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Chapter: 05. Types Of Agriculture

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Mixed farming integrates both crop cultivation and animal rearing on the same farmland, offering multiple income sources for farmers. They grow a variety of crops and rear animals like cows, goats, and poultry for milk and meat, with sheep also raised in colder regions. This practice naturally recycles resources, as animal manure provides organic fertilizer, enhancing soil fertility and reducing the need for chemical inputs. Mixed farming prevents soil erosion and conserves water, making it a sustainable development model. Its diverse operations also foster ecological and environmental balance by preserving habitats for various wildlife and insects, contributing to a healthier ecosystem.

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Work in plantation farming is highly organized, involving significant capital investment, cheap labor, and robust managerial and technical support. The process begins in nurseries where crops are initially prepared, and then seedlings are meticulously transferred to much larger fields for planting. After several years of growth, the plants are harvested, and the produce is often processed in on-site factories. Finally, the processed goods are packed and shipped to various destinations within the country and overseas. This highly structured system, which demands a team of skilled laborers, is common in tropical and subtropical countries like Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Brazil, Indonesia, and Australia, and historically introduced by the British in India for crops like tea and coffee.

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Plantation farming is a specialized type of commercial agriculture focused on cultivating a single cash crop, such as tea or coffee, over a very large, dedicated area called a plantation. Its primary objective is profit through large-scale, highly organized production of a specific commodity, often for export, requiring substantial capital investment and skilled labor. In contrast, mixed farming integrates both crop cultivation and animal rearing on the same piece of farmland, growing a variety of crops alongside raising animals like cows and goats. Its objective is to provide multiple income sources and ensure income stability, while also promoting sustainability through the use of natural fertilizers and resource conservation.

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Agriculture is fundamentally the cultivation of a field, derived from the Latin words ‘ager’ and ‘cultura’. This broad term encompasses a variety of essential activities beyond just growing crops. It includes the rearing of animals for dairy products and meat, engaging in poultry farming for eggs and meat, and even cultivating fish in ponds. Agriculture has been a vital human occupation for thousands of years and continues to be a primary source of livelihood for a significant portion of the global population, particularly in Asia and Africa.

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The primary purpose of commercial farming, also known as agribusiness, is to cultivate crops on a large scale primarily for selling the produce both domestically and internationally, with the ultimate goal of earning profit. To achieve this, commercial farming extensively employs modern agricultural methods and high-tech inputs. These include the use of High Yielding Variety (HYV) seeds, various chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and insecticides to maximize output. Additionally, modern irrigation techniques and cold storage facilities are crucial for efficient production, preservation, and marketing of the harvested produce.

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‘Operation Flood’ was a landmark program launched in 1970 by the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) to address India’s severe shortage of milk and dairy products in the 1960s. Its immense significance lay in its ambition to drastically increase milk production across the country, transforming India into one of the largest producers of milk globally. Dr. Verghese Kurien, a visionary dairy engineer, was the driving force behind this entire movement, orchestrating its successful implementation. This remarkable program became popularly known as the ‘White Revolution’, symbolizing the profound and widespread increase in milk availability.

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India presents a striking paradox: it is the world’s second-largest producer of staple food crops like rice and wheat, which are crucial for global food security. Despite this impressive agricultural output, the country struggles with widespread hunger and malnutrition. Approximately one-fourth of the world’s hungry population resides in India, indicating a severe imbalance in food distribution and access. Furthermore, a concerning statistic reveals that six out of ten Indian children under the age of five suffer from anaemia, highlighting a critical issue of nutrient deficiency. This situation suggests that while production is high, challenges in equitable distribution, affordability, and nutritional intake persist, leading to a significant portion of the population remaining food insecure.

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Intensive farming is characterized by the cultivation of small plots of land, aiming for maximum yield per unit area through high inputs like hybrid seeds and fertilizers. It requires significant skilled human labor to manage the complex processes on the limited space. In contrast, extensive farming utilizes very large tracts of land, often in areas with low population. Consequently, it relies heavily on large machines such as combine harvesters to perform tasks due to the scarcity of human labor and the vastness of the cultivated area. While intensive farming prioritizes yield per acre, extensive farming focuses on total production over vast land.

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Shifting cultivation, also known as ‘slash and burn’, involves clearing a small patch of forest by cutting down trees and bushes, followed by burning the debris. The ashes from the burnt plants temporarily make the soil very fertile, allowing farmers to grow crops like maize, rice, or vegetables for a few years. Once the soil’s fertility declines, farmers abandon the land and move to a new forest patch to repeat the process. This practice is significantly harmful to the environment because it causes deforestation, displaces wildlife and birds from their natural habitats, and contributes to severe soil erosion, particularly during monsoon seasons.

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Subsistence farming is a traditional practice where farmers cultivate small pieces of land primarily to meet the food needs of their own families. They typically grow essential crops like rice or vegetables, producing just enough for survival with little to no surplus for sale. This farming method largely relies on natural or organic fertilizers, such as cow dung and dead plants, to maintain soil fertility. Furthermore, farmers practicing subsistence farming are often dependent on monsoon rains as their primary water source for crop irrigation.

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Extensive farming is distinguished by its practice in regions with low population density and abundant land available for cultivation. Due to less human labor, the work is largely mechanized, relying heavily on large machines like combine harvesters. Crops such as wheat, maize, barley, and sugarcane are commonly grown. To be profitable, this farming method necessitates very large farm sizes, typically ranging from 1000 to 2000 acres. Globally, extensive farming is prevalent in countries like the USA, Canada, and Australia, particularly in their temperate grasslands. In India, it is primarily practiced in the states of Punjab, Haryana, and parts of Uttar Pradesh.

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Shifting cultivation and commercial farming represent fundamentally different agricultural approaches. Shifting cultivation is a primitive, subsistence-oriented practice where small forest patches are cleared, burned, and cultivated for a few years until soil fertility declines, forcing farmers to move. Its environmental impact is negative, leading to deforestation and erosion. In contrast, commercial farming is a modern, profit-driven enterprise involving large-scale production for sale in domestic and international markets. It relies on advanced technology, HYV seeds, chemical inputs, and modern irrigation, aiming for high yields and efficient marketing. Thus, shifting cultivation is traditional and localized with environmental drawbacks, while commercial farming is modern, global, and economically focused.

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Agriculture plays a pivotal role in achieving Sustainable Development Goal 2, which aims for ‘Zero Hunger’, by being one of the most powerful tools for reducing poverty, boosting prosperity, and feeding the rapidly growing global population. Its growth disproportionately benefits the poorest segments of society. However, agriculture faces significant threats, particularly from climate change, which is projected to lower crop yields, especially in already food-scarce regions. Additionally, modern farming practices, while productive, contribute to environmental problems by raising greenhouse gas emissions, creating a complex challenge between meeting food demands and ensuring ecological sustainability.

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Intensive farming is characterized by cultivating small plots of land with the aim of achieving high yields per acre. Farmers use expensive hybrid seeds, alongside substantial amounts of chemical fertilizers and pesticides to boost production. They also utilize natural fertilizers like night soil and animal manure. However, this heavy reliance on artificial inputs has negative ecological impacts; pesticides can kill useful insects and worms vital for soil health, and also harm birds and beneficial insects like butterflies. Consequently, intensive farming can be detrimental to the local ecosystem due to chemical pollution and disruption of natural food chains.

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