Money grows on trees in India, as they do almost everywhere else. The problem is that we have somehow lost touch with this fact, and have almost abandoned agriculture; preferring things that arguably give us nothing in return, like space travel and nuclear armament.
We recognize that agriculture is more than just an issue of generating money; it is about providing food. Food is one thing that people need- food is a common denominator, regardless of whether we are rich or poor. With that in mind, anybody who wants to study the types of modern agriculture (crop farming) available today should probably use India as a case study.
India has a population of over 1.3 billion people, all of whom must eat every day. Agriculture is therefore the most important activity in India, and so it is constantly being improved: the types of agriculture are being made better, and new ones are being added constantly.
What are the types of farming that ensure India’s food supply? Let us find out one by one.
Subsistence farming:
Subsistence farming is the oldest form of agriculture, and is still widely practiced in India, as well as in much of Asia and Africa. In this kind of agriculture the farmer cultivates crops primarily for the consumption of his family. Since this is an attempt to be self sufficient, and the people involved are usually small in number, the scale of the farming is also usually small.
Importance:
Subsistence agriculture is important because despite the fact that India has a large population, the country is made up of small families. When a large number of small families have food on their tables, then the country is doing well in the area of food security.
Furthermore, subsistence farming ensures that families eat fresh and healthy food, not tainted with chemical preservatives.
Shifting agriculture:
Shifting agriculture is a kind of farming in which farmers clear an area for farming, cultivate it for some time, (usually about 3 years) and then when the land is no longer fertile, the farmers leave it for another area of land where the process is repeated. This is an ancient method of farming that was mostly practiced in the old days when people were fewer, and land was more available.
Importance: as time goes on, we may need to abandon this kind of agriculture, because it may become difficult to find land for it. Besides, it is very possible to maintain soil fertility without the use of chemical compounds; just by adding organic manure.
Intensive agriculture:
This is a serious farming business. The goal of this kind of farming is to make as much money as possible. As far as Intensive agriculture is concerned, it is not uncommon to find several different types of crops being cultivated on the same farm land. Although it is possible to practice this type of agriculture using only organic fertilizers, many farmers use chemical compounds to fertilize the soil and pesticides to keep away pests.
Individuals and their families may practice this form of agriculture, but many intensive farms can be owned by companies as well.
Importance:
Intensive agriculture is the most economically significant form of agriculture. Not only does it mean more food is available for consumption, but it also means that more people are employed. It also means that the person selling agricultural inputs such as fertilizers and pesticides makes more money, and it also means that the person selling parts for machinery such as tractors remains in business.
Hydroponics:
Hydroponics is a kind of agriculture practiced with the use of water tanks. It is based on the same principle in which plants are grown in pots, in places where it would normally not be possible to plant them, such as indoors. Hydroponics can be practiced in out-of-use factories and warehouses, and specialized structures can be built originally for this purpose. The nutrients used in hydroponic systems can come from many different sources: fish excrement, duck manure, and chemical fertilizers.
Importance:
Even though there is still a long way to go in making this kind of agriculture popular, Hydroponics is important because it ensures that fresh vegetables are available in suburban areas and big cities. Plants commonly grown with this method include tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, strawberries, lettuces, cannabis.
Dry land farming:
Dry land farming, as far as India is concerned is practiced in places like northwest and central India where the land is more arid and desert-like. In such places most crops cannot survive the harsh conditions. However, certain crops such as gramjowar, bajra, and peas which have lower water requirements are successfully cultivated. Dry land farming does not mean that the land must remain dry, however; farmers take steps to irrigate the land, and provide water artificially.
Importance:
Without dry land farming the much of the land in India would go uncultivated. Since some big cities are located on or near dry land, it is clear that this form of farming is an important factor in the provision of fresh food items on the tables of many Indian families.
Plantation agriculture:
Plantation agriculture is often used for perennial crops which require a lot of space, and a lot of time to mature. The most important crop grown in plantations in India is tea, but other plantation crops are banana, coconut, coffee, cocoa, spices, and other fruits. Plantations mostly specialize on producing a single crop in commercial quantities. Most plantations are owned by companies that process the produce in their factories, and distribute to consumers.
Importance:
Plantations provide jobs. Plantations contribute to the economy through their sales figures, and the jobs they provide. Many crops grown in India are exported to other countries as well; that means more money in foreign currencies.
Wet land farming:
Wet land farming is similar to hydroponics, only that it makes use of natural surroundings. This is the type of agriculture practiced on water logged, or swampy areas. This is quite a viable system in India because many areas in the country are regularly affected by heavy monsoon rains and subsequent flooding. This sometimes makes the land water logged for many months of the year. This farming is suitable for crops such as rice, jute, sugarcane, and many vegetables.
Importance:
This form of agriculture will become even more important in time to come; as we begin to deal with the fact we may continue to experience more rainfall, we have to embrace types of agriculture that enable us produce crops all year round.
Conclusion:
With an abundant amount of arable land, the potential for a revolution in agriculture is very high in India. The population is so large that even if you produced tons of food annually, it would probably be exhausted in days. Such is the potential in India. Many farmers both big and small are emerging on a consistent basis; and that is a good indication for food security, and the depth of the Indian market.
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