cocoa, bananas, and pineapples, often sold at high global market prices.
• Employs modern techniques and creates employment opportunities, contributing to foreign exchange earnings.

Organic Farming:

• A system avoiding synthetic inputs like chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and genetically modified organisms.
• Enhances agro-ecosystem health, biodiversity, and soil biological activity.
• Sikkim became India's first 100% organic state in January 2016.

Aquaculture:

• Involves cultivating aquatic organisms like fish, shellfish, and aquatic plants.
• Requires intervention in the rearing process for production enhancement.
• Encompasses both marine and freshwater species, ranging from land-based to open-ocean production.
• Includes kelp, seaweed, fish farming, shrimp farming, shellfish farming, and cultured pearl production.

Aquaponic Farming:

• Combining aquaculture and hydroponics, aquaponic farming cultivates fish in tanks alongside plants grown in water, creating a sustainable method for raising both fish and vegetables. Widely adopted by individuals, entrepreneurs, educators, missions, and governments.

Seaweed Farming:

• Seaweed, a marine algae with thousands of species, plays a vital role in coastal ecosystems. Seaweed farming or kelp farming involves cultivating and harvesting these plant-like organisms. It ranges from managing naturally found batches to fully controlling the life cycle of the algae.

Co-operative Farming:

• Co-operative farming involves joint agricultural activities where individuals collaborate with shared authorities on their properties. A compromise between collective farming and peasant proprietorship, it has a strong socio-economic foundation and was initially employed by large farmers to safeguard their lands from stringent ceiling laws.

Contract Farming:

• Agricultural production conducted based on an agreement between buyers and farmers characterizes contract farming. The agreement establishes conditions for production and marketing, ensuring the quality and timely supply of specific agricultural products. The Model APMC Act, 2003, outlines provisions for contract farming, including compulsory registration of sponsors and dispute settlement.

Dryland Farming:

• Operating in sub-humid to arid conditions with limited hydrology and dependence on monsoon rainfall, dryland agriculture encompasses coarse grains, millets, oilseeds, pulses, and cotton. Covering two-thirds of India's geographical area, it supports 40% of the population.

Truck Farming: