Chapter – 3

Land Resources and Agriculture

In this post we have given the detailed notes of class 12 Geography Book 2 Chapter 3 (Land Resources and Agriculture) in English. These notes are useful for the students who are going to appear in class 12 board exams.

Chapter 3: Land Resources and Agriculture

Introduction

Land resource is a valuable asset used for various purposes like production, residence, and recreation. Different types of land are suitable for different uses. Human beings thus, use land as a resource for production as well as residence and recreation.  

Land Use Categories

Land-use records are maintained by the land revenue department and add up to the reporting area. The reporting area is the total area covered by the land-use records, which is different from the geographical area. The Survey of India is responsible for measuring the geographical area of administrative units in India.  

Land-use categories are as follows:

• Forests: It’s important to note that the area under actual forest cover is different from the area classified as forest. The latter is the area which the Government has identified and demarcated for forest growth.  
• Barren and Wastelands: This includes land that cannot be cultivated with the available technology, such as barren hilly terrains, desert lands, ravines, etc.  
• Land put to Non-agricultural Uses: Land under settlements, infrastructure, industries, etc.  
• Area under Permanent Pastures and Grazing Lands: Most of this land is owned by the village panchayat or the government.  
• Area under Miscellaneous Tree Crops and Groves: Land under orchards and fruit trees.  
• Culturable Wasteland: Land left fallow for more than five years.  
• Current Fallow: Land left without cultivation for one or less than one agricultural year.  
• Fallow other than Current Fallow: Cultivable land left uncultivated for more than a year but less than five years.  
• Net Area Sown: The physical extent of land on which crops are sown and harvested.  

Land-use Changes in India

Land-use in a region is influenced by the nature of economic activities. The economy undergoes three types of changes that affect land-use:  

• The size of the economy grows over time, increasing pressure on land.  
• The composition of the economy changes, with secondary and tertiary sectors growing faster than the primary sector.  
• The pressure on land for agricultural activities does not decline even though the contribution of agriculture reduces over time.  

Common Property Resources

Common Property Resources (CPRs) are owned by the state for community use. They provide fodder, fuel, and other minor forest products. CPRs are important for the livelihood of landless and marginal farmers.  

Agricultural Land Use in India

Agriculture is a land-based activity and the contribution of land in agricultural output is significant. The quality of land has a direct bearing on agricultural productivity.  

Cropping Seasons in India

There are three distinct crop seasons in India:

• Kharif: Coincides with the Southwest Monsoon. Crops like rice, cotton, jute, etc., are cultivated during this season.  
• Rabi: Begins with winter and ends in March-April. Crops like wheat, gram, and mustard are cultivated.  
• Zaid: Short summer cropping season between rabi and kharif. Watermelons, cucumbers, and vegetables are grown.  

Foodgrains

• Dominance: Foodgrains are the dominant crops in Indian agriculture, occupying about two-thirds of the total cropped area. This highlights their significance in India’s agricultural landscape and food security.  
• Types: Foodgrains are broadly classified into two categories:
  • Cereals: These are grains obtained from grass-like plants and are primarily carbohydrate-rich. Major cereals grown in India include rice, wheat, jowar, bajra, maize, and ragi.  
  • Pulses: These are edible seeds obtained from leguminous plants and are a rich source of protein. Important pulses cultivated in India include gram, tur (arhar), moong, and urad.  

Cereals

• Area and Production: Cereals account for about 54% of the total cropped area in India. India is a major cereal producer, ranking third globally after China and the USA.  
• Types: Cereals are further categorized into:
  • Fine Grains: These include rice and wheat, which are staple foods for a large part of the population.  
  • Coarse Grains: These include jowar, bajra, maize, and ragi, which are primarily grown in drier regions and are important for food and fodder.  

Pulses

• Nutritional Importance: Pulses are a vital source of protein, especially in a predominantly vegetarian diet like India’s.  
• Soil Enrichment: As legume crops, pulses have the unique ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen in the soil, improving soil fertility and reducing the need for nitrogen fertilizers.  
• Production: India is a leading producer of pulses globally, contributing significantly to the world’s pulse supply.  

Oilseeds

• Purpose: Oilseeds are cultivated primarily for extracting edible oils, which are essential for cooking and various other purposes.  
• Area: They occupy about 14% of the total cropped area in India, indicating their importance in the agricultural economy.  
• Major Crops: Major oilseed crops grown in India include groundnut, rapeseed and mustard, soybean, and sunflower.  

Fibre Crops

• Utility: Fibre crops provide raw materials for various industries, including textiles, packaging, and handicrafts.  
• Main Crops: Cotton and jute are the two primary fibre crops cultivated in India.
  • Cotton: Used for making fabrics, cotton is a major cash crop.  
  • Jute: Known for its coarse fiber, jute is used for making sacks, bags, and other packaging materials.  

Other Crops

• Diversity: Apart from the major categories mentioned above, Indian agriculture also includes a variety of other crops that contribute to the economy and livelihoods.
• Key Crops:
  • Sugarcane: A major source of sugar, sugarcane is an important cash crop.  
  • Tea: A plantation crop primarily grown in hilly regions, tea is a major export commodity.  
  • Coffee: Another plantation crop, coffee is cultivated in specific regions with suitable agro-climatic conditions.

Types of Farming

Farming in India can be broadly classified into two main types based on the primary source of water for crops:

• Irrigated Farming:
  • In this type of farming, crops receive water from sources other than rainfall, such as canals, tube wells, tanks, and other irrigation systems.  
  • Irrigated farming can be further categorized based on the objective of irrigation:
    • Protective Irrigation: This aims to protect crops from the adverse effects of soil moisture deficiency, supplementing rainfall when necessary. The strategy is to provide soil moisture to the maximum possible area.  
    • Productive Irrigation: This aims to provide sufficient soil moisture throughout the cropping season to achieve high productivity. Water input per unit area is higher than in protective irrigation.  
• Rainfed (Barani) Farming:
  • This type of farming relies entirely on rainfall for water supply.  
  • It is further classified based on the adequacy of soil moisture:
    • Dryland Farming: Practiced in regions with annual rainfall less than 75 cm. Hardy and drought-resistant crops like ragi, bajra, and pulses are grown. Soil moisture conservation and rainwater harvesting techniques are crucial.  
    • Wetland Farming: Practiced in regions with excess rainfall, leading to potential floods and soil erosion. Water-intensive crops like rice, jute, and sugarcane are grown. Aquaculture is also common in these areas.  

Agricultural Development in India

• Pre-Independence: Indian agriculture was primarily subsistence-based with low productivity and vulnerability to droughts and famines.  
• Post-Independence: The immediate focus was on increasing foodgrain production through:
  • Shifting from cash crops to food crops.  
  • Intensification of cropping on existing cultivated land.  
  • Expanding cultivated area by bringing fallow land under cultivation.  
• Green Revolution (mid-1960s): Introduction of high-yielding varieties (HYVs) of seeds, chemical fertilizers, and irrigation in select areas led to a significant increase in foodgrain production, making India self-reliant.  
• Regional Disparities: The initial focus on irrigated areas led to regional imbalances in agricultural development.  
• Focus on Rainfed Areas (1980s): The Planning Commission emphasized agro-climatic planning and diversification of agriculture, including dairy farming, poultry, horticulture, and aquaculture.  
• Economic Liberalization (1990s): Market-oriented reforms influenced the development of Indian agriculture.  
• Sustainable Agriculture: Recent initiatives promote sustainable and climate-resilient agriculture through schemes like NMSA, PKVY, and RKVY, focusing on organic farming and resource conservation.  

Problems of Indian Agriculture

Indian agriculture faces various challenges:

• Dependence on Erratic Monsoon: A large portion of agriculture is rainfed, making it vulnerable to droughts and floods due to the unpredictable nature of the monsoon.  
• Low Productivity: Crop yields in India are lower than international levels due to factors like small landholdings, traditional farming practices, and limited access to modern technology.  
• Financial Constraints and Indebtedness: The high cost of modern agricultural inputs and crop failures often lead to farmers falling into a debt trap, sometimes resulting in tragic consequences like suicides.  
• Lack of Land Reforms: Inequitable distribution of land and ineffective implementation of land reforms hinder agricultural development and perpetuate poverty among small and marginal farmers.  
• Small Farm Size and Fragmentation: The average size of landholdings is shrinking, and fragmentation of land makes farming inefficient and uneconomical.  
• Lack of Commercialization: A large number of farmers practice subsistence farming, limiting their access to markets and income generation.  
• Underemployment: Seasonal unemployment is prevalent in rainfed areas, limiting livelihood opportunities for agricultural laborers.  
• Land Degradation: Faulty irrigation practices, excessive use of chemicals, and soil erosion contribute to land degradation, affecting long-term agricultural productivity.  

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