Land use Categories

Land-Use Records

 Therecords are maintained by the Land Revenue

Department.
 Reporting Area reflects land-use categories and can
change based on land revenue estimates.
 Geographical Area, measured by the Survey of
India, is fixed and does not change.

The land-use categories as maintained in the Land

Revenue Records are as follows:

1. Forests: Areas marked for growing forests, but they

might not always have trees.
 2. Barren and Wastelands: Includes land that's hard
to use, like rocky hills, deserts, and deep ravines.
3. Land for Non-Agricultural Uses: Land used for
buildings, roads, factories, and shops.
4. Permanent Pastures and Grazing Lands: Used for
grazing animals, mostly owned by local governments
or village councils, with a few privately owned.
5. Miscellaneous Tree Crops and Groves: Areas with
orchards and fruit trees, usually privately owned.
6. Culturable Wasteland: Land that hasn't been used
for over five years but can be used again with some
work.
7. Current Fallow: Land left unused for up to one
agricultural year to restore its natural fertility.
8. Fallow Other than Current Fallow: Land left
unused for more than one year but less than five; if
unused for longer, it becomes Culturable Wasteland.
9. Net Area Sown: Land where crops are planted and
harvested.

Land use Changes in India

Land-use refers to how land is utilized in a region and is
significantly influenced by economic activities. As these
activities evolve, they create new demands and exert
different pressures on land resources.
Fixed Land Area:

 The total land area remains constant; it does not

increase.
 As economic activities grow and shift, land use
changes to meet new needs, such as
converting forests into farmlands or open spaces
into urban areas.

Economic Growth Factors:

  Driven by an increasing population, rising
income levels, and technological advancements.
 This growth puts more pressure on land resources.
For example, expanding cities require
more housing, roads, and industries, leading to
higher land use.

Use of Marginal Lands:

 Expansion often involves using marginal

lands previously deemed unsuitable, such
as barren or wasteland areas.
 These lands are repurposed for activities
like agriculture, settlements, or industrial
purposes.

Shift from Agriculture:

 In many economies, especially developing countries

like India, the industrial and service sectors grow
faster than the agricultural sector.
 This leads to the gradual conversion of agricultural
land into non-agricultural uses, such
as factories, offices, and homes, particularly
around expanding urban areas.

Continued Demand for Agricultural Land:

 Despite a decreasing share of GDP for agriculture,

the demand for agricultural land remains high.
 The number of people relying on agriculture for their
livelihood decreases more slowly than the sector’s
economic contribution.
 A growing population requires increased food
production, maintaining high demand for
agricultural land.

Summary:
  As economies develop, land use shifts to
accommodate new industries and expanding cities.
 However, the essential need for food production
keeps agricultural land in demand, despite the
expansion of other land uses.

Changes in Shares of Land-use Categories in India: 1950-51

and 2014-15
In India, from 1950–51 to 2014–15, several land-use
categories have shown notable changes:

 Increase in Non-Agricultural Land: The area

under non-agricultural uses has risen significantly.
Driven by industrial expansion,
more infrastructure, and the growth of urban and
rural settlements. This often happens at the
expense of agricultural land and wastelands.
  Forest Area Expansion: The increase in forest area
is mainly due to expanded forest demarcation.
This doesn’t necessarily mean there is more actual
forest cover.
 Current Fallow Lands: Current fallow lands have
increased, often due to fluctuations in rainfall and
changes in cropping cycles. These lands are
left uncultivated for short periods.
 Net Area Sown: The net area sown has
recently increased. This growth is due to
the reclamation of previously uncultivated
wasteland for agriculture. It reverses earlier
declines caused by the conversion of land to non-
agricultural uses.

Declines in certain land-use categories include:

 Barren and wasteland areas have decreased due to

increased pressure from agricultural and non-
agricultural sectors. More of these lands are being
utilized for productive or developmental purposes.
 Culturable wasteland has also decreased as these
lands are brought into use for agriculture or other
purposes, reflecting a growing need for productive
land.
 The area under tree crops and groves has reduced due
to land conversion for agriculture and other uses, as
the pressure to repurpose land for different needs has
increased.
 Fallow lands have declined as land is increasingly used
for agricultural or other purposes, reflecting broader
trends in land utilization.

Common Property Resources

 Land is classified into private land and common
property resources (CPRs) based on ownership.
  Private land is owned by individuals or groups of
individuals.
 Common property resources (CPRs) are owned by
the state and intended for community use.
 CPRs provide essential resources such as fodder, fuel,
and minor forest products like fruits, nuts, fiber,
and medicinal plants.
 CPRs are crucial for
the livelihoods of landless and marginal
farmers who rely on income from livestock due to
limited land access.
 Women in rural areas rely on CPRs for collecting fuel
and fodder, often spending long hours gathering these
resources from degraded areas.
 CPRs are defined as community-owned natural
resources where all members have access and usage
rights with specific obligations, without
individual property rights.
 Examples of CPRs include community forests, pasture
lands, village water bodies, and other public
spaces managed by groups larger than individual
households.

Agricultural Land Use in India

Composition of Total Cultivable Land in India

 Land resource is crucial to the livelihood of people
depending on agriculture.
 Agriculture is purely land-based, with land
contributing more to agricultural output compared to
other sectors. Lack of access to land correlates
with poverty in rural areas.
 The quality of land directly impacts
agricultural productivity, which is not the case for
secondary and tertiary activities.
 In rural areas, land ownership not only
has economic value but also serves as social
security and status, providing a safety net
for credit, natural hazards, and life
contingencies.
 Total stock of agricultural land resources (i.e.,
total cultivable land) includes net sown
area, fallow lands, and culturable wasteland.
 Over time, there has been a marginal decline in the
total stock of cultivable land as a percentage of total
reporting area, with a more significant decline
in cultivated land despite a decline in culturable
wasteland.
 The potential for increasing net sown area is limited,
necessitating the development and adoption of land-
saving technologies.
 These technologies can be categorized into:
 Yield-enhancing technologies: Increase crop
yield per unit area of land.
 Land-use intensity technologies: Increase
total output per unit area of land from all crops
grown in a year, enhancing labor demand.
 For a land-scarce but labor-abundant country like
India, high cropping intensity is desirable to utilize
land efficiently and reduce rural unemployment.
 Cropping intensity (CI) is calculated to measure the
effectiveness of land use throughout the year.
 Formula: Cropping Intensity in percentage = GCA/
NSA × 100

Cropping seasons in India

Three distinct crop seasons in the northern and interior

parts of the country are kharif, rabi, and zaid
Kharif season

 Coincides with the Southwest Monsoon.

 Suitable for tropical crops such
as rice, cotton, jute, jowar, bajra, and tur.

Rabi season

 Begins
with winter in October-November and ends in
March-April.
  Favorable for temperate and subtropical crops such
as wheat, gram, and mustard.

Zaid season

A short-duration summer cropping period following the

harvest of rabi crops.
 Includes crops
like watermelons, cucumbers, vegetables, and
fodder crops, typically grown on irrigated lands.

Types of Farming
Farming can be classified into irrigated and rainfed
(barani) based on the main source of moisture for crops.
1. Irrigated farming is differentiated by its objectives:

 Protective irrigation: Supplements rainfall to prevent

soil moisture deficiency, aiming to provide soil
moisture over a large area.
 Productive irrigation: Ensures sufficient soil moisture
for high productivity, using more water per unit area
than protective irrigation.

2. Rainfed farming is classified into:

 Dryland farming: Found in regions with annual rainfall

less than 75 cm. Grows drought-resistant crops
like ragi, bajra, moong, gram, and guar. Involves
soil moisture conservation and rainwater harvesting.
 Wetland farming: Occurs in areas with excess rainfall,
leading to potential flood and soil erosion hazards.
Grows water-intensive crops like rice, jute,
and sugarcane, and involves aquaculture in
freshwater bodies.

Foodgrains
  Foodgrains occupy about two-thirds of India's total
cropped area and are crucial to the agricultural
economy.
 Foodgrains are dominant in both subsistence and
commercial agricultural economies.
 These are Classified into cereals and pulses.

Cereals

 Occupy about 54% of total cropped area.

 India produces 11% of the world’s cereals, ranking third
globally after China and the U.S.
 Classified into fine grains (e.g., rice, wheat)
and coarse grains (e.g., jowar, bajra, maize, ragi).

Rice

 Staple food for the majority of India’s population.

 Grown from sea level to 2,000 m altitude.
 Cultivated in both humid areas (e.g., eastern India)
and irrigated regions (e.g., Punjab, Haryana).
 West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, and Punjab are leading
producers.
  High yields in states like Punjab, Tamil
Nadu, Haryana, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, West
Bengal, and Kerala.
 Low yields in rainfed areas such as Madhya
Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Odisha.
 Contributes 22.07% of global rice production, ranking
second after China.

Wheat

 Second most important cereal crop in India.

 India produces 12.8% of global wheat.
 Cultivated primarily in north and central India during
the rabi season.
 Leading states: Uttar Pradesh, Madhya
Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan.
 High yields in Punjab and Haryana (above 4,000
kg/ha).
 Moderate yields in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan,
and Bihar.
 Low yields in rainfed regions like Madhya
Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu and
Kashmir.

Try yourself:
Which crop is considered a staple food for the majority of India's
population?

 A.Wheat
 B.Jowar
 C.Maize
 D.Rice

View Solution
Jowar

 Accounts for about 5.3% of total cropped area.

  Main food crop in semi-arid regions of central and
southern India.
 Leading producer: Maharashtra.
 Other producers: Karnataka, Madhya
Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana.
 Sown in both kharif and rabi seasons in southern
states; mostly a kharif crop in northern India.
 Low yields south of Vindhyachal.

Bajra

 Grown in hot and dry conditions in northwestern and

western India.
 Resilient to drought and dry spells.
 Accounts for about 5.2% of total cropped area.
 Leading
producers: Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Uttar
Pradesh, Haryana.
 Recent yield increases due to drought-resistant
varieties and expanded irrigation.

Maize

 Occupies about 3.6% of total cropped area.

 Grown in semi-arid conditions and inferior soils.
 Leading producers: Karnataka, Madhya
Pradesh, Bihar, Andhra
Pradesh, Telangana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh.
 Higher yields in southern states, lower yields in
central India.
Pulses
  Important for protein in vegetarian diets.
 Improve soil fertility through nitrogen fixation.
 India is a leading producer of pulses, which occupy
about 11% of total cropped area.
 Cultivated primarily in drylands of the Deccan, central
plateaus, and northwestern regions.

Gram

 Cultivatedin subtropical areas during the rabi season.

 Grown mainly in Madhya Pradesh, Uttar
Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra
Pradesh, Telangana, Rajasthan.
 Covers about 2.8% of total cropped area.
 Low and fluctuating yields, even in irrigated areas.

Tur (Arhar)

 Alsoknown as red gram or pigeon pea.

 Grown on marginal lands under rainfed conditions in
dry areas.
 Occupies about 2% of total cropped area.
 Major producer: Maharashtra (one-third of total
production).
 Other leading states: Uttar
Pradesh, Karnataka, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh.
 Low per hectare output and inconsistent
performance.

Try yourself:
Which crop is known for being resilient to drought and dry spells?

 A.Jowar
 B.Bajra
 C.Maize
 D.Gram
 View Solution
Oilseeds
 Oilseeds are produced for extracting edible oils.
 They occupy about 14% of total cropped area in India.
 Major growing regions include Malwa
Plateau, Marathwada, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Telang
ana, Rayalaseema (Andhra Pradesh), and Karnataka
Plateau.

Groundnut

 India produces 18.8% of the world’s groundnut (2018).

 Primarily a kharif (rainfed) crop, but also grown
during rabi in southern India.
 About 3.6% of total cropped area
  Gujarat, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana,
Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra are the
leading producers

Rapeseed and Mustard

 Includes rai, sarson, toria, and taramira.

 Subtropical crops grown during rabi season in
northwestern and central India.
 Frost sensitive; yields fluctuate yearly.
 Increased with irrigation and better seed technology.
 It covers about 2.5% of total cropped area.
 Rajasthan (one-third production), Haryana, Madhya
Pradesh are the Leading Producers

Other Oilseeds
Soybean

 Predominantly grown in Madhya

Pradesh and Maharashtra.
 These states contribute about 90% of total soybean
output in India.

Sunflower

 Cultivation: Concentrated in Karnataka, Andhra

Pradesh, Telangana, and adjoining areas
of Maharashtra.
 Regional Significance: Minor crop in northern parts of
the country.

Fibre Crops
Fibre crops are those that are cultivated for the purpose of
producing fibre used for making cloth. Some of the major
fibre crops in India include
Cotton

 Tropical crop, mainly grown in kharif season.

  Indiagrows both short staple (Indian) and long
staple (American) cotton.
 Major producers: Gujarat, Maharashtra, Telangana.
 High yields in irrigated areas; low yields in rainfed
regions.

Jute:
  Used for making coarse cloth, bags, sacks.
 Major producer: West Bengal (accounts for
about 75% of production).
 Other producers: Bihar, Assam.
 Accounts for only 0.5% of total cropped area.

Other crops
Sugarcane

 Tropical crop, primarily grown in irrigated conditions.

 Major producing states: Uttar Pradesh (largest
producer), Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil
Nadu, Andhra Pradesh.
 India ranks second in the world for sugarcane
production.
 Accounts for about 19.7% of global production.

Tea

 Grown in hilly areas with humid and sub-

humid conditions.
 Major producing regions: Assam (accounts for 53.2% of
production), West Bengal, Tamil Nadu.
 India ranks second in global tea production and export.

Coffee

 Tropical plantation crop, with varieties

like arabica and robusta.
 Major producing states: Karnataka (accounts for
over two-thirds of production), Kerala, Tamil Nadu.
 India produces about 3.17% of the world’s coffee,
ranking eighth globally.
Try yourself:
Which state is the largest producer of jute in India?

 A.Bihar
 B.Assam
 C.West Bengal
 D.Tamil Nadu

View Solution
Agricultural Development in India
 Indian agriculture was mainly subsistence-based and
faced significant challenges, including
frequent droughts and famines. The partition of
India led to the loss of a substantial portion
of irrigated land, impacting agricultural productivity.
 After gaining independence, the Indian government
aimed to increase foodgrain production through
several measures, including shifting focus from cash
crops to food crops, intensifying cultivation on existing
land, and expanding cultivated areas.
 Despite initial progress, agricultural
production stagnated in the late 1950s. The situation
worsened due to consecutive droughts in the mid-
1960s, leading to a food crisis and
necessitating foodgrain imports.
 In response to the crisis, high-yielding varieties
(HYVs) of wheat and rice were introduced in the
1960s, along with the use of chemical fertilizers and
improved irrigation practices. This led to a significant
increase in foodgrain production and marked the
beginning of the Green Revolution.
 The Green Revolution made India self-reliant in food
production and spurred the development of agro-
inputs and agro-processing industries. Initially, it
was confined to irrigated areas, leading to regional
disparities. Over time, the technology spread
to Eastern and Central India.
 In the 1980s, the Planning Commission focused on
agriculture in rainfed areas and promoted agro-
climatic planning for balanced regional development.
The 1990s introduced liberalization and a free
market economy, further influencing agricultural
development.
National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA)
Growth of Agricultural Output and
Technology
 Agricultural output and technology have significantly
improved over the past 50 years.
 Production and yield of crops such
as rice and wheat have increased impressively, with
notable rises in the production
of sugarcane, oilseeds, and cotton.
 Expansion of irrigation has been crucial for enhancing
agricultural output, facilitating the introduction
of modern agricultural technology like high-
yielding varieties, chemical fertilizers, pesticides,
and farm machinery. The net irrigated area has
also expanded.
  Modern agricultural technology has rapidly spread
across various regions, with the consumption of
chemical fertilizers increasing by 15 times since the
mid-1960s. Due to the susceptibility of high-yielding
varieties to pests and diseases, the use
of pesticides has also risen significantly since the
1960s.

Farmer's Portal of India

Problems of Indian Agriculture
Problems in Indian agriculture vary by region due to
different agro-ecological and historical experiences. Some
issues are common across regions. A detailed discussion on
these problems follows:

Dependence on Erratic Monsoon

 Irrigation covers only 33% of cultivated land in India.

 The remaining land relies on rainfall, which is often
unreliable.
 Areas like Rajasthan, Maharashtra, and Gujarat face
extreme drought conditions, while other regions
experience floods.
 Flash floods and droughts are common, creating
instability in agricultural productivity.

Low Productivity

 Crop yields in India are significantly lower compared to

global standards, such as those in the USA, Russia,
and Japan.
 The per hectare output of crops
like rice, wheat, cotton, and oilseeds is notably
lower in India.
 High pressure on land resources and low labour
productivity contribute to overall low productivity.
 Rainfed areas, especially in drylands, produce coarse
cereals, pulses, and oilseeds with low yields due to
limited water and harsh conditions.

Constraints of Financial Resources and Indebtedness

 Modern agricultural inputs such as seeds, fertilizers,

and machinery are costly.
 Marginal and small farmers often lack the financial
resources to invest in these inputs, leading to reliance
on credit from institutions and moneylenders.
  Crop failures and low returns from agriculture force
farmers into a cycle of indebtedness.
 Severe indebtedness is linked to farmers' suicides,
reflecting the gravity of financial stress in agriculture.

Lack of Land Reforms

 Historical exploitation under British revenue

systems (Mahalwari, Ryotwari, Zamindari) left a
legacy of unequal land distribution.
 Land reforms were prioritized post-Independence but
poorly implemented due to political resistance.
 Inadequate reform efforts have
perpetuated inequitable land distribution, impeding
agricultural development and equity.

Small Farm Size and Fragmentation of Landholdings

 The average size of landholdings is decreasing under

population pressure.
 Many landholdings are fragmented, making
agriculture less efficient.
 Consolidation of holdings has not been effectively
carried out in many states, leading
to uneconomic small plots.
 The process of division among generations has further
fragmented land, exacerbating the problem.

Lack of Commercialisation

 Many farmers produce primarily for self-consumption,

lacking the resources to focus on market-oriented
production.
 Small and marginal farmers often grow enough only
to meet their own needs.
 Commercialisation and modernisation have been
mainly limited to irrigated areas, while large parts of
India remain subsistence-based.
Vast Underemployment

 There is significant underemployment in agriculture,

especially in unirrigated regions.
 Seasonal unemployment can last from 4 to 8
months annually.
 Even during the cropping season, agricultural work is
not consistently available due to low labour
intensity of many operations.

Degradation of Cultivable Land

 Faulty irrigation practices have led to degradation of

land, including alkalisation, salinisation,
and waterlogging.
 Excessive use of chemical
fertilizers and pesticides has caused toxic
accumulation in the soil.
 Soil fertility is declining due to reduced
natural nitrogen fixation and shorter fallow
periods.
 Rainfed areas face soil erosion due to human
activities like deforestation and improper land
management.

Try yourself:
What is the main crop season in India suitable for tropical crops like rice,
cotton, jute, jowar, bajra, and tur?

 A.Kharif season
 B.Rabi season
 C.Zaid season
 D.None of the above

View Solution
Conclusion
The dynamics of land use in India highlight the balance
between growth and sustainability. As urban expansion,
industrialization, and technological advancements shape
land use patterns, the challenge remains to manage these
changes while preserving essential agricultural and
ecological resources. Understanding these patterns helps
address the complexities of land management and guides
future planning to ensure sustainable development.