INTRODUCTION TO AGRICULTURE

PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICES OF CROP PRODUCTION

1. UNIT- I: AGRICULTURE AND CROP PRODUCTION INTRODUCTION TO AGRICULTURE SATHISHKUMAR MANI, M.Sc. (Hort.), Assistant Professor, Department of Agriculture Engineering, Kongunadu College of Engineering and Technology.

2. Agriculture helps to meet the basic needs of humans and their civilization by providing food, clothing, shelters, medicine and recreation. It is a protective unit where the free gifts of nature namely land, air, temperature and rainwater etc., are integrated into the single primary unit indispensable for human beings. Agriculture provides food, feed, fibre, fuel, furniture, raw materials for factories etc. The term agriculture is derived from Latin words “Ager and Cultura”. ‘Ager’ means land or field and ‘Cultura’ means cultivation . Therefore, the term agriculture means cultivation of land. Agriculture is defined as the art, the science and the business of producing crops and the livestock for man’s use, employment and economic purposes. Agriculture is a very broad term encompassing all aspects of crop production, livestock farming, fisheries, forestry etc. Agriculture is the cultivation of lands for production of crops for a regular supply of food and other needs for progress of the nation.

3. History of Agriculture: The history of agriculture began thousands of years ago. After gathering wild grains beginning at least 1,05,000 years ago, nascent farmers began to plant them around 11,500 years ago . Pigs, sheep, and cattle were domesticated over 10,000 years ago. They switched from nomadic hunter-gatherer lifestyles to permanent settlements and farming. Agriculture begun at the period of ‘Neolithic Revolution ’. Some examples for crop domestication: The wild progenitors of crops including wheat, barley and peas are traced to the Near East Region. Cereals were grown in Syria as long as 9,000 years ago. Though the transition from wild harvesting was gradual, the switch from a nomadic to a settled way of life is marked by the appearance of early Neolithic villages with grinding stones for grain. The origins of rice and millet farming date to around 6,000 B.C.E. The world’s oldest known rice paddy fields , discovered in eastern China in 2007 , reveal evidence of ancient cultivation techniques such as flood and fire control.

4. World’s oldest rice paddy field discovered in China

5. Agricultural scenes of threshing, a grain store, harvesting with sickles, digging, tree-cutting and ploughing from the tomb of Nakht, 18th Dynasty Thebes.

6. History of Indian Agriculture: Indian agriculture has long, old and beyond memory history which begins the Indus valley civilization. Indian agriculture began by 9000 BCE as a result of early cultivation of plants, and domestication of crops and animals. Early History: Wild Oryza rice appeared in the Belan and Ganges valley regions of northern India as early as 4530 BCE and 5440 BCE respectively. Agricultural activity during the second millennium BC included rice cultivation in the Kashmir and Harrappan regions. Mixed farming was the basis of the Indus valley economy. Irrigation was developed in the Indus Valley Civilization by around 4500 BCE. Sophisticated irrigation and water storage systems were developed by the Indus Valley Civilization, including artificial reservoirs at Girnar dated to 3000 BCE. Archeological evidence of an animal-drawn plough dates back to 2500 BC in the Indus Valley civilization.

7. Vedic Period History: The Mauryan Empire (322 – 185 BCE ) categorized soils and made meteorological observations for agricultural use. Other Mauryan facilitation included construction and maintenance of dams, and provision of horse-drawn chariots – quicker than traditional bullock carts. Early Common Era: Water storage systems were designed (Tamil People) during this period. Kallanai (1 st – 2 nd century CE) , a dam built on river Kaveri during this period, is considered the as one of the oldest water-regulation structures in the world still in use. In this period, Indian people were involved in the spice trading to the Mediterranean region . Crystallized sugar was discovered by the time of the Guptas (320 – 550 CE). Chola Empire (875 – 1279), the C hola rule land was transferred and collective holding of land by a group of people slowly gave way to individual plots of land, each with their own irrigation system. The C holas also had bureaucrats which oversaw the distribution of water – Particularly the distribution of water by tank and channel network to the drier areas.

8. Early Modern Era: In this period, Agricultural zones were broadly divided into those producing rice, wheat or millets. The Encyclopedia Britannica details the many crops introduced to India during this period of extensive global discourse. Examples: New species of fruit, such as the pineapple, papaya, and cashew nut, also were introduced by the Portuguese. Indian crops, such as Cotton, Sugar, and Citric fruits – spread visibly throughout North Africa, Islamic Spain, and the Middle East. Colonial British Era (1757 – 1947 CE): In this period, British Raj made many reforms in the agriculture system in India. Examples: In 1857 a Rampur canal on river Sutlej was constructed and a number of irrigation canals are located on the Sutlej river. Few Indian commercial crops – such as Cotton, Indigo, Opium, and Rice – made it to the global market under the British Raj in India.

9. Republic of India (947 CE onwards): Five-year plans of India – Oriented towards agricultural development – soon followed. The many ‘production revolutions’ initiated from 1960’s onwards included Green Revolution in India. In india, population is increasing while area under cultivation is inelastic or even shrinking. Total Geographical area 328.848 Million ha. Area under cultivation 143.00 Million ha. Total cropped area 179.750 Million ha. Area not available for cultivation 161.300 Million ha. Area under forest 66.400 Million ha.

10. Agricultural Revolutions in India: Agriculture revolution refers to the significant changes in agriculture when there are inventions, discoveries or new technologies implemented . These revolutions change the ways of production and increase the production rate.

11. Role of Agriculture in Indian Economy: Indian agriculture shares nearly 17 – 18% to the national G.D.P. and provides employment to more than 50% population of India directly and indirectly. Share in National Income, Largest Employment Providing Sector, Provides Food to the Growing Population, Contribution to Capital Formation, Providing Raw Materials to Industries, Market for Industrial Products, Importance in International Trade. Basic facts about Agriculture: India ranks 2 nd in the world in Agriculture production. Indian agricultural production has increased from 87 USD bn to 459 USD bn in the past 15 years (12% annual growth). Globally India ranks 9th for the agricultural exports.

12. Regional Importance of Agriculture In India I. South India: Karnataka, Tamilnadu, Kerala, Telangana and Andra pradesh. Major crops: Mango, Banana, Guava, Coconut, Cashew, Coffee, Tea etc. Industries:Mango processing - Krishnagiri, Cashew processing - Shimoga, Karnataka., Poultry - TN, AP and Telangana., Spices - Kerala etc. II. North India: Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal pradesh and Shimala. Major crops: Apple, pear, peach & Plum. Basmati Rice from punjab. III. Central India Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. Major crops: Grapes, Banana, Pomegranate & Onion etc. Wine industry - Nashik. MP and MH.

13. IV. Western India Major crops: Rice & Oilseeds Gujarat Milk production V. Eastern and Northn-Eastern Major crops: Pineapple, Tea etc. Assam, Darjeeling, West bengal etc. Fish production. Tea (Assam)

14. Major Problems Faced by Indian Agriculture: Stagnation in Production of Major crops, High cost of Farm inputs, Soil Exhaustion, Depletion of Fresh Ground Water, Adverse impact of Global Climatic Change, Impact of Globalisation, Fragmented land holdings. Review Question ?