Agriculture History in India

Agriculture is the science or the art of growing produce for food and other purposes. Agriculture is not only a source of livelihood to people but also an economic activity which support many other industries. Agriculture has been a part of the development process since the time period of ancient civilization. The development of agriculture in India can be traced back as early as the 7th century BC by the Greek historian, the traveler, Pliny the Elder.

The agricultural history of India, also known as the agricultural history of the country, gives us a glimpse of the history of cultivation and farming in the sub-continent. Indian history has at times featured interesting episodes like the rule of the Rashtrakutas, the rule of the Chandravans, the Mughal era, the rule of the British, the rule of the Portuguese, the freedom of India, the rule of the Netan rulers, the rule of the Buddhist kings in India and the rule of the Marathas. The whole course of Indian history has been interwoven with the story of agricultural progress and developments.

Agriculture is one of the simplest of sciences, but it demands a lot of hard work and dedication. Agriculture in India has been progressing steadily from the past couple of decades, when villages only had a small number of farmable land resources. Today, nearly four out of five people in rural areas in India are cultivators. The recent trend is that almost two-thirds of the people living in rural areas are cultivators, primarily because of the advantages of doing business on their own. The rapid rate at which the Indian economy is developing will continue to make agriculture highly productive.

Agriculture in India has played a crucial role in the rise of the world power, China. Agriculture has also been a driving force behind the economic growth in most of the countries that have been recently independent. Some of the countries which are making great progress in the field of agriculture include: Argentina, Canada, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Mexico, New Zealand, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Uruguay and Zimbabwe. Agriculture is also the main industry for the large textile and clothing industries. There is also a significant contribution made by the small scale industries in the development of agriculture in India.

Agriculture is a very profitable business in India, because of its natural resource. The natural resources like air, fertile soil, sun, water are all rich sources of income. India has always welcomed foreign investment, which in turn has helped the farmers in increasing their production. Foreign direct investment in agriculture has helped the farmers in overcoming the challenges posed by the economic slowdown.

Agriculture in India has been a consistent winner in the world arena. The story of its consistent wins can be traced back to the days of British colonial rule. The British were known for their pioneering spirit and they were not afraid to experiment. They encouraged local production and they encouraged the local farmers to cultivate arable lands so that they can make use of these lands to increase their income. In this way, the agricultural history of India is a continuous one.

The story of agricultural history in India can be divided into two sections: pre-modern period and post-modern period. The pre-modern period saw major advancements in farming. The impact of these changes can be gauged from the fact that mechanized tools were first used on agricultural lands. The pace by which farming developed after the coming of machines can be correlated with the rise of the industrial revolution. The rise of the industrial revolution led to the mechanization of agriculture. This process further resulted in the enclosure of rural populations into urban centers.

The post-modern period saw small scale agriculture continuing its expansion, but at a much slower rate than before. The major reason for this is that the farmers had become more confident of their capacities to manage the small scale agricultural activities, and they no longer relied on the support of the urban population for their livelihood. With this, the narrative of the agricultural history of India comes of age, and the scope of the narrative gets widened.