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Indian Agriculture: Cropping Patterns & Green Revolution Impact

Introduction

India is an agrarian economy. Agriculture contributes around 18% to GDP but employs nearly half the workforce.

1. Cropping Seasons

• Kharif (Monsoon): Sown in June/July, harvested in Sept/Oct. Crops: Rice, Maize, Cotton, Groundnut.
• Rabi (Winter): Sown in Oct/Nov, harvested in April/May. Crops: Wheat, Mustard, Gram.
• Zaid (Summer): Short season. Crops: Watermelon, Cucumber.

2. Green Revolution (1960s)

Introduced High Yielding Varieties (HYV) of Wheat and Rice. Norman Borlaug (Global Father) and M.S. Swaminathan (Indian Father).

• Positives: Food security, India became a net exporter.
• Negatives: Regional disparity (North vs East), soil degradation, excessive groundwater use.

3. Way Forward

Shift towards Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF), organic farming (like Sikkim), and Millet promotion (Shree Anna).