Explain about Agriculture

1. Agriculture Sector
in
INDIA

5. INTRODUCTION
 Agriculture describes the practice of growing crops or raising
animals. Someone who works as a farmer is in
the agriculture industry.
 The Latin root of agriculture is agri, or "field," plus cultura,
"cultivation." Cultivating a piece of land, or planting and
growing food plants on it, is largely what agriculture means.
Raising animals for meat or milk also falls under the category
of agriculture. If we didn't have agriculture, we'd all be running
around the woods, picking berries and trying to shoot things.
 India is an agricultural based country and agriculture is the
backbone of Indian Economy
 Agriculture is the most important sector of Indian Economy.
Indian agriculture sector accounts for 16 per cent of India's
gross domestic product (GDP) and provides employment to
50% of the countries workforce.

6.  India is the world’s largest producer of pulses, rice, wheat,
spices and spice products. India has many areas to choose for
business such as dairy, meat, poultry, fisheries and food grains
etc.
 India has emerged as the second largest producer of fruits and
vegetables in the world .
 In India, about seventy percent of total population is engaged in
farming and other agricultural activities.
 India’s geographical condition is unique for agriculture because
many favorable conditions like climate, soil etc. for farming are
available here and these agriculture products provide raw
materials to a much agro-based company which are abundant in
India.
 Apart from soil and climatic condition every day various
scientific techniques and innovations are done for the growth of
agricultural production.
 Agriculture is the biggest industry in India and it also plays a
key role in the socio-economic growth of the country.

7. HISTORY
 The history of agriculture records the domestication of plants
and animals and the development and dissemination of
techniques for raising them productively. Agriculture began
independently in different parts of the globe, and included a
diverse range of taxa. At least eleven separate regions of the
Old and New World were involved as independent centers of
origin.
 Indian agriculture began like in 9000 BC as a result of early
cultivation of plants.
 Double monsoon leads to two harvest in a year.
 The Grow More Food Campaign (1940s) and the Integrated
Production Program (1950s) focused on food and cash crops
supply respectively.
 In 1960s Green revolution took place. Agriculture production
rose. Export increased at 10% in 1990s.

8. Contd…..
 Agricultural practices such as irrigation, crop rotation,
fertilizers, and pesticides were developed long ago but
have made great strides in the past century
 The recent history of agriculture has been closely tied
with a range of political issues including water pollution,
biofuels, Genetically modified organisms, tariffs, and farm
subsidies. In recent years, there has been a backlash
against the external environmental effects of mechanized
agriculture, and increasing support for the organic
movement and Sustainable agriculture.

9. Schemes for Development of
Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare
The Department of Agriculture & Cooperation was earlier
implementing 51 schemes for development of agriculture and
welfare of farmers in the country. These schemes have recently
been restructured into 5 Centrally Sponsored Missions, 5 Central
Sector Schemes and 1 State Plan Scheme as given below:
A. Centrally Sponsored Missions:
• National Food Security Mission (NFSM)
• National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA)
• National Mission on Oilseeds and Oil Palm (NMOOP)
• National Mission on Agricultural Extension and Technology
(NMAET)
• Mission of Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH)

10. Cont…
B. Central Sector Schemes
• National Crop Insurance Programme (NCIP)
• Integrated Scheme on Agriculture Cooperation (ISAC)
• Integrated Scheme for Agriculture Marketing (ISAM)
• Integrated Scheme on Agriculture Census, Economics &
Statistics (ISACE&S)
• Secretariat Economic Service (SES)
C. State Plan Scheme
• Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojna (RKVY)
The schemes are constantly reviewed and
evaluated at National, State and Zonal levels and taken up during
meetings with States and during Zonal and National Rabi/Kharif
season Conferences to identify the deficiencies in the
implementation of the schemes.

11. GDP Contribution 0f Agriculture
In INDIA
As per the Economic Survey 2017–2018, the
agriculture sector has contributed about 16% to India
GDP at current price.
The year on growth is merely in the range of 2.1 to
2.3% in agricultural sector alone and if as predicted by
the current government to double the farming income
by 2022, you must be able to grow at 12% year on year
basis for the next 4 years.
Agriculture sector has a pivotal role in Indian
economy ,Agriculture sector a must for GDP growth in
India and also Agriculture provides the principal means
of livelihood for over 60 percent of India's population.

13. ABOUT CASH CROPS
IN INDIA
A cash crop or profit crop is an
agricultural crop which is grown to sell for
profit. It is typically purchased by parties
separate from a farm. The term is used to
differentiate marketed crops from subsistence
crops, which are those fed to the producer's
own livestock or grown as food for the
producer's family.
Cash crop is a crop grown for its
commercial value with the objective of making
profit by selling them.

15. Cash Crops are divided into 3 major groups:
 Fibers:
 Cotton:
Cotton is a major cash crop in India. It grows in equable and
dry climate. The best soil for cotton cultivation is Black Cotton Soil .
The most important cotton growing regions in India are Gujarat,
Maharashtra, Punjab, Haryana, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka,
Tamil Nadu.
 Jute:
India is the principle producer of Jute in the World. It is mainly
grown in Ganges-Brahmaputra regions. The major jute producing states
are Assam, West Bengal, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Meghalaya, Bihar.
 Sugarcane:
India is the second largest producer of sugarcane. It grows well
in hot and humid climate. The major sugarcane producing regions are
Bihar, Punjab, Haryana, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar
Pradesh ,Maharashtra.

16.  Drugs & Beverages
 Tobacco:
Tobacco was brought to India by the Portuguese. Gujarat,
Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Bihar. More than 1/3rd
tobacco of the country is produced by Andhra Pradesh alone.
 Tea:
India is the second producer of tea in the world. It is mainly
grown in hills. West Bengal, North East India, and South India are the
chief producers in India.
 Coffee:
India contributes about 4% of the world’s total coffee production. It
ranks 6th in the world in coffee production. More than half of the total
coffee production in India is produced by Karnataka alone, followed
by Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

17.  Oil seeds:
Oil seeds produced in India include groundnut,
mustard, coconut, sesame (til), soy bean, castor seeds,
linseed, and sunflower. Madhya Pradesh ranks first
(31%) in the total oil seeds production and is followed
by Rajasthan and Gujarat.
Some examples of cash crops are as follows:
Coffee Groundnut
Tea Castor
Coconut Linseed
Cotton Cocoa
Jute Rubber

18. Major crops and their Regions:

19. Problems Faced by Indian
Agriculture
 Inequality in Land Distribution:
The distribution of agricultural land in India has not been
fairly distributed. Rather there is a considerable degree of
concentration of land holding among the rich landlords, farmers
and money lenders throughout the country.
 Land Tenure System:
The land tenure system practiced in India is suffering
from lot of defects. Insecurity of tenancy was a big problem for the
tenants, particularly during the pre- independence period.
 Cropping Pattern:
The cropping pattern which shows the proportion of the
area under different crops at a definite point of time is an important
indicator of development and diversification of the sector.

20.  Sub-division and Fragmentation of holdings:
In India, the average size of holding is expected to decline
from 1.5 hectares in 1990-91 to 1.3 hectares in 2000-01. Thus the
size of agricultural holding is quite uneconomic, small and
fragmented.
 Instability and Fluctuations:
Indian agriculture is continuously subjected to instability
arising out of fluctuations in weather and gamble of monsoon. As a
result, the production of food-grains and other crops fluctuates
widely leading to continuous fluctuation of prices of agricultural
crops.
 Poor Farming Techniques and Agricultural
Practices:
The farmers in India have been adopting orthodox and
inefficient method and technique of cultivation. It is only in recent
years that the Indian farmers have started to adopt improved
implements like steel ploughs, seed drills, etc.to a limited extent only.

21.  Conditions of Agricultural Labourers:
Agricultural laborers are the most exploited unorganized
class in the rural population of the country. The level of income,
the standard of living and the rate of wages remained abnormally
low. Total number of agricultural workers has increased from 55.4
million in 1981 to 74.6 million in 1991 which constituted nearly
23.5 per cent of the total working population of the country.
 Inadequate Use of Inputs:
Indian agriculture is suffering from inadequate use of
inputs like fertilizers and HYV seeds. Indian farmers are not
applying sufficient quantity of fertilizers on their lands and even
the application of farm yard dung manure is also inadequate Indian
farmers are still applying seeds of indifferent quality. They have
no sufficient financial ability to purchase good quality high
yielding seeds. Moreover, the supply of HYV seeds is also
minimum in the country.

22.  Inadequate Irrigation Facilities:
Indian agriculture is still suffering from lack of assumed
and controlled water supply through artificial irrigation facilities.
Thus the Indian farmers have to depend much upon rainfall which is
neither regular nor even. Whatever irrigation potential that has been
developed in our country, a very limited number of our farmers can
avail the facilities.
 Absence of Crop Rotation:
Proper rotation of crops is very much essential for
successful agricultural operations as it helps to regain the fertility of
the soil. As the farmers are mostly illiterate, they are not very much
conscious about the benefit of crop rotation. Therefore, land loses its
fertility to a considerable extent.

23. Horticulture
According to Liberty Hyde Bailey (1858-1954), an
American scholar who can be considered as one of the Fathers of
Horticultural Science along with Thomas Andrew Knight (1759-
1838) and John Lindley (1799-1865) ( Janick 2002), horticulture is
the growing of flowers, fruits and vegetables, and of plants for
ornament and fancy (Ohio State University).
Horticulture is a branch of plant agriculture and is both a
science and an art. As an art, it incorporates the principles of
design.
Horticulture deals with intensively cultured and high-
value crops. Horticultural crops include the vegetables, fruits, and
nuts which are directly used by man for food, the flowers and
other ornamental plants for aesthetic uses or visual enjoyment, and
those used for medicinal purposes.

24. Main Branches of Horticulture
 Olericulture:
The production of vegetables including storage, processing,
and marketing. Vegetable crops are grown for their succulent and
edible parts such as the roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruits, or seeds for
use in culinary preparations either fresh or preserved in the fresh state.
 Pomology:
The branch of horticulture which deals with fruit crop
production. Fruit crops are grown for their edible fruits which, as a
rule, are consumed raw.
 Floriculture:
The cultivation and management of cut flowers, flowering
plants, and foliage plants including their use in ornamental construct
such as flower arrangement.

25. A term that is used interchangeably with floriculture is
ornamental horticulture.
 Plant Propagation / Nursery Crop Culture:
the propagation and production of seedlings, young trees,
shrubs and vines, as well as ground covers, turf, ornamental plants
and other crops in nurseries for landscaping, interior plantscaping,
or outplanting.
 Landscape horticulture:
the branch of horticulture which includes the design,
construction and care of landscapes taking into consideration
proper choice of plants and aesthetic effects for homes, businesses
and public places.

26. Descriptors of horticulture:
 Horticulture differs from agronomy in many ways but some
crops can be classified as both horticultural and agronomic
depending on use. In the tropics, however, the distinction
between horticulture and agronomy is not clear.
 Horticulture is intensive. It deals with high-value crops which
are intensively cultivated with high infusion of capital in terms
of production inputs, labor and technology per land area.
 Protected cultivation, as in glasshouses and plastic tunnels, and
irrigation are common.
 This terms are used to refer to production units for horticultural
crops: gardens, orchards, groves, vineyards, greenhouses,
nurseries, and sometimes plantations.
 It supports environmental enhancement through a special
branch of horticulture called environmental or urban
horticulture .It has been applied in horticultural therapy in
which horticultural plants are used as therapeutic tools.

27. Green Revolution
The Green Revolution in India was an effort to
increase agricultural production in India via a package
of industrial agriculture technologies, such as hybrid
seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, and irrigation. This was
part of a larger, international effort dubbed the Green
Revolution. It was funded by the U.S. and Indian
governments and the Ford and Rockefeller
Foundations.

28. Who started the Green
Revolution in India?
GREEN REVOLUTION IS NOT AN EXCEPTIONAL
It started before Independence.
The world's worst recorded food disaster occurred in 1943 in
British-ruled India. Known as the Bengal Famine, an estimated 4
million people died of hunger that year in eastern India.
Initially, this catastrophe was attributed to an acute shortfall in
food production in the area.
After independence this scenario is going to be worst !
That was the period , INDIA evolved from the various problems
Yes , Agriculture was one of them.
Evolution for this situation was GREEN REVOLUTION
The Green Revolution in India was a period when agriculture in
India increased its yields due to improved agronomic technology.

29. It started in India in the early 1960s and
led to an increase in food grain
production, especially in Punjab,
Haryana and Uttar Pradesh during the
early phase.
THIS INITIATIVE IS TAKEN BY
Mankombu Sambasivan Swaminathan
Father of Green Revolution in INDIA!!
From 1972 to 1979 he was director general of the Indian
Council of Agricultural Research. He was Principal Secretary,
Ministry of Agriculture from 1979 to 1980. He served as Director
General of the International Rice Research Institute (1982–88) and
became president of the International Union for the Conservation of
Nature and Natural Resources in 1988.
In 1999, Time magazine placed him in the 'Time 20' list of most
influential Asian people of the 20th century.

30. 8 Major Economical Impact of
Green Revolution in India:
 Increase in Agricultural Production:
The introduction of Green Revolution in 1967-68 has
resulted in phenomenal increase in the production of agricultural crops
especially in food-grains. From 1967 onwards, the Green Revolution
aimed at bringing about a Grain Revolution. It is said that the Green
Revolution in India is largely the Wheat Revolution.
 Prosperity of Farmers:
With the increase in farm production the earnings of the
farmers also increased and they became prosperous. This has,
especially, been the case with big farmers having more than 10
hectares of land.
 Reduction in import of food-grains:
The main benefit of Green Revolution was the increase in the
production of food-grains, as a result of which there was a drastic
reduction in their imports.

31. We are now self sufficient in food-grains and have sufficient stock in
the central pool. Sometimes we are in a position to export food-grains
also.
 Capitalistic Farming:
Big farmers having more than 10 hectares of land have tended to get
the maximum benefit from Green Revolution technology by investing
large amount of money in various inputs like HYV seeds, fertilizers,
machines, etc. This has encouraged capitalistic farming.
 Ploughing back of profit:
The introduction of Green Revolution helped the farmers in raising
their level of income. Wiser farmers ploughed back their surplus
income for improving agricultural productivity. This led to further
improvement in agriculture. According to a study conducted by
Punjab Agriculture University, Ludhiana farmers plough back about
55 per cent of their income for agricultural progress.

32.  Industrial Growth:
Green Revolution brought about large scale farm
mechanisation which created demand for different types of machines
like tractors, harvestors, threshers, combines, diesel engines, electric
motors, pumping sets, etc. Besides, demand for chemical fertilizers,
pesticides, insecticides, weedicides, etc. also increased considerably.
 Rural Employment:
While on one hand, large scale unemployment was feared due
to mechanization of farming with the introduction of Green Revolution
technology in India, there was an appreciable increase in the demand for
labour force due to multiple cropping and use of fertilizers.
 Change in the Attitude of Farmers:
The Indian farmer had remained illiterate, backward and
traditional and had been using conventional methods of cultivation since
the early times. But Green Revolution has brought about a basic change
in his attitude towards farming.

34. Thank you