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Indian Agriculture: Farming Types, Features and Challenges

Last updated on October 31, 2023 by ClearIAS Team

India has one of the largest plain areas of the world-the Indo-Gangetic plain which is immensely fertile.

India has varieties of climatic conditions and soil types .

These physical variations along with factors like availability of irrigation, use of machinery, modern agricultural inputs like High Yielding Varieties (HYV) of seeds, insecticides, and pesticides have played their important roles in the evolution of different farming practices in the Indian agriculture sector.

Table of Contents

Types of farming in India

Some of the major types of farming are discussed below.

i) Subsistence farming:

The majority of farmers in India practice subsistence farming- farming for their consumption. The entire production is largely consumed by the farmers and their families and they do not have any surplus to sell in the market.

In this type of farming, landholdings are small and fragmented; cultivation techniques are primitive and simple. There is a total absence of modern equipment like tractors and farm inputs like chemical fertilizers, insecticides, and pesticides. In this farming, farmers mostly cultivate cereals along with oilseeds, pulses, vegetables, and sugarcane.

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Subsistence farming is further classified into:

Primitive subsistence agriculture is practised on patches of land with the help of primitive tools like simple digging tools and community or family labour. This type of farming is monsoon depended along with the fertility of the soil and other environmental conditions. Examples of such types are shifting agriculture and nomadic herding.

• Shifting agriculture is practised in thickly forested regions like the Amazon basin, tropical Africa, parts of southeast Asia, and northeast India. These areas receive heavy rainfall hence the vegetation regenerates quickly.
• A patch of land is cleared by felling if tress and burning them. The ashes are then mixed with the soil and crops like maize, yam, potatoes, and cassava are grown. The land is abandoned once fertility is reduced.
• nomadic herding is practised in the semi-arid and arid regions of Sahara, Central Asia, and some parts of India like Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir.
• Herdsmen move from place to place with their animals for fodder and water, along defined routes and such movement arises due to seasonal changes. Animals like sheep, camel, yak, and goats are most commonly reared.

Intensive subsistence agriculture is done on small lands with simple tools and more labour. The produce is enough for local consumption and to be sold outside. The sunny climate and fertile soil for most of the year permit the cultivation of more than one crop annually on the same plot. Rice, wheat, maize, pulses, and oilseeds are generally cultivated.

ii) Intensive and Extensive farming

The basic difference between these two types of farming is the amount of production per unit of land. In comparison with temperate areas of the USA, Canada, India do not practice extensive cultivation.

When a large patch of land is used for cultivation then we call it extensive farming. Here, total production may be high due to the larger area but per unit are production is low.

Intensive Farming records high production per unit of land. An example of intensive cultivation is in Kerala where the availability of land for cultivation is very limited.

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iii) Commercial farming

It is just the opposite of subsistence farming as most of the produce is sold in the market for earning money. In this system, farmers use inputs like irrigation, chemical fertilizers, insecticides, pesticides, High Yielding Varieties of seeds, etc.

Some of the major commercial crops grown in different parts of India are cotton , jute, sugarcane, groundnut, etc.

Rice farming in Harayana is mainly for commercial purposes as people of this area are predominantly wheat eaters. However, in East and North-Eastern states of India, rice cultivation would be large of subsistence type.

iv) Plantation Farming:

In this type, a single cash crop is grown for sale in national and international markets. This type of agriculture involves the growing and processing of a single cash crop purely meant for sale.

Tea, coffee, rubber, banana, and spices are all examples of plantation crops. Most of these crops were introduced in India by the Britishers in the 19th Century

v) Mixed Farming:

When both raising crops and rearing animals are carried on simultaneously it is called mixed farming. Farmers engaged in mixed farming have economical advantages as well.

All classifications are based on the nature and purpose of farming hence they may overlap in some cases. For example, Banana is a plantation type of farming but can also be classified as commercial farming.

Features of Indian Agriculture

Subsistence Agriculture : Most parts of India have subsistence agriculture which has been practised in India for several hundreds of years and still prevails.

The pressure of population on Agriculture : Despite the increase in urbanization and industrialization, about 70% of the population is still directly or indirectly dependent on agriculture.

Mechanization in agriculture: Even after more than forty years of the Green Revolution and revolution in agricultural machinery and equipment, complete mechanization is still not achieved.

Monsoon dependency: Despite the large-scale expansion, only about one-third of the total cropped area is irrigated today. As a consequence, two-thirds of cropped areas are still dependent upon the monsoon.

Variety of crops: Since India has both tropical and temperate climates, crops of both climates are found in India. There are very few countries in the world that have variety comparable to that of India. You would realize that when we would discuss the different types of crops in detail.

The predominance of food crops: The production of food crops is the priority of the farmers almost everywhere in the country.

Seasonal patterns: India has three distinct agricultural/cropping seasons- Kharif, rabi, and Zaid. In India, there are specific crops grown in these three seasons. For example, rice is a Kharif crop whereas wheat is a rabi crop.

Challenges for Indian Agriculture

The challenges faced by Indian agriculture can be broadly grouped into two categories- the long-standing problems and the emerging issues from the prevailing agricultural practices, system, changing climate, and economy.

Stagnation in Production of Major Crops: Production of some of the major staple food crops like rice and wheat has been stagnating for quite some time. This is a situation that is worrying our agricultural scientists, planners, and policymakers as it creates a huge gap between the demand of the ever-growing population and the production.

High cost of Farm Inputs: Farm inputs include fertilizer, insecticide, pesticides, HYV seeds, farm labour cost, etc. Such an increase puts low and medium-land-holding farmers at a disadvantage.

Soil Exhaustion: Green revolution has played a positive role in reducing hunger in India but has negative consequences also. One of which is Soil exhaustion which means the loss of nutrients in the soil from farming the same crop over and over again.

Ground Water depletion: The second negative consequence of the green revolution is the depletion of fresh groundwater. Most of the irrigation in dry areas of Punjab, Haryana, and Western Uttar Pradesh was carried out by excessive use of groundwater. Today fresh groundwater situation in these states is alarming.

Global Climatic Change: It has been predicted that climate change’s impact on Indian agriculture would be immense. It is predicted that due to climate change, the temperature would increase, leading to an increase in sea level, more intense cyclones, unpredictable rainfall, etc. These changes would adversely affect the production of rice and wheat. Specifically, a rise in temperature in winter would affect the production of wheat in north India. Production of rice would be affected in coastal areas of India due to the ingress of saline water and an increase in the frequency of cyclones.

Impact of Globalisation : All developing countries have been affected by globalization. The most evident effect is the reduction in farmers’ income and the threat to the viability of cultivation in India. This is due to the rising input costs and falling output prices. This reflects the combination of reduced subsidy and protection to farmers. Trade liberalization exposes these farmers to competition from highly subsidized production in the developed world.

Providing Food Security: Before the introduction of the green revolution in India, we were not self-sufficient in terms of our food grain production. But last few decades agriculture is not growing with the increasing population and to ensure food security factors like accessibility, affordability as well nutritional value of the food available should be catered to.

Farmers Suicides: The farmer suicides appear concentrated in regions of high commercialization of Indian agriculture and very high peasant debt. Cash crop farmers seemed far more vulnerable than those growing food crops. Commercialization of the countryside along with a massive decline in investment in agriculture was the beginning of the decline. Privatization of many resources has also compounded the problems.

Indian Agriculture: Important Facts

The Economic Survey of India 2020-21 report stated that in FY20:

• The total food grain production in the country was recorded at 296.65 million tonnes (up by 11.44 million tonnes compared with 285.21 million tonnes in FY19).
• The government has set a target to buy 42.74 million tonnes from the central pool in FY21; this is 10% more than the quantity purchased in FY20.
• For FY22, the government has set a record target for farmers to raise food grain production by 2% with 307.31 million tonnes of food grains.
• In FY21, production was recorded at 303.34 million tonnes against a target of 301 million tonnes
• Gross Value Added (GVA) by agriculture, forestry, and fishing was estimated at Rs. 19.48 lakh crore in FY20.
• The share of agriculture and allied sectors in GVA of India at current prices stood at 17.8 % in FY20.
• Consumer spending in India will return to growth in 2021 post the pandemic-led contraction, expanding by as much as 6.6%.

Also read:  Agriculture export policy

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Agriculture Exports: Status and Challenges

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India’s agriculture exports have grown by 16.5% in April-September 2022 (on a year-on-year basis) compared to April-September in 2021.

Indian agricultural, horticultural and processed foods are exported to more than 100 countries in the world.

Major destination of India agricultural products are USA, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Nepal, and Bangladesh

Major commodities in export basket include rice (both Basmati and non-basmati), marine products, sugar, spices, cotton, wheat and buffalo meat.

Agricultural Exports: Trends

India has been a net exporter of agriculture products (exports greater than imports).

India’s agricultural exports (including marine and plantation products) crossed US$ 50 billion during the fiscal year ended March 31, 2022.

Technological advancements, government incentives, and institutional changes have contributed to a massive increase in agricultural output.

Source: Indian Express

Agriculture Exports: Potential and Opportunities

• India’s large extent of arable land, complemented by diverse agro-ecological conditions provide huge potential for cultivation of agriculture products.
• According to the FAO, India is the largest producer of milk, pulses and jute, and ranks as the second largest producer of rice, wheat, sugarcane, groundnut, vegetables, fruit and cotton. India is also one of the leading producers of spices, fish, poultry, livestock and plantation crops.
• Globally, India ranks second in total agricultural production at US$ 367 billion, yet India’s share in export market is minuscule. This indicates huge opportunity in scaling up the exports.
• Effective action at multiple levels, from farm inputs, quality assurance, traceability and certification, to building connections to global value chains (GVCs) can help India reach the US$ 100 billion milestone in agri-food exports.
• Government renewed focus through policies such as  doubling of farmers’ income program; agriculture export policy;  ease of FDI in the agriculture sector have increased  investors confidence.
• Rise in foreign investments promoting agripreneurship. 100%  FDI in agriculture sector is allowed in horticulture, floriculture, apiculture, animal husbandry and aquaculture.

Agriculture Exports: Benefits

• Largest sources of livelihood:  Agriculture employs 152 million Indians as of March, 2022. 70% of rural households still depend primarily on agriculture for their livelihood.
• Increase Farmers Income: Increase in export of agri-commodities at globally competitive prices will help increase income for farmers.
• Rural Development: Improvement in farm incomes will boost rural demand and contribute to growth of rural economy and development.
• Trade Balance: Agriculture exports have consistently outperformed agri-imports. Agriculture sector has regularly maintained a trade surplus. This helps in mitigating Current Account Deficit (CAD) and help enhance forex reserves.

Agriculture Exports: Challenges

• Inward-looking policies: India’s agriculture policy is focused more on food security and price stabilization to control inflation in domestic market. The policy deprives farmers of higher prices in the international market.
• Value Addition: Lack of branding and promotion is hurting the competitiveness of India’s agriculture exports.
• Lack of uniformity: Lack of uniform quality standards, standardization of commodities and high losses in value chain have limited the potential of export of horticulture produce.
• Trade and Non-trade barriers: Maximum Residue Limit (MRL) in India’s agricultural products breach phytosanitary and sanitary measures in the global market.
• Low Yield: The yield levels of the majority of crops in India remain much lower than the global average.
• Fragmented landholdings: The average farm size in India is only 1.15 hectares. Majority of the Indian farmers belongs to small and marginal category.

Agriculture Exports: Steps taken

Agriculture Export Policy 2018 (AEP):

• Diversify export basket and destinations.
• Boost high value-added agricultural exports.
• Promote indigenous, organic, traditional and non-traditional Agri products exports.
• Provide an institutional mechanism for pursuing market access.
• Enable farmers to get benefit of export opportunities in overseas market.

Cluster Development:

• As part of the Agriculture Export Policy, 46 unique product-district clusters have been identified for export promotion. 2
• 9 Cluster Level Committees have been formed in different clusters like Varanasi (Fresh Vegetables), Ananthpur (Banana), Nagpur (Orange), Lucknow (Mango).

Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS):

• It is the export promotion scheme by the Agriculture and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA).
• The primary aim of this scheme is to assist businesses in export infrastructure development, quality development and market development.
• The financial assistance under the scheme will range from INR 5 lakh (US$ 6,500) to INR 5 crore (US$ 650,000).

Ministry of Commerce & Industry Schemes:

• The Ministry of Commerce & Industry has also initiated several schemes to promote exports, including Trade Infrastructure for Export Scheme (TIES), Market Access Initiatives (MAI) Scheme.
• The Ministry has also collaborated with the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Railways (and 5 other Ministries) in utilization of Krishi Udan and Krishi Rail respectively, to ease out pressure of high freight rates.
• The effort resulted in smooth movement of perishables to the important Middle East, EU and South East Asian markets.

Agriculture and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA):

• It was formed in 1986, under the APEDA Act 1985 for the development of the exports of the agriculture sector in India.
• The main functions of the authority are the registration of people as exporters, fixing standards and specifications for the scheduled products, carrying out inspections, collecting statistics and providing information, training and advisory services to the exporters.

Farmer Connect Portal:

• A Farmer Connect Portal has been set up on APEDA’s website for providing a platform for FPOs/FPCs, cooperatives to interact with exporters.
• Around 2360 FPO/FPCs and 2324 exporters have been registered as of 2022.

Virtual Buyer Seller Meets (V-BSM):

• To promote geographical indications (GI) registered with agricultural and processed food products in India.
• 17 V-BSMs have been organised with countries like Canada, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, UAE and USA.

Agri-Cells:

• The Government has set up 13 Agri-Cells in Indian embassies in Vietnam, USA, Bangladesh, Nepal, UAE, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, China, Japan and Argentina.
• Aim is to provide inputs on real time basis to improve Indian exports at these destinations by promoting trade, tourism, technology and investment goals.

Agriculture Exports: A way ahead

• Empowering the farmer to improve quality: Farmers should be trained about export standards and compliances.  Krishi Vigyan Kendras can be engaged to take export-oriented technology to farmers and creating awareness among farmers about export opportunities.
• Infrastructure status: Providing Infrastructure status to agricultural value chains, such as warehousing, pack-houses, ripening chambers, and cold storage.
• Branding produce from Export Clusters: Export clusters (like Nagpur for Orange) lack organised marketing and branding support for their products. Branding will help ease their entry into international retail chains.
• Promoting Niche Indian products: Traditional wisdom and nutritional value of niche Indian food products, such as Indian variants of millets, fruits, rice, and oilseeds make them excellent export choices.
• Connect to GVCs: There is a need to connect Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) with global value chains and importers from other markets. It can help them understand quality needs and the importers can be assured of quality standards.
• Addressing logistics glitches: Agricultural commodities are perishable; and so logistics must be robust, containers made available timely, and freight costs stabilised.
• Bilateral trade and sectoral agreements: To ensure favourable tariffs for India’s agriculture exports and to address the non-tariff barriers that Indian exports face like the quality and testing protocols, fair trade certifications etc.
• Research and Development: It is important to promote R & D activities for new product development for upcoming markets, like fortification of food products.

Enhancing agriculture exports is one of the most potent lever in improving farm incomes and ensuring rural development.

Source: Indian Express , Indian Express , Indian Express , The Hindu BusinessLine , NABARD

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UPSC GS-3: Agriculture, Previous Years Questions (Topic wise)

Agriculture topicwise pyqs.

Syllabus Topic: Cropping-irrigation:  Major crops cropping patterns in various parts of the country;  Different types of irrigation and irrigation systems.

• What are the present challenges before crop diversification? How do emerging technologies provide an opportunity for crop diversification? [UPSC-2021]
• How far is the Integrated Farming System (IFS) helpful in sustaining agricultural production? (एकीकृत कृषि प्रणाली (आइ. एफ. एस) किस सीमा तक कृषि उत्पादन को संधारित करने में सहायक है ?) [UPSC-2019] ©crackingcivilservices.com
• Sikkim is the first ‘Organic State’ in India. What are the ecological and economical benefits of Organic State? [UPSC-2018]
• How has the emphasis on certain crops brought about changes in cropping patterns in recent past? Elaborate the emphasis on millets production and consumption. [UPSC-2018] ©crackingcivilservices.com
• What are the major reasons for declining rice and wheat yield in the cropping system? How crop diversification is helpful to stabilize the yield of the crop in the system? [UPSC-2017]
• What is allelopathy? Discuss its role in major cropping systems of irrigated agriculture. [UPSC-2016]
• Given the vulnerability of Indian agriculture to vagaries of nature, discuss the need for crop insurance and bring out the salient features of the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY). [UPSC-2016]
• How and to what extent would micro-irrigation help in solving India’s water crisis ? [UPSC-2021]
• Suggest measures to improve water storage and irrigation system to make its judicious use under depleting scenario. [UPSC-2020]
• Elaborate on the impact of the National Watershed Project in increasing agricultural production from water-stressed areas. (जल-प्रतिबलित क्षेत्रों से कृषि उत्पादन में वृद्धि करने में जल-विभाजक परियोजना के प्रभाव को सविस्तार स्पष्ट कीजिए |) [UPSC-2019]
• What is water-use efficiency? Describe the role of micro-irrigation in increasing the water-use efficiency.[UPSC-2016]

Syllabus Topic: Food processing and related industries in India (scope & significance, location, upstream-downstream requirements, supply chain management); Storage, transport & marketing of agro-produce and related issues & constraints;

• What are the challenges and opportunities of food processing sector in the country? How can income of the farmers be substantially increased by encouraging food processing? [UPSC-2020]
• What are the main constraints in transport and marketing of agricultural produce in India? [UPSC-2020]
• Assess the role of National Horticulture Mission (NHM) in boosting the production, productivity and income of horticulture farms. How far has it succeeded in increasing the income of farmers? [UPSC-2018]
• Examine the role of supermarkets in supply chain management of fruits, vegetables and food items. How do they eliminate number of intermediaries? [UPSC-2018]
• What are the reasons for poor acceptance of cost effective small processing unit? How the food processing unit will be helpful to uplift the socio-economic status of poor farmers? [UPSC-2017] ©crackingcivilservices.com
• Elaborate on the policy taken by the government of India to meet the challenges of the food processing sector. (खाद्य प्रसंस्करण क्षेत्रक की चुनौतियों के समाधान हेतु भारत सरकार द्वारा अपनाई गई नीति को सविस्तार स्पष्ट कीजिए |) [UPSC-2019]
• What are the impediments in marketing and supply chain management in industry in India? Can e-commerce help in overcoming these bottlenecks? [UPSC-2015]
• In view of the declining average size of land holdings in India which has made agriculture non-viable for a majority of farmers, should contract farming and land leasing be promoted in agriculture? Critically evaluate the pros and cons. [UPSC-2015]
• There is also a point of view that agriculture produce market committees (APMCs) set up under the state acts have not only impeded the development of agriculture but also have been the cause of food inflation in India. Critically examine. [UPSC-2014] ©crackingcivilservices.com
• India needs to strengthen measures to promote the pink revolution in food industry for better nutrition and health. Critically elucidate the statement. [UPSC-2013]

Syllabus Topic: Economics of animal-rearing.

• Livestock rearing has a big potential for providing non-farm employment and income in rural areas. Discuss suggesting suitable measures to promote this sectors in India. [UPSC-2015]

Syllabus Topic: Land Reforms in India

• How did land reforms in some parts of the country help to improve the socio-economic conditions of marginal and small farmers ? [UPSC-2021]
• Discuss the role of land reforms in agricultural development. Identify the factors that were responsible for the success of land reforms in India. [UPSC-2016]
• The right to fair compensation and transparency land acquisition, rehabilitation and resettlement act, 2013 has come into effect from 1 January 2014. What implication would it have on industrialisation and agriculture in India? [UPSC-2014] ©crackingcivilservices.com
• Establish the relationship between land reform, agriculture productivity and elimination of poverty in Indian Economy. Discussion the difficulty in designing and implementation of the agriculture friendly land reforms in India. [UPSC-2013]

Syllabus Topic: Issues related to direct and indirect farm subsidies and minimum support prices; Public Distribution System- objectives, functioning, limitations, revamping; issues of buffer stocks and food security;

• What are the salient features of the National Food Security Act, 2013 ? How has the Food Security Bill helped in eliminating hunger and malnutrition in India? [UPSC-2021]
• What are the major factors responsible for making rice-wheat system a success? In spite of this success how has this system become bane in India? [UPSC-2021]
• What are the reformative steps taken by the government to make food grain distribution system more effective? (अनाज वितरण प्रणाली को अधिक प्रभावी बनाने हेतु सरकार द्वारा कौन-कौन से सुधारात्मक कदम उठाए गए हैं ?) [UPSC-2019]
• What do you mean by Minimum Support Price (MSP)? How will MSP rescue the farmers from the low income trap? [UPSC-2018]
• How do subsidies affect the cropping pattern, crop diversity and economy of farmers? What is the significance of crop insurance, minimum support price and food processing for small and marginal farmers? [UPSC-2018]
• In what way could replacement of price subsidy with Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) change the scenario of subsidies in India? Discuss. [UPSC-2015]
• What are the different types of agriculture subsidies given to farmers at the national and state levels? Critically analyze the agriculture subsidy regime with the reference to the distortions created by it. [UPSC-2013]
• Food security bill is expected to eliminate hunger and malnutrition in India. Critically discuss various apprehensions in its effective implementation along with the concerns it has generated in WTO. [UPSC-2013]

Syllabus Topic: e-technology to aid farmers and Technology missions;

• Explain various types of revolutions, took place in Agriculture after Independence in India. How these revolutions have helped in poverty alleviation and food security in India? [UPSC-2017]
• How can the ‘Digital India’ programme help farmers to improve farm productivity and income? What steps has the Government taken in this regards? [UPSC-2015] ©crackingcivilservices.com
• “In the villages itself no form of credit organisation will be suitable except the cooperative society.” – All Indian rural credit survey. Discuss this statement in the background of agriculture finance in India. What constrain and challenges do financial institutions supplying agricultural finances? How can technology be used to better reach and serve rural clients? [UPSC-2014] ©crackingcivilservices.com

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Essay on Agriculture for Students and Children

500+ words essay on agriculture.

Agriculture is one of the major sectors of the Indian economy. It is present in the country for thousands of years. Over the years it has developed and the use of new technologies and equipment replaced almost all the traditional methods of farming. Besides, in India, there are still some small farmers that use the old traditional methods of agriculture because they lack the resources to use modern methods. Furthermore, this is the only sector that contributed to the growth of not only itself but also of the other sector of the country.

Growth and Development of the Agriculture Sector

India largely depends on the agriculture sector. Besides, agriculture is not just a mean of livelihood but a way of living life in India. Moreover, the government is continuously making efforts to develop this sector as the whole nation depends on it for food.

For thousands of years, we are practicing agriculture but still, it remained underdeveloped for a long time. Moreover, after independence, we use to import food grains from other countries to fulfill our demand. But, after the green revolution, we become self-sufficient and started exporting our surplus to other countries.

Besides, these earlier we use to depend completely on monsoon for the cultivation of food grains but now we have constructed dams, canals, tube-wells, and pump-sets. Also, we now have a better variety of fertilizers, pesticides, and seeds, which help us to grow more food in comparison to what we produce during old times.

With the advancement of technology, advanced equipment, better irrigation facility and the specialized knowledge of agriculture started improving.

Furthermore, our agriculture sector has grown stronger than many countries and we are the largest exporter of many food grains.

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Significance of Agriculture

It is not wrong to say that the food we eat is the gift of agriculture activities and Indian farmers who work their sweat to provide us this food.

In addition, the agricultural sector is one of the major contributors to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and national income of the country.

Also, it requires a large labor force and employees around 80% of the total employed people. The agriculture sector not only employees directly but also indirectly.

Moreover, agriculture forms around 70% of our total exports. The main export items are tea, cotton, textiles, tobacco, sugar, jute products, spices, rice, and many other items.

Negative Impacts of Agriculture

Although agriculture is very beneficial for the economy and the people there are some negative impacts too. These impacts are harmful to both environments as the people involved in this sector.

Deforestation is the first negative impact of agriculture as many forests have been cut downed to turn them into agricultural land. Also, the use of river water for irrigation causes many small rivers and ponds to dry off which disturb the natural habitat.

Moreover, most of the chemical fertilizers and pesticides contaminate the land as well as water bodies nearby. Ultimately it leads to topsoil depletion and contamination of groundwater.

In conclusion, Agriculture has given so much to society. But it has its own pros and cons that we can’t overlook. Furthermore, the government is doing his every bit to help in the growth and development of agriculture; still, it needs to do something for the negative impacts of agriculture. To save the environment and the people involved in it.

FAQs about Essay on Agriculture

Q.1 Name the four types of agriculture? A.1 The four types of agriculture are nomadic herding, shifting cultivation, commercial plantation, and intensive subsistence farming.

Q.2 What are the components of the agriculture revolution? A.2 The agriculture revolution has five components namely, machinery, land under cultivation, fertilizers, and pesticides, irrigation, and high-yielding variety of seeds.

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• Essay On Agriculture

Essay on Agriculture

500+ words essay on agriculture.

In India, agriculture is considered a primary livelihood for most of the population, which can never be underestimated. Agriculture has existed for thousands of years in our country and has developed with new technologies and equipment that have replaced traditional farming methods. In India, few farmers still use the traditional farming method because they lack the resources to use modern techniques. Agriculture is the only sector that contributes to itself and other country sectors. India is the second-largest wheat, rice, cotton, fruit, vegetables, and tea producer. It is also a global powerhouse of agricultural production. It is the world’s largest producer of spices, milk, wheat, rice and cotton.

Role of Agricultural in Economic Development

The population of India largely depends on agriculture, and it is not only just a means of livelihood but a way of living. The Government of India is continuously developing the agricultural sector by framing new laws, implementing modern technology, etc. In India, the entire nation depends on agriculture for food. In earlier times, agriculture was mainly dependent on the monsoon, but dams, canals, pump sets, and tube wells are now being constructed.

Agriculture plays a crucial role in the economic development of India as 3/4th of the population is based on agriculture. It is one of the largest sources of livelihood for the country. The country was dependent on agriculture for a thousand years.

The agricultural sector also benefits the industries in getting their raw materials, which clearly states that a large part of the economy will freeze without a flourishing agriculture sector. It leads to the expansion of the industrial sector. Indian agriculture provides employment opportunities to most people, and 70% of the population, especially in rural areas, earn their livelihood from cultivation.

In India, agriculture plays an imperative role in enhancing foreign exchange. To other nations, India exports commodities such as coffee, spices, tea, vegetables, tobacco, etc. Agriculture contributes to Indian exports. With the invention of organic farming, exports have also increased in the last few decades.

Agriculture is the Indian economy’s most important sector, and India’s farm sector is the largest industry. With constant changes and developments happening and introduced policies, it will only go upwards. It will always remain a significant factor in the nation’s economic growth.

An essay on Agriculture is crucial that can be asked during the exam. Students can also access CBSE Essays from our BYJU’S website.

Frequently Asked Questions on Agriculture Essay

Where was agriculture originally developed.

Agriculture was developed in modern-day Iraq, Jordan, Palestine, Israel, parts of Turkey and Iran which was also known as the Fertile Crescent.

What are the main types of agriculture?

The four main types of agricultural activities include livestock production, crop production, agricultural economics and agricultural engineering.

What are agricultural methods which are famous in India?

The majority of Indian farmers practice subsistence farming which involves the cultivation of crops on small pieces of land.

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Current Affairs 16th May 2024 for UPSC Prelims Exam

StudyIQ offers Daily Current Affairs and Important News for UPSC Exam 2024. Check here Current Affairs of 16th May 2024 for UPSC Exam and State PSC Exam.

Table of Contents

Grounds of Arrest

Context: The Supreme Court of India invalidated the arrest of NewsClick founder Prabir Purkayastha, ordering his release, due to the improper procedures followed during his arrest under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

More In News

• The court held that the ratio laid down in the judgement in the case Pankaj Bansal v Union of India mandating that grounds of arrest must be supplied to the accused in writing will also apply in the cases registered under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 1967.
• The court dismissed the argument that Purkayastha was “orally” informed about the grounds of his arrest.
• Additionally, the Supreme Court has ruled that article 22(1) of the Constitution mandates that an arrested person must be informed of the grounds of arrest and allowed to consult a lawyer, which was violated in this case.

Section 43 (A) and 43(B) of the UAPA

Section 43a: power to arrest, search, etc..

Any officer of the Designated Authority, empowered by a general or special order of the Central or State Government, can:

• Arrest a person if they know of a plan to commit an offence under the UAPA or have reason to believe, based on personal knowledge or written information, that the person has committed an offence punishable under this Act.
• Search any building, conveyance, or place, by day or night, if they believe it contains evidence of the commission of an offence, illegally acquired property, or any document or article related to such property.
• Authorise a subordinate officer to carry out the arrest or search.

Section 43B: Procedure of Arrest, Seizure, etc.

• Informing Grounds of Arrest: Any officer arresting a person under Section 43A must inform the person of the grounds for the arrest “as soon as possible”.
• Forwarding Arrested Person and Seized Articles : Every person arrested and an article seized under Section 43A must be forwarded without unnecessary delay to the officer-in-charge of the nearest police station.
• Subsequent Measures: The authority or officer to whom any person or article is forwarded must promptly take necessary measures in accordance with the provisions of the Code.

Igla – S Air Defence System

Context: The Indian Army is expected to receive a new batch of Russian Igla-S very short range air defence systems (VSHORAD) by the end of May or early June.

About Igla- S (or SA-24 Grinch)

• It is a man-portable air defence system (MANPADS).
• Developed by : Russia.
• Operation: It is a hand-held defence system that can be operated by an individual or a crew.
• Target Neutralisation : Designed to bring down low-flying aircraft and can also identify and neutralise air targets such as cruise missiles and drones.
• Components: Comprises the 9M342 missile, the 9P522 launching mechanism, the 9V866-2 mobile test station, and the 9F719-2 test set, working together for a comprehensive air defence solution.
• Role : Serves as the soldier’s last line of defence against enemy combat aircraft, helicopters, and UAVs within a multilayered air defence network.
• Range: Effective range is from 500 metres to 6 kilometres.
• Altitude : Can attack targets up to an altitude of 3.5 kilometres.
• Speed: Missile speed is 400 metres per second.
• Deployment Time: Deployment time is 13 seconds.
• Significance : The acquisition of the Igla-S MANPADS enhances India’s air defence capabilities, particularly in mountainous regions.

Ethylene Oxide

Context: India has mandated the testing and sampling of Ethylene Oxide (EtO) residue for all spice shipments to Singapore and Hong Kong.

What is Ethylene Oxide?

• Ethylene oxide is a pesticide and industrial chemical used as a fumigant by the spice industry to reduce microbial contamination like E. coli and Salmonella.
• It is classified as a Group 1 carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, indicating strong evidence from human studies that it can cause cancer.
• The chemical is colourless, highly flammable, and very reactive, effectively killing bacteria, viruses, and fungi.
• Usage of ETO: Ethylene oxide is used industrially and in agriculture, primarily for sterilising medical devices and food products such as spices, to extend shelf life and reduce microbial contamination.
• Ethylene oxide can damage DNA and increase the risk of various cancers, including leukaemia, stomach cancer, and breast cancer.
• Chronic exposure through regular consumption of contaminated spices is a concern.
• Additionally, Ethylene oxide exposure may also cause respiratory irritation, lung injury, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea.
• Ethylene glycol was an ingredient in cough syrups linked to over 300 child fatalities across various countries.

Global Regulations on Ethylene Oxide Use in Food

• The European Union (EU) banned ethylene oxide for food fumigation in 2011.
• Its use is currently only permitted for medical device disinfection and sterilisation.

Examples, Case Studies And Data

• In 2021, per capita public health spending in India was significantly lower compared to other countries: Bhutan spent 2.5 times more, Sri Lanka spent three times more, and many BRICS nations spent 14-15 times more than India.

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I, Sakshi Gupta, am a content writer to empower students aiming for UPSC, PSC, and other competitive exams. My objective is to provide clear, concise, and informative content that caters to your exam preparation needs. I strive to make my content not only informative but also engaging, keeping you motivated throughout your journey!

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