INDIAN HERITAGE OF ANCIENT AGRICULTURE
HISTORY: Continuous record of past events.
HERITAGE: Inherited values carried from one generation to other generation
Word heritage derived from Latin word patrimonium, which is union of two word pater (father)
and munus (duty) means duty of father. Term heritage more extensively referred as, thing
belonging to father.
AGRICULTURAL HERITAGE: Agricultural values and traditional agriculture practices
adopted in ancient farmer which are more relevant for present day system inherited and carried
from one generation to other generation.
Agricultural heritage denotes the values and traditional practices adopted in ancient time,
which are more relevant for present day agriculture system.
In the beginning man had been spending his life wildly, but during the period 8700-7700
BC, they started to pet sheep and goat, although the first pet animal was dog, which was used for
hunting.
Indian heritage of ancient agriculture
The history of agriculture and civilization go hand in hand as the food production made it
possible for primitive man to settle down in selected areas leading to formation of society and
initiation of civilization.
The development of civilization and agriculture had passed through several stages.
Paleolithic age/Old Stone Age (2.5 million-12,000 BC):
1. The age in human culture characterized by the use of rough or chipped stone tools.
2. This period is characterized by the food gatherers and hunters.
3. The Stone Age man started making stone tools and crude choppers.
4. Man was essentially a food gatherer and depended on nature for food
5. He learnt to control fire, which helped him to improve his way of living.
6. At the end of this age, the modern human being (Homo sapiens) first appeared around
36,000BC.
Mesolithic period (12,000 to 7,500 BC):
1. The transitional period between the end of the Paleolithic and beginning of the Neolithic is
called Mesolithic.
2. It began about 10000BC and ended with the rise of agriculture.
3. This period is characterized by tiny stone implements called microliths.
4. People lived as food gatherers and hunters.
5. The domestication of the dog was the major achievement of the Mesolithic hunter.
Neolithic or New Stone Age (7500 BC to 3000 BC):
1. Human settlement in the Indian sub-continent is from 7500 to 4000 BC.
2. Neolithic revolution brought a major change in the techniques of food production which gave
man control over his environment and saved him from the precarious existence of mere hunting
and gathering of wild berries and roots.
3. Man began to domesticate animals and cultivate first crop wheat and barley, settling down in
villages to form farming communities.
4. Beginning or discovery of Agriculture takes place in Neolithic period.
6. Invention of polished store implements has taken place.
The main features of Neolithic culture in India: 1. Neolithic culture denotes a stage in
economic and technological development in India. 2. Use of polished stone axes for cleaning the
bushes. 3. Handmade pottery for storing food grains. 4. Invented textile, weaving and basketry.
5. Cultivation of rice, banana sequence and yams in eastern parts of India. 6. Cultivation of
millets and pulses in south India. 7. Discovery of silk.
Chalcolithic culture (Bronze Age) (3000-1700 BC):
1. The term Chalcolithic is applied to communities using stone implements along with copper
and bronze.
2. In more advanced communities, the proportion of copper and bronze implements is higher
than that of stones.
3.The most ancient civilization on the Indian sub continent, the sophisticated and extensive Indus
Valley civilization.
The significant features are: 1. Invention of plough. 2. Agriculture shifted from hilly area to
lower river valley. 3. Flood water was stored for irrigation and canals were dug. 4. Irrigated
farming started in this period. Sowing of seed by dibbing with pointed stick 6. Salinity problem
and water logging were noticed due to canal irrigation.
Indian heritage of ancient agriculture: Archeological and historical facts
12000 to 9500 years ago: 1. Hunters and food-gathers stage existed. 2. Stone implements
(microliths) were seen throughout the Indian subcontinent 3. Domestication of dog occurred in
Iraq. 4. Earliest agriculture was by vegetative propagation (e.g., bananas, sugarcane, yam, sago,
palms, and ginger).
9500 to 7500 years ago: 1. Wild ancestors of wheat and barley, goat, sheep, pig, and cattle were
found. 7500 to 5000years ago: 1. Significant features were invention of plough, irrigated
farming, and use of wheel, and metallurgy and in Egypt, seed dibbling.
5000to 4000 years ago: 1. Harappa culture is characterized by cultivation of wheat, barley and
cotton; plough Agriculture and bullocks for drought. 2. Wheeled carts were commonly used in
the Indus valley. 3. Harappa’s not only grew cotton but also devised methods for ginning /
spinning / Weaving.
4000 to 2000 years ago: 1. In North Arcot, bone / stone tools were found. 2. In Nevasa
(Maharashtra), copper and polished stone axes were used. First evidence of the presence of silk
was found at this location. 3. At Navdatoli on Narmada river (Nemar, Madhya Pradesh), sickles
set with stone teeth were used for cutting crop stalks. Crops grown were wheat, linseed, lentil,
urd (black gram), mung bean, and khesari. 4. In Eastern India, rice, bananas, and sugarcane were
cultivated.
2000-1500 years ago: 1. Tank irrigation was developed and practiced widely. 2. Greek and
Romans had trade with South India; pepper, cloth, and sandal wood were imported by Romans.
3. Chola King Karikala (190 AD) defeated Cheras and Pandyas, invaded Srilanka, captured
12000 men and used them as slaves to construct an embankment along the Cauvery, 160km
along, to protect land from floods. He has built numerous irrigation tanks and promoted
agriculture by clearing forests.
1500-1000 years ago: The Kanauj Empireof Harshavardhana (606-647 AD): 1. Cereals such as
wheat, rice and millets, and fruits were extensively grown. A 60-day variety and fragrant
varieties of rice are mentioned. 2. Ginger, mustard, melons, pumpkin, onion, and garlic are also
mentioned. 3. Persian wheel was used in Thanesar (Haryana).
The kingdoms of South India: 1. The kingdoms were of the Chalukyas (Badami), Rashtrakutas
(Latur), Pallavas (Kanchi), Pandyas, Hoysals (Helebid), and Kakatiyas (Warangal). 2. Cholas
ushered in a glorious phase in South Indian in the 10thcentury AD. 3. New irrigation systems for
agriculture were developed-chain tanks in Andhra in the 9th century; and 6.4km Kaveri pak bund.
4. Cholas maintained links with China, Myanmar, and Campodia. 5. The tank supervision
committee (Eri-variyam) looked after the maintenance of a village and regulated the water
supply.
HISTORY OF NATURAL FARMING
Natural farming, also known as "do-nothing farming" or the "Fukuoka method", is a
farming approach that works in harmony with nature's processes, using minimal human
intervention.
While Fukuoka coined the modern term natural farming and popularized the movement,
the underlying principles of working with nature and eschewing chemicals are rooted in ancient
agricultural practices from around the world.
Ancient roots
Many traditional farming practices, like those used by Native American tribes for centuries and
described in ancient Indian scriptures, share core principles with natural farming, such as using
organic matter to fertilize the soil and working with natural cycles to manage pests.
Ancient Indian texts like the Rigveda and Arthashastra mention practices like crop rotation,
using cow dung as manure, and water harvesting, demonstrating a deep understanding of
sustainable agriculture.
Traditional Practices: Ancient civilizations across the globe, including the Indus Valley
Civilization, Greeks, Romans, and Chinese, utilized sustainable farming methods like crop
rotation, composting, and intercropping to maintain soil fertility and manage pests naturally.
Vedic Era: Ancient Indian scriptures, such as the Rigveda, shed light on early Vedic agricultural
practices, including the use of "Yajna" (fire ceremonies) with the ashes scattered as fertilizer.
The concepts of "vaniki" (forest farming), integrating agriculture with forestry, and "ahimsa"
(non-violence) influenced ancient Indian farming practices, emphasizing the harmonious
coexistence of humans and nature.
Jainism's Influence: The ancient Indian faith of Jainism, with its emphasis on non-violence,
contributed significantly to sustainable methods like mulching and cover cropping to protect soil
fertility and reduce harm to living organisms.
Ayurvedic Agriculture: The ancient Indian medical system of Ayurveda also influenced
farming practices, promoting medicinal plants, crop diversity, and herbal pesticides to foster the
well-being of the land and its cultivators
The birth of modern natural farming
Sir Albert Howard:
In the early 20th century, British agricultural scientist Sir Albert Howard, while
working in India, observed and documented the sustainable practices of traditional Indian
farmers. He developed the concept of "the law of return," emphasizing the importance of
returning organic matter to the soil.
F.H. King and Rudolf Steiner:
Other early proponents of organic farming included F.H. King, who studied traditional
farming systems in China, Korea, and Japan, and Rudolf Steiner, who founded biodynamic
agriculture, which shares many principles with natural farming.
Masanobu Fukuoka:
Japanese farmer and philosopher Masanobu Fukuoka is credited with establishing the modern
concept of natural farming in the 1940s. So, Masanobu Fukuoka known as Father of Natural
Farming.
Inspired by observing wild ecosystems and disillusioned with modern agricultural science,
Fukuoka developed a method based on minimal intervention.
His seminal book, "The One-Straw Revolution," published in 1975, detailed his philosophy and
methods and significantly influenced the organic and permaculture movements.
Subhash Palekar:
Subhash Palekar is widely recognized as the father of Indian natural farming. He promoted
Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) in India during mid of 1900s.
ZBNF shares many principles with Fukuoka's method, focusing on low input costs, soil
regeneration, mixed cropping, and ecological balance.
It aims to reduce or eliminate reliance on external inputs like chemical fertilizers and pesticides,
promoting the use of locally available natural resources and reducing the cost of farming.
Other variations like Rishi Kheti in India pioneered Partap Aggarwal in 1980.
The Rishi Kheti use cow products like buttermilk, milk, curd and its waste urine for preparing
growth promoters. The Rishi Kheti is considered to be non-violent farming without any usage of
chemical fertilizer and pesticides.
ZBNF gained traction as an alternative to the Green Revolution's methods, particularly in
response to the rising costs and negative impacts associated with chemical-based agriculture.
Spread in Karnataka: ZBNF first gained significant traction as a movement in Karnataka,
fueled by the collaboration between Palekar and the state farmers' association Karnataka Rajya
Raitha Sangha (KRRS).
Expansion to other states: The success in Karnataka led to the replication of the model in other
Indian states, particularly in South India.
Government Recognition and Promotion: ZBNF gained prominence when Finance Minister
Nirmala Sitharaman mentioned it in her 2019 budget speech as a way to potentially double
farmers' incomes.
Government Support Initiatives: The Indian government has actively promoted ZBNF and
related natural farming methods through schemes like the Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana
(PKVY) and the more recent Bharatiya Prakritik Krishi Paddhati (BPKP) Scheme.
Andhra Pradesh's Initiative: Andhra Pradesh launched an ambitious plan in 2018 to become
India's first state to transition 6 million farms to 100% natural farming by 2024
