Agriculture in India | Methods of Farming, Technology, Cultivation
History of Agriculture
The history of agriculture in India dates back to the Indus Valley civilization period and indeed even before that in a few parts of southern India. The agricultural sector is one of the foremost imperative businesses within the Indian economy, which implies it is additionally a colossal boss. Roughly 60 percent of the Indian populace works within the industry, contributing almost 18 percent to India’s Gross Domestic Production (GDP). This share diminishes continuously with each year, with the advancement in other sectors and divisions of the country’s economy.
What is Agriculture
Agriculture is the art and science of cultivating the soil, production of crops, and raising livestock. Plants and animal products are being produced for people to utilize and distribute them to the markets.
Agriculture was the key advancement within the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of tamed species made nourishment surpluses that sustained the advancement of civilization. The study of agriculture is known as agricultural science. The history of agriculture dates back thousands of a long time, and its improvement has been driven and characterized by incredibly distinctive climates, cultures, and advances, and modern technologies. Industrial agribusiness based on large-scale monoculture cultivating has ended up the prevailing agrarian methodology.
Agriculture in India
Agricultural efficiency in India depends on a few components. These include the accessibility and quality of rural inputs such as arrive, water, seeds, and fertilizers, access to agrarian credit and crop insurance, assurance of profitable costs for rural delivery, and storage and marketing infrastructure.
Agriculture Department
Agricultural Department refers to the federal department that administers the programs and provides services to the farmers including research and conservation of soils and efforts to stabilize the economy created in 1862.
Agricultural Products
Agrarian items imply crops, animals, and livestock items, including but not constrained to field crops, natural products, vegetables, agricultural specialties, cattle, sheep, hogs, goats, steeds, poultry, fur-bearing animals, drain eggs, and hides.
Agricultural Tools
In older times, tools used in agriculture are tractor, combine, plough fertilizer, and many others. But, with these modern techniques tools like transportation, cultivation, new irrigation facilities like drip irrigation, and other pest control systems for better sustainability and cultivation.
Sustainable Agriculture
Sustainable agriculture refers to the means of meeting societies’ present food and with the needs of textiles without compromising the ability for other current needs and sustains them for future generations.
Types of Agriculture
- Shifting Agriculture
This cultivating hone is primarily utilized by tribal bunches to develop tuber and root crops. Arrive is obtained by clearing a forested region and planting crops there. When the land is no longer fertile, another zone of arrival is cleared and the crops are shifted there.
- Subsistence cultivating
This is often a widely-practiced cultivating method that can be seen all over India. The rancher and/or his family develop grains for themselves or sale in the market.
- Intensive Agriculture
This cultivating practice can be seen in thickly populated zones in India. It is an endeavor to maximize the yield of the arrive, through the utilize of each possible effort. It requires a huge sum of capital in expansion to a great deal of human work, but more than one crop can be raised per year.
Advantages of Agriculture
- Food for Human Beings: Food is being produced using modern techniques of agriculture which are being consumed by human beings. These include all fruits, vegetables, and meat.
- Food for Animals: Creatures too feed on nourishment developed through agriculture, for example, feed, grub, silage, and more.
- Source of Livelihood: Many individuals spend their lives locks in agriculture. They incorporate agriculturists, agronomists, transporters, and numerous others.
- Source of Wages: People earn their living directly or by implication through agriculture.
- Raw Materials: Agriculture produces crude materials that are required in fabricating. Examples included are sisal, cotton, bamboo, and more.
- Food Security: Agriculture is practiced to make strides in food security in a country.
- Trading Product: Products such as wheat, corn, or tea are utilized as exchanging commodities within the budgetary or financial markets.
- International Trade: International exchange is dependent on agrarian items that are traded between nations.
Hence, the agriculture sector plays a vital role in the Indian economy developing and sustaining the country.
Disadvantages of Agriculture
Agriculture can offer numerous benefits, particularly in terms of made strides and improvement in food security. In any case, as with any framework, there are potential downsides that can diminish or indeed eliminate the potential benefits.
Health
- The potential for malady transmission rises if appropriate nourishment and environment security safety measures are not in place
- Exposure to pesticides and herbicides
- Contamination from animal waste
- Urban soils may be sullied and unsuitable for food production
Environment
- Soil, water, and air contamination from chemicals or creature waste.
- Abuse of urban vegetation and flora for grazing.
- Erosion or flooding from riverside agriculture
Social
- Too much time may be spent on overseeing and managing crops, driving to the neglect of familial obligations.
- The potential for child labor.
- Further disintegration of rural and provincial communities
Urban Management
- Tax assessment is difficult
- Urban farming sites may involve spaces that can command higher rents when utilized in other capacities
- Uses costly or restricted consumable water
- Requires additional monitoring for nourishment and environmental safety.
Agriculture Minister
The Ministry of Agriculture is headed by Minister Narendra Singh Tomar. He heads the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and is one of the cabinet ministers of the Government of India.
Top Agricultural Companies in India
- Niche Agriculture Ltd.
Niche Agriculture is a leading company holding a remarkable position among Organic Farming. Niche Agriculture Limited aspires to hoard and preserve the natural resources and redeeming nature by bolstering small farmers and make it an elated and jubilant place to live in.
2. Kaveri Seed Company Ltd
Currently, Kaveri is one of the fastest-growing seed companies in India with a large network of over 15,000 distributors and dealers spread across the country.
3. Goodricke Group Ltd
Goodricke Group Limited is engaged in the manufacture and cultivation of tea.
Women in Agriculture
Women play a critical and significant part of rural improvement and allied fields. The nature and degree of women’s association in agriculture shift incredibly from region to region. But regardless, of these varieties, women are effectively included in different rural activities. As per Census 2011, out of total female laborers, 55 percent were agrarian workers and 24 percent were cultivators.
Careers and Jobs in Agriculture
Agriculture is the largest industry and a better source of the environment across the nation. Agriculture provides a great scope of employment and career in India like you can be an agricultural engineer, agricultural manager, aquatic ecologist, agricultural specialist, arborist, and many more.
Niche Agriculture is an ideal company with an aura of decisiveness and eagerness. In our company, you will come up to your full potential and will be perceived and recognized for your hard work. We have an eco-friendly and positive environment as “When you are being positive, you are being productive”.
We promote the freedom and security of our employees and goal attainment. Our environment is most conducive to aid employees performing to their highest utility. The environment we work in is a mirror of our own attitudes and expressions. Our team is committed to excellence, intelligent planning, and concentrate efforts.