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Summary
Geography Class 44

THE CLASS STARTED WITH A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE PREVIOUS CLASS (05:04 PM)

GREEN REVOLUTION (05:26 PM)

  • The Green Revolution had a significant impact on India's agricultural sector.
  • In the 1960s, India was facing a severe food shortage due to a rapidly growing population and a lack of agricultural productivity.
  • The Indian government, with the help of international aid agencies and agricultural scientists, launched a series of programs to boost agricultural productivity and reduce poverty.
  • One of the most significant initiatives was the introduction of high-yielding varieties (HYV) of wheat and rice, developed by Indian scientists and researchers with support from international organizations.
  • These HYV crops were more resistant to disease, had higher yields, and required more intensive use of fertilizers and irrigation.
  • The Indian government also invested heavily in rural infrastructure, including irrigation projects, rural electrification, and the construction of roads and transportation networks. These initiatives helped to increase the accessibility of inputs and technology to farmers and facilitated the transportation of agricultural produce to markets.
  • The Green Revolution in India was successful in increasing agricultural productivity and reducing poverty, especially in the northern states of Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, where the HYV varieties of wheat and rice were most widely adopted.
  • Inputs used for the Green Revolution:
  • a) HYV Seeds (Fast growing, short and densely growing, early maturing, higher productivity)
  • b) Irrigation (As HYV seeds are water intensive)
  • c) Chemical fertilizers (To replenish the nutrient levels in the soil)
  • d) Chemical pesticides (As the HYV Seeds are less resistant to pests and insects)
  • e) Capital (for buying HYV seeds, mechanization, and other infrastructure)
  • f) Government Support (In terms of finance, subsidy, and MSP)
  • Phase I (1961-68):
  • It is called a premature phase.
  • Implemented in 8 districts of Punjab and Haryana through an Integrated Agricultural development program.
  • Phase II (1968-81):
  • It is called as mature phase, implemented in the whole of Punjab, Haryana, and western UP.
  • By the end of the second phase, foodgrain production in India increased from 66 million tonnes to 150 Million tonnes.
  • Phase III (1981-1992)
  • We started implementation in rice-producing regions in Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu.
  • By the end of this phase, rice production was more than doubled.
  • Implications of the Green Revolution:
  • Positive:
  • Self-sufficiency in food grain production.
  • Increase in income level
  • Control of epidemics and famine.
  • Commercialisation of agriculture.
  • Increase in exports of food grains and products.
  • Increase in employment opportunities.
  • Negative:
  • a) Environmental impacts:
  • Neglect of indigenous varieties led to the loss of biodiversity.
  • Land degradation due to the use of fertilizers.
  • Deforestation due to the expansion of agricultural land
  • Soil salinization due to flood irrigation practice.
  • Increased soil erosion.
  • Depletion of groundwater.
  • b) Economical impacts:
  • Neglect of indigenous varieties and less focus on pulses.
  • Increase in income inequality.
  • The cost of agriculture has increased.
  • Subsidy and MSP, farm loan waiver have increased the burden on the government.
  • c) Social Impacts:
  • Migration
  • Excessive dependency on migrant labour.
  • Inter and intra-regional inequality
  • Health issues due to chemical pesticides and fertilizers.

CROPPING SEASONS OF INDIA (06:06 PM)

  • The cropping seasons are majorly applies to Northern India.
  •    KHARIF SEASON RABBI SEASON ZAID SEASON
    SOWING SEASON June-July October-November August-September ( Zaid Kharif)
    Feb- March (Zaid Rabi)
    HARVESTING SEASON September-October March-April Dec- Jan (Zaid Kharif)
    April- May (Zaid Rabi)
    CROPS Rice, sugarcane, cotton, Jute, Jowar, Bajara, Ragi Wheat, Mustard, and Gram, linseed. oilseeds, Jowar, Maize, Summer fruits, and vegetables

CROPPING CONDITIONS (06:15 PM)

  • It is the conditions in which the crop grows.
  • The conditions are temperature, precipitation, and soil types.
  • The Crops grown In Temperature Conditions:
  • Temperature (Degree celsius) Crops
    25-35 Rice, Jute, Sunflower, Coffee, Rubber
    20-25 Pulses, other oil seeds, sugarcane, cotton, Maize, Tobacco, Tea.
    15-20 Mustard
    <15 Wheat
  • The Crops grown In Precipitation Conditions:
  • Precipitation (cm) Crops
    >120 cm Rice, Jute, Coffee, Rubber, Tea, Sugarcane.
    75-120 Wheat, Maize
    <75  Oilseeds, Pulses, cotton, tobacco
  • The Crops grown In various soil types: 
  • Soil Type Crops
    Alluvial Soil Rice, Wheat, Cotton, Jute, Sugarcane
    Black Soil Cotton, oilseeds, citrus fruit, Sugarcane
    Red Soil Rice, Ragi, Tobacco, Groundnut, fruits and vegetables.
    Laterite Soil Tapioca, Cashewnuts, rubber, coffee.

RICE AND WHEAT CULTIVATION IN NORTH INDIA (7:03 PM)

  • Cultivated in Northern Ganga plains, Punjab, Haryana region, etc.
  • Reasons:
  • Maching of seasons.
  • Alluvial soil.
  • Support system due to Green Revolution
  • Extensive irrigation facility
  • High population density
  • Good demand for both rice and wheat because the staple diet is Rice and Roti.
  • High profit due to higher MSP.
  • Issues due to this (Rice+Wheat) combination:
  • Neglect of other crops like oilseeds, and millet.
  • Increased groundwater extraction.
  • Rice was not grown earlier in Punjab and along the region, however, the Rice started cultivating which led to high water consumption.
  • The use of High fertilizers and pesticides the agriculture became capital intensive.
  • Both are energy and labour-intensive crops.
  • The problem of stubble burning became a prominent issue because the time gap between Rice harvesting and wheat sowing was reduced.

COFFEE AND TEA (07:10 PM)

  • Conditions:
  • High temperature and precipitation are required.
  • Places:
  • In India, tea is primarily grown in the northeastern states and the foothills of the Himalayas.
  • Some of the major tea-growing regions in India include Assam, Darjeeling, Dooars, Terai, and Nilgiris.
  • Coffee is primarily produced in the southern region of India, specifically in the states of Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh. These states have suitable climatic conditions and geographical features that support coffee cultivation.

MILLETS (7:20 PM)

  • The prominent millets are as follows:
  • Bajara(Pearl Millet), Jowar(Sorgum) and Ragi(Finger Millet)
  • Few other important Millets are as follows:
  • Amaranth, Barnyard, Buckwheat, Kodu, Little Millet.
  • The Temperature requirements are from 20  to 30 degrees Celsius.
  • Precipitation required is from 50cm to 100cm.
  • Advantages:
  • Fewer Carbohydrates.
  • More nutritious.

PULSES (7:29 PM)

  • Temperature:
  • 20 to 25 degrees
  • Rainfall:
  • Less rainfall is required around 75cm.
  • These are used for crop rotation.
  • India produces 25% of the world's pulses yet we are the largest importer of pulses in the world.
  • Major states:
  • Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, UP, Karnataka, and Maharashtra.
  • Reasons behind low Pulse production are as follows:
  • The total area under the pulse production has reduced.
  • Shift in production towards dryland areas.
  • Lower support in research and development.
  • Reduced cultivation of pulses in the northern belt due to the green revolution.
  • Higher MSP prices for rice and wheat and less focus on pulses.
  • Absence of high-yielding varieties and pest-resistant varieties.
  • Long market supply chain and lack of reforms in the market for pulses.
  • Measures needed:
  • Increase MSP support.
  • Increase the coverage of MSP.
  • Increase the land area under the pulses cultivation.
  • Provide better quality seeds.
  • Examples of the Pulses: 
  • Pigeon Pea, Gram, Chickpea, Brown Chickpea, Blackgram (Urad), Lentils, Kidney beans, Black-eyed peas, Horsegram, etc.

OILSEEDS (7:51 PM)

  • India is the fourth largest oilseed-producing country, however, More than 60% of the oilseed production is met through imports.
  • Conditions:
  • less Precipitation.  
  • They thrive in moderate to warm temperatures.
  • Oilseed crops generally require a good amount of sunlight for their growth and development.
  • Areas:
  • Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, etc.
  • Madhya Pradesh has the highest oilseeds production.
  • The import is Plam oil is prominent, imported from Southeast Asia.
  • Soya is imported from Brazil.
  •  Problems/Issues:
  • Very low price support.
  • Inconsistent import and export policy.
  • Green Revolution majorly focused on rice and wheat production.
  • Suggestions/ Strategies to increase the oilseeds production:
  • Better quality seeds and increase the area of production.
  • High-yielding seeds.
  • Increased awareness among the farmers.
  • Improved market supply chain and reduced middlemen.
  • Encourage the farmers for setting up oilseeds processing units.
  • Encourage the private sector and contract farming.
  • Government started an Integrated scheme for oilseeds, oil palm, pulses, and maize development program.
  • Establishment of processing plants in rural areas through FPOs.
  • Extracting untapped potential in oilseeds (For Example, Ricebran Oil, Cotton seed oil)
  • Major oilseeds:
  • Groundnut, Soyabean, Sunflower and Safflower, Mustard/Rapeseed, Toria, Sesamum, Nigerseed, etc.
  • Issues in palm oil cultivation:
  • Deforestation
  • Long gestation period.
  • Highly water-intensive crop.
  • Loss of biodiversity.

TOPICS FOR THE NEXT CLASS: MINERAL RESOURCES, INDUSTRIES, ETC.