Indian Agriculture

Origin of Agriculture:

At the beginning of 'agro' or 'farming' marks the beginning of the 'civilized' or 'sedentary' community. Climate change and population growth in the Holocene Era (10,000 BC onwards) led to the development of agriculture. In the Bronze Age (9000 BC), domestication of plants and animals is converted into businesses in the early Homo sapiens from hunting and gathering to selective hunting, herding and settled agriculture. Ultimately, agricultural practices enabled people to establish permanent settlements and expanding urban communities. Cultivation marks the transition from nomadic society solid prehistoric Neolithic lifestyle some time around 7000 BC.

Per the definition of modern agriculture, there will be "an aggregate of large scale intensive cultivation of land, mono-cropping, organized irrigation and use of a specialized workforce," title "inventors of agriculture" will go to the Sumerians, starting ca. 5500 BC.

Technological development:

First areas were cleared of weeds and prepared for planting by hand at great effort, using primitive hoes or digging sticks.

The invention of the scratch plow (also called 'plow'), around 6000 years ago was a great labor-saving devices for humans - at the beginning of the systematic replacement of other forms of energy, in this case, animal power to human muscles.

 

The Muslim farmers in North Africa and the Middle East in the medieval world is credited with the invention of the extensive irrigation based on hydraulic and hydrostatic principles, such as Nora, water mills, water raising machines, dams and reservoirs.

   Renaissance of innovation in the three field system of crop rotation and wide spread use of moldboard plow.

The early phase of the industrial revolution saw the new farming methods like enclosure, mechanization, four-field crop rotation and selective breeding.

Science-driven innovations, 19 and 20 century led to the mechanization of cultivation, namely the use of tractors.

Agriculture in India:

Agriculture in India, the most prominent sector of the economy, the livelihood of almost two thirds of the workforce in the country. The contribution of agriculture and allied activities in India's economic growth in recent years has been somewhat less important than industry and services. The role of agriculture in the country's best by this statement: "If agriculture survives, India will survive."

Indian Agriculture - Water Management:

Indian agricultural production in most parts of the country is closely linked to the talented and wise water management practices. Most of the cultivation in India is limited to the few monsoon months. During the monsoon season in India is normally equipped with a generous rainfall, but not infrequently, this bountiful monsoon becomes a nightmare that causes uncontrollable flooding in parts of the country. In a matter of contrast, every year the monsoon has been erratic and inadequate, leading to drought and the possibility of famine. This explains the inextricable link between the Indian agriculture and efficient water management practices known across different parts of India since antiquity.

According to the story of the Indian agricultural water resources practice is known to have either been taken up by the state or the local village communities since time immemorial. Regional leaders and local representatives of the State were generally required to allocate a certain percentage of agricultural taxes on construction and management of water storage, water harvesting and / or water re-structures that facilitated a second crop, and provided water for drinking and other The purpose of long dry season. 

The British rule witnessed the destruction of centuries-old water management structures and a virtual wreck of knowledge systems and cultural traditions that had helped to create and maintain these water techniques over the centuries in states like Bihar, Bengal, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and others. Because of this, during the colonial era, famines were frequent and famine commissions were plentiful. The growth rate in food production during the period 1900-1947 was nearly 0.1 percent. Most of the major institutional developments in agriculture came from the recommendations of famine commissions. The Great Bengal Famine of 1942-43, formed the basis of India's independence.

The stagnant performance of agriculture in India during colonial times was transformed into a sustained growth since 1947, with better results in India, especially in terms of per capita food production.

Indian Agriculture in Independent India:

   Early Years of Independence:

The first years of independence witnessed accentuation on the development of infrastructure for scientific agriculture. The steps taken included the establishment of fertilizer and pesticide factories, construction of large multi-purpose irrigation-cum-power projects, organization of community development and national expansion programmers and above all, the beginning of agricultural universities and new agricultural research institutions in the crossword of the country. However, the growth in food production was insufficient to meet consumer needs in the growing population, which necessitated food imports.

Green Revolution:

Policy makers and planners to address the concerns about national independence, security and political stability realized that self-sufficiency in food production was a prerequisite. This perception led to a program of agricultural improvement called the Intensive Agriculture District Program (IADP) and ultimately to the green revolution. The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) was established. All these measures have led to a quantum leap in productivity and crop production.

White and yellow Revolution:

The Green Revolution created a climate of confidence in our agricultural capacity, leading to the next phase characterized by the Technology Mission. Following this approach, the focus was on conservation, cultivation, consumption and trade. An end-to-end approach was introduced with a focus on all stages of production-consumption chain, because of the progress was steady and sometimes striking as it comes to milk and egg production.

Current Times:

Indian agriculture continues to face internal and external challenges. While monsoon dependence fragmented land holdings, low input practices, outdated farming methods, lack of technology application and poor infrastructure in rural areas are some of the major domestic problems that prevent a healthy growth, while subsidies and barriers have been distorting international trade in agricultural products make agricultural exports from developing countries like India are not competitive.

The goal of any policy initiative has been to make Indian agriculture globally competitive - by investing it with the ability to produce globally acceptable quality at globally comparable prices.