4.1 - TYPES OF FARMING

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Primitive Subsistence Farming

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Teacher
Teacher

Today we’re discussing primitive subsistence farming. Can anyone tell me what this type of farming typically involves?

Student 1
Student 1

I think it uses small patches of land and simple tools.

Teacher
Teacher

Correct! It relies on hand tools and is mainly practiced for self-sustenance. What is unique about its techniques?

Student 2
Student 2

Isn't it about clearing land and moving to a new patch when the soil gets less productive?

Teacher
Teacher

That's right! It's known as 'slash and burn' agriculture, or Jhumming in northeastern India. Let's remember this with the mnemonic 'Jhumming = Jump and Clear - Move to New.'

Student 3
Student 3

So, they don’t use fertilizers?

Teacher
Teacher

Exactly! They depend on natural soil fertility. To recap, primitive subsistence farming is small-scale, low input, and very dependent on natural cycles.

Intensive Subsistence Farming

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Teacher
Teacher

Now let’s move on to intensive subsistence farming. Can anyone describe what makes it different from primitive farming?

Student 4
Student 4

It likely has more people working on it since there’s high population pressure?

Teacher
Teacher

Yes! Intensive subsistence farming occurs where land is limited due to a dense population. What kind of tools or methods do you think they would use?

Student 1
Student 1

They might use fertilizers and irrigation to boost their output?

Teacher
Teacher

Correct again! They use high doses of biochemical inputs. Remember the acronym 'HI - High Inputs' to help recall that intensive farming maximizes the yield per hectare.

Student 2
Student 2

What about the land size? Does it get smaller with every generation?

Teacher
Teacher

Indeed! The right of inheritance leads to land fragmentation, forcing farmers to maximize output from smaller plots. To summarize, intensive subsistence farming uses more labor and inputs to sustain families in dense populations.

Commercial Farming

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Teacher
Teacher

Finally, let’s explore commercial farming. How does this differ from the previous types we discussed?

Student 3
Student 3

It probably focuses on selling crops for profit, right?

Teacher
Teacher

Exactly! Commercial farming aims for market production, often involving capital-intensive methods. Can you think of some crops that are often grown commercially?

Student 4
Student 4

Tea and coffee come to mind!

Teacher
Teacher

Right! And the acronym 'C4' can help you remember 'Cash Crops' like corn, cotton, coffee, and more. What can you tell me about crop variability by region?

Student 1
Student 1

Some crops might be commercial in one state but subsistence in another!

Teacher
Teacher

Exactly! It's all about market needs. In summary, commercial farming is large-scale, market-oriented, and utilizes modern agricultural inputs.

Introduction & Overview

Read a summary of the section's main ideas. Choose from Basic, Medium, or Detailed.

Quick Overview

This section introduces the various types of farming in India, elucidating the distinctions between primitive subsistence, intensive subsistence, and commercial farming.

Standard

Farming in India has evolved significantly over time and can be categorized into different types such as primitive subsistence farming, intensive subsistence farming, and commercial farming. Each type is influenced by factors such as population density, technological advancement, and socio-economic conditions.

Detailed

Types of Farming

Agriculture is fundamental to India's economy, employing two-thirds of the population and serving as a primary source of food and raw materials for various industries. The types of farming practiced in India are classified based on techniques, scale, and purpose.

1. Primitive Subsistence Farming

This method is characterized by small-scale cultivation using simple tools, largely dependent on natural environmental factors. It provides just enough produce for the farmer’s family, exemplified by practices like 'slash and burn' agriculture, which is referred to as Jhumming in the northeastern states like Assam and Meghalaya.

2. Intensive Subsistence Farming

Common in densely populated areas, it involves high labor input and the application of biochemical inputs to maximize yield from limited land. Here, farmers strive for efficient land use.

3. Commercial Farming

This type utilizes modern agricultural inputs, with a focus on significant market production. It can range from single crop plantations to diversified farming systems, often integrating agriculture and industry. Examples include extensive plantations of tea and coffee.

Through understanding these modes of farming, we can better appreciate the diversity of agricultural practices in India and their socio-economic significance.

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Audio Book

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Overview of Farming in India

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Agriculture is an age-old economic activity in our country. Over these years, cultivation methods have changed significantly depending upon the characteristics of physical environment, technological know-how and socio-cultural practices. Farming varies from subsistence to commercial type. At present, in different parts of India, the following farming systems are practised.

Detailed Explanation

This chunk introduces the concept of agriculture as a long-standing economic activity in India. It highlights that farming practices have evolved over time influenced by environmental factors, technology, and cultural traditions. There are various types of farming methods ranging from subsistence farming, which focuses on producing enough for a family’s needs, to commercial farming, which aims to sell produce for profit.

Examples & Analogies

Think of farming as a family's approach to gardening. Initially, a family might grow just enough vegetables for their meals (subsistence farming). As they learn more about gardening techniques and have access to better seeds or tools, they might begin to grow extra vegetables to sell at a local market (commercial farming).

Primitive Subsistence Farming

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This type of farming is still practised in a few pockets of India. Primitive subsistence agriculture is practised on small patches of land with the help of primitive tools like hoe, dao and digging sticks, and family/community labour. This type of farming depends upon monsoon, natural fertility of the soil and suitability of other environmental conditions to the crops grown. It is a ‘slash and burn’ agriculture.

Detailed Explanation

Primitive subsistence farming is characterized by small-scale farming using traditional tools and methods. It relies heavily on natural conditions like rainfall and soil fertility. Farmers clear small land areas to grow food for their families, often using a technique known as 'slash and burn,' where trees and plants are cut and burned to create fields. When the soil loses fertility, they move to a new area, allowing nature to restore the old land's fertility.

Examples & Analogies

Imagine a family who occasionally moves to a new plot in the forest to garden. They clear land by cutting down trees and burning the underbrush to make space for their crops. After a few seasons, if the soil fertility drops, they leave it alone to recover while starting anew elsewhere.

Types and Names of Primitive Subsistence Farming

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Farmers clear a patch of land and produce cereals and other food crops to sustain their family. When the soil fertility decreases, the farmers shift and clear a fresh patch of land for cultivation. This type of shifting allows Nature to replenish the fertility of the soil through natural processes; land productivity in this type of agriculture is low as the farmer does not use fertilizers or other modern inputs.

Detailed Explanation

In this farming practice, farmers cultivate crops like cereals to meet their households' needs. Once the soil becomes less productive, they move and start anew on a different piece of land. This cycle helps maintain soil fertility as the old land is given time to recover. While this method is ecologically sustainable, it leads to lower production rates due to the lack of modern agricultural practices.

Examples & Analogies

Consider a farmer who chooses to plant corn in a spot for a few years. After the soil becomes less productive, they select a new area to plant. While the previous field recovers, the farmer depends less on chemical fertilizers and modern equipment, which limits their overall yield.

Intensive Subsistence Farming

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This type of farming is practised in areas of high population pressure on land. It is labour-intensive farming, where high doses of biochemical inputs and irrigation are used for obtaining higher production.

Detailed Explanation

Intensive subsistence farming occurs in densely populated regions where land is scarce. Farmers highly cultivate their limited land by employing large amounts of labor and using fertilizers and irrigation to increase crop yields. This method enables them to produce enough food for their families and potentially for sale despite the constraints of space.

Examples & Analogies

Think of a small community garden where every inch of land is utilized. Gardeners use compost to enrich the soil and water the plants regularly to maximize the output of vegetables and fruits they can harvest, even though the size of the garden is small.

Commercial Farming

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The main characteristic of this type of farming is the use of higher doses of modern inputs, e.g. high yielding variety (HYV) seeds, chemical fertilisers, insecticides and pesticides in order to obtain higher productivity. The degree of commercialisation of agriculture varies from one region to another.

Detailed Explanation

Commercial farming focuses on producing crops for sale rather than for personal consumption. Farmers use advanced agricultural techniques and inputs, like genetically modified seeds and chemical fertilizers, aiming for higher yields and profits. Commercial farming practices can vary significantly across different regions based on market demand and available resources.

Examples & Analogies

Picture a large farm that grows soybeans to sell. The farmer uses special seeds known to yield a lot of beans, applies fertilizers to nourish the crops, and uses pesticides to keep pests away, all with the goal of filling their storage with products to sell in cities and markets.

Plantation Farming

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Plantation is also a type of commercial farming. In this type of farming, a single crop is grown on a large area. The plantation has an interface of agriculture and industry. Plantations cover large tracts of land, using capital intensive inputs, with the help of migrant labourers.

Detailed Explanation

Plantation farming is a specialized form of commercial agriculture that features the large-scale production of a single crop, such as tea or sugarcane. This method requires significant investment in infrastructure and labor, often employing migrant workers. The products are usually processed on-site or nearby for market distribution.

Examples & Analogies

Imagine a large tea estate where only tea plants cover vast fields. Workers harvest leaves, which are sorted and processed right on the estate before being packaged and shipped for sale in stores. This kind of farming integrates agriculture with business processes.

Definitions & Key Concepts

Learn essential terms and foundational ideas that form the basis of the topic.

Key Concepts

  • Primitive Subsistence Farming: Utilizes simple tools and small land for family sustenance.

  • Intensive Subsistence Farming: Labor-intensive, biochemical inputs are used to maximize production.

  • Commercial Farming: Aimed at market production, capital-intensive with high-yield practices.

Examples & Real-Life Applications

See how the concepts apply in real-world scenarios to understand their practical implications.

Examples

  • In Assam, Jhumming, or slash and burn agriculture, demonstrates primitive farming methods.

  • Intensive subsistence farms often grow rice in states like West Bengal where population density is high.

  • Commercial crops like tea and coffee are produced in plantations in Assam and Kerala.

Memory Aids

Use mnemonics, acronyms, or visual cues to help remember key information more easily.

🎵 Rhymes Time

  • Farming in layers, layer by layer, shift the soil as we pray-er.

📖 Fascinating Stories

  • Once in a small village, farmers cleared patches of land, growing only enough for their own needs, but they moved on as the soil tired out.

🧠 Other Memory Gems

  • Remember 'C-Brick' for commercial farming: Crops, Biochemical, Revenue, Industry, Cash.

🎯 Super Acronyms

Use 'PIE' to remember Primitive, Intensive, and Commercial farming.

Flash Cards

Review key concepts with flashcards.

Glossary of Terms

Review the Definitions for terms.

  • Term: Primitive Subsistence Farming

    Definition:

    A farming system that relies on small-scale cultivation using basic tools and is mainly for self-sustenance.

  • Term: Intensive Subsistence Farming

    Definition:

    A type of farming characterized by high labor input and biochemical usage to maximize yields on limited land.

  • Term: Commercial Farming

    Definition:

    Farming aimed at producing crops primarily for sale in the market rather than for personal consumption.

  • Term: Jhumming

    Definition:

    A local term for 'slash and burn' agriculture practiced in some parts of northeastern India.