Sustainable Agriculture in India
Unit 5. Covers History of Indian agriculture; Irrigation systems; Green Revolution; Elements of sustainable agriculture; Types of agriculture; Management of agricultural produce; Food security.
About this unit
This unit looks at how Indians have farmed over time and what that has done to soil, water and people. It begins with the history of Indian agriculture from the pre-colonial village economy through colonial land revenue systems to the Green Revolution. It then studies irrigation, from large canal projects to drip systems and traditional harvesting structures such as johads, khadins and eris. Next come the elements and types of sustainable farming: crop rotation, organic inputs, biopesticides, integrated pest management, natural and organic farming and genetically modified crops. The unit ends with what happens after harvest: storage, preservation, adulteration and quality marks, and finally food security and the National Food Security Act, 2013. Together the topics ask one question: how can India feed itself without destroying the base on which farming depends?
How to prepare
Make a timeline from pre-colonial farming to the Green Revolution and note one impact for each stage. Learn traditional water-harvesting structures with their states. List the benefits and costs of the Green Revolution side by side. Memorise examples of biofertilisers and biopesticides, the steps of IPM, the meaning of AGMARK, ISI and FPO marks, and the main entitlements under the NFSA. Expect matching, case-based and "which is NOT" questions.
Topics in this chapter
History of Indian agriculture
Pre-colonial, colonial and post-colonial farming and their impacts.
5 questionsIrrigation systems
Macro and micro irrigation and traditional water harvesting such as johads, khadins and eris.
5 questionsGreen Revolution
Origin, HYVs, fertilisers, pesticides and its environmental, social and economic impacts.
5 questionsElements of sustainable agriculture
Mixed farming, crop rotation, organic inputs, biopesticides and IPM.
5 questionsTypes of agriculture
Traditional, natural, organic, modern, GM-based and sustainable farming.
5 questionsManagement of agricultural produce
Storage, preservation, packaging, adulteration, additives and quality marks (ISI, AGMARK, FPO).
5 questionsFood security
Meaning, issues and the National Food Security Act, 2013.
5 questions