Land Resources And Agriculture Class 12 Geography Chapter 3 CBSE Notes 2025-26

Land is one of the most important natural resources and is used in various ways—such as for buildings, roads, parks, crops, and pasture for animals. The way we use land depends on both natural factors and human needs. Human beings use land for living, working, and recreation. Our surroundings, like roads, fields, rivers, and forests, all represent different ways land is used.

Land is classified into several categories in government records. The main types include forests, barren and wasteland, land for non-agricultural uses, permanent pastures and grazing lands, miscellaneous tree crops and groves, culturable wasteland, current fallows, fallows other than current fallow, and net area sown. The total reporting area may change due to updates in land records, but the geographical area remains fixed as per official survey.

• Forests: Areas classified as forests in records, not always matching the true forest cover on ground.
• Barren and wastelands: Lands that are mostly uncultivable, like deserts and ravines.
• Land put to non-agricultural uses: Includes settlements, industries, roads, and shops.
• Permanent pastures and grazing lands: Mostly shared community lands used by villagers.
• Miscellaneous tree crops and groves: Mainly orchards and fruit tree lands, usually privately owned.
• Culturable wasteland: Land left uncultivated for over five years but can be farmed with effort.
• Current fallow: Land left uncultivated for up to one year to recover fertility.
• Fallow other than current fallow: Land left unused for more than a year but less than five years.
• Net area sown: The total land where crops are currently grown and harvested.

Changes in land-use patterns in India are the result of growing population, economic advancement, and shifts from agriculture to other activities. The categories that have increased the most between 1950–51 and 2019–20 are area under forests, non-agricultural uses, current fallow lands, and net area sown.

Meanwhile, barren wasteland, culturable wasteland, area under tree crops, and certain types of fallows have decreased due to the increasing demand for land for farming and settlements.

Non-agricultural land use has grown because of more industries, infrastructure, and spreading cities. Increased areas under forests in records do not always reflect more real forests on ground. 

The trend of increasing net area sown is due to reclamation of wasteland for agriculture, while other categories like tree groves shrink as these lands are converted for farming or other developments.

Besides privately owned lands, many villages in India depend on common property resources such as shared pastures, forests, and water bodies. These lands are owned by the government or village panchayats and provide essential resources like fuel, fodder, and timber, supporting the livelihoods of poor and marginal farmers especially in rural areas.

Agriculture is the most significant use of land in India. The productivity of farming and prosperity in rural areas largely depends on access to good quality land. Total cultivable land in India includes net sown area, all types of fallow land, and culturable wasteland. 

As per recent figures, net area sown is the biggest portion, while wasteland and longer fallows have reduced. The table below shows the changes in composition:

Opportunities to expand net sown area are limited. Therefore, increasing productivity per unit area and raising cropping intensity (more crops from the same area in a year) are critical. Cropping intensity refers to the ratio of total cropped area (gross cropped area) to net sown area.

India has three main cropping seasons: Kharif (June–September) for crops like rice and cotton, Rabi (October–March) for wheat and barley, and Zaid (April–June) for vegetables and fodder. In southern states, where temperature stays favorable year-round and soil moisture is sufficient, farmers can often grow three crops a year.

Farming in India is based on the availability of water. Irrigated farming may be protective (to assist rainfall) or productive (to achieve high outputs). Rainfed farming can be dryland (in areas with low rainfall, less than 75 cm, using drought-resistant crops and moisture conservation methods) or wetland (in rainfall-rich regions, growing water-loving crops like rice and jute).

Foodgrains occupy about two-thirds of India’s cropped area and include cereals and pulses.

• Rice: India ranks second globally, accounting for 22% of world rice production. Main states: West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab.
• Wheat: Grown mainly in north and central India—Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan.
• Jowar (Sorghum): Mainly grown in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana.
• Bajra: A hardy crop suited to dry regions. Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana are the top states.
• Maize: Used as both food and fodder, primarily in Karnataka, MP, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Rajasthan, UP.
• Pulses: India is a major pulses producer, but yields are low. Gram and tur are key, grown mainly in MP, UP, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Rajasthan, Karnataka, and Gujarat.

Oilseeds, such as groundnut, rapeseed & mustard, soybean, and sunflower, are grown on about 14% of cropped area. Gujarat, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra lead in oilseed production. Fibre crops include cotton and jute. Cotton is widely grown in Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Telangana, while jute is mainly found in West Bengal, Bihar, and Assam.

Sugarcane is a prominent cash crop found mainly in Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh. Tea is grown in Assam, West Bengal, and Tamil Nadu’s Nilgiri hills, making India the world’s second-largest producer. Coffee is mainly grown in Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu.

Indian agriculture shifted from mainly subsistence farming before independence to boosting food production after independence. Strategies included focusing on food crops instead of cash crops, increasing cropping intensity, and reclaiming unused land for cultivation. 

The Green Revolution in the 1960s—introducing high-yield varieties (HYV), fertilizers, improved irrigation, and farm machinery—helped surge foodgrain production, though mostly in the irrigated northwest and southern parts of the country initially.

Later, policies also began to promote agricultural development in rainfed and dryland regions, with diversification into dairy, horticulture, and other allied sectors. The introduction of technology, irrigation, and higher use of fertilizers and pesticides boosted productivity, making India more self-reliant in food production.

Despite progress, Indian farmers face several problems. Over 60% of farms still depend on rainfall, which can be unpredictable, resulting in droughts or floods. 

Productivity remains low compared to global standards, mainly due to fragmented and small farm sizes, insufficient land reforms, lack of financial resources, high costs, and underemployment. Many rural families still farm mainly for self-consumption, with limited access to modern markets or commercial opportunities.

Soil degradation is also a concern due to overuse of chemicals, faulty irrigation causing salinity and waterlogging, and loss of natural soil fertility, especially in rainfed areas suffering from erosion.

The government encourages sustainable and climate-resilient agriculture through missions like NMSA (National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture), promoting organic farming and modern practices to help farmers. Online resources like the Farmers Portal offer information and support to rural communities.

Class 12 Geography Chapter 3 Notes – Land Resources and Agriculture: Quick Revision Key Points

These Class 12 Geography Chapter 3 notes cover all essential points on Land Resources and Agriculture as per the latest NCERT syllabus. The revision notes highlight land use categories, patterns of crop seasons, and key crops grown in India, making last-minute revision easy and effective.

Use these notes to quickly clear up doubts and remember major statistics, regional patterns, and the challenges faced by Indian farmers. With all NCERT facts logically organized, these notes are ideal for speedy reference before exams while ensuring you understand the factual content of Land Resources and Agriculture for CBSE Class 12 Geography.