Agriculture Systems Practices Around The World

India is a blend of multiple types of farming systems, out of which some are subsistence farming, organic and industrial farming contribute significantly to the agriculture system in India. The types of agricultural practices date back to the Indus valley civilisation. At present, India ranks second worldwide in terms of farming inputs, and as of 2018, Indian farming has employed more than 50% of the Indian workforce.

Besides this, the agriculture practices have led to a significant increase in GDP by 17-18%, and much more.

This page discusses the different types of agriculture systems in India along with the agriculture systems practised around the world.

What Are The Different Types Of Farming?

There are eight different types of agriculture practices, among which the following are the three different types of farming systems in India:

• Subsistence Farming

• Commercial Farming

• Home Farming

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Now, let us understand what are the four types of agriculture in detail.

Subsistence Farming

Subsistence farming is also known as family farming because it meets the needs of the farmer’s family. Also, it functions at a low level of technology and household labour.

Due to the shortage of electricity and irrigation, farmers do not use a variety of seeds and fertilisers. Also, most of the types of agricultural practices are done manually. Two kinds of subsistence farming done in India are as follows:

1. Intensive Subsistence Farming

Intensive subsistence farming includes a little portion of land and, for growing crops, employs simple and low-cost tools but more labour. Intensive means hard work, which means it requires more labour.

A large number of days with sunshine, a good climate favours this type of farming. Also, land with fertile soils permits growing multiple crops simultaneously annually in the same land.

Under intensive farming, Rice is the chief crop grown, while other crops incorporate wheat, maize, pulses, and oilseeds.

You can find this type of farming thickly populated in the area of monsoon regions involving south, South East, East Asia.

2. Primitive Subsistence Farming

 Primitive subsistence farming is of two types: shifting cultivation and nomadic herding.

1. Shifting Cultivation

Shifting culture is a quick regeneration of vegetation.

The process of shifting cultivation is called the slash and burn agriculture process because firstly, in this process, the entire land is cleared by falling trees and burning them; following this, ash of the burned trees is mixed with the land soil.

This cultivation is preferably grown on crops like potatoes, maize, yam, and cassava. The growth of these crops requires 2 or 3 years, and then the land is left out so that the fertiliser of the soil decreases. 

Then farmers shift to the other land to repeat this process. That’s why we call Shifting cultivation the slash and burn process.

This type of agriculture practice is known by different names in different countries, such as:

The practise of shifting cultivation in the following forested areas of heavy rainfall: 

• Amazon basin

• Tropical Africa

• Southeast Asia, and 

• Northeast India. 

2. Nomadic Herding

Nomadic herding is done in the semi-dry region and dry region. Like Central Asia, a few pieces of India like Rajasthan and Jammu, and Kashmir.

The interaction of this cultivating is that the herders move one from one place to another for feed and water, along with characterised courses.

The most utilised animals in this farming are sheep, camel, yak, and goats.

The result of this farming is milk, meat, and others to the herder and their families.

Commercial Farming

In this farming, crops are grown to be sold in the market. The primary reason for this farming is to do business. It requires large regions and a high level of innovation and is done with the help of a wide range of innovative tools. Commercial farming is of three types. 

1. Commercial Grain Farming:

This farming is accomplished for grains. This farming is suitable for the winter season. In this type of farming, only a single crop can be developed at one time. This farming is spread across North America, Europe, and Asia. These regions are dense with enormous farmers.

2. Commercial Mixed Farming:

This kind of farming is accomplished for developing food sources, grains crops. In this farming, multiple crops can be grown at a time. It requires great rainfall and irrigation. The yields are cared for cautiously. The crops are grown almost at the same duration. This farming is generally performed in Europe, the eastern USA, Argentina, southeast Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.

3. Commercial Plantation Agriculture:

This farming requires a lot of work and enormous regions. It utilizes basic crops like tea, espresso, cotton, elastic, banana, and sugarcane. The products are handled on the farm itself by industrial facilities. These products don't straightforwardly go on sale. After growing these products, the leaves are broiled in industrial facilities or farms. These are all tree crops. This farming requires enormous transportation because the results of this farming are shipped from one region to another.

In different countries around the world, this kind of farming is done. Here are a few of the countries – 1) Rubber in Malaysia, 2) Tea in India, and 3) Espresso in Brazil.

Generally, farming is done in uneven regions like sub-Himalayan, Nilgiri, and West Bengal. Also, this farming takes a significant stretch to grow products, yet these are produced for significant stretches.

Home Farming

This farming incorporates terrace farming, gardening.

Requires a small area and small tools like a pruning shear and a garden rake. 

This farming can grow any vegetable, fruits, flowers, and small trees in the same land and also requires small labour.

This farming is used as both commercial and subsistence and also used as a decorated thing at homes.

India: The World’s Largest Producer

As per the report shared by the Statistics Office of the Food and Agriculture Organization, in 2009, India is conferred with the title of the world's largest producer of the following agricultural products:

• Fresh Fruit

• Lemons and limes

• Buffalo milk, whole, fresh

• Castor oil seeds

• Sunflower seeds

• Sorghum

• Millet

• Spices

• Okra

• Jute

• Beeswax

• Bananas

• Mangoes

• Mangosteens 

• Guavas

• Pulses

• Indigenous buffalo meat

• Fruit, tropical

• Ginger

• Chickpeas

• Areca nuts

• Other bast fibres

• Pigeon peas

• Papayas

• Chillies and peppers, dry

• Anise, badian, fennel, coriander

• Goat milk, whole, fresh

India is conferred with the title of the world's second-largest producer of the following agricultural products:

• Wheat

• Rice

• Fresh vegetables

• Sugar cane

• Groundnuts, with shell

• Lentils

• Garlic

• Cauliflowers and broccoli

• Peas, green

• Sesame seed

• Cashew nuts, with shell

• Silk-worm cocoons

• Reelable

• Cow milk, whole, fresh

• Tea

• Potatoes

• Onions

• Cotton lint

• Cottonseed

• Eggplants (aubergines)

• Nutmeg

• Mace

• Cardamoms

• Indigenous goat meat

• Cabbages and other brassicas

• Pumpkins

• Squash

• Gourds

Now, let us go through the interesting facts on the types of agriculture:

Agriculture Systems Practiced Around The World: Interesting Facts

• Agriculture is the fundamental source of livelihood for around 58% of India’s population. In the Financial year 2020-21, the Gross Value Added by agriculture, forestry, and fishing was estimated at Rs. 19.48 lakh crore (US$ 276.37 billion). 

• In FY20, India’s share in gross value added (GVA) agriculture and allied sectors rose to 17.8 %. Therefore, it is estimated that India’s consumer spending will revert its growth in 2021 post the pandemic-led contraction, expanding by as much as 6.6%.

• Every year, the Indian food industry makes huge growth and a significant contribution to the world food trade because of its immense potential for value addition, particularly within the food processing industry. 

• Indian food and grocery market rank sixth worldwide in retail, contributing 70% of the sales. In comparison, the food processing industry makes around 32% of the country’s total food market, and therefore, becoming one of the largest industries in India. The fifth-largest in terms of production, consumption, export, practised and expected growth.

• Do you know that the prime agricultural commodities export between April 2020 and January 2021 was US$ 32.12 bn?

Farming is the major source of income, and there are different types of agriculture. This page has explained four different types of agricultural practices in the world.