Primitive Subsistence Farming

This type of farming is still practiced in a few remote areas of India.

Primitive subsistence agriculture is practiced with small patches of
land with the help of primitive tools like hoe, Dao and digging sticks,
and family/community labour. This type of farming depends upon
monsoon, natural fertility of the soil and suitability of other
environmental conditions to the crop grown.
It is a mode of agriculture used since the beginning of the civilization.
A patch of the forest is cut down and burnt to get a piece of
agricultural land. The ashes of the burnt down trees provides manure
for the crop. The farmer grows crops which is necessary for the daily
use of their family. The family members help him in cultivation and
the crops are not meant for sale. So in this type of agriculture food
crops necessary for the family were only grown and many crops are
grown in the same piece of land.

When the fertility of the soil decreases farmer leaves the land and
takes up another piece of land for cultivation. This allows nature to
replenish itself and there is no need for farmer to use manures for
the cultivation. It is known by different names in different parts of
the country.

In India the primitive form of agriculture is called ‘Bewar’ in Madhya

Pradesh ‘Padu’ in Andhra Pradesh, ‘koman’ in Orissa, ‘Valre’ in
Rajasthan and ‘jhumming’ in North- eastern region.
Intensive Subsistence Farming

In the old times there were a lot land available for cultivation since the population was very less. But
now the scenario has changed to a large extend as compared to the situation in the primitive world.
The population has been underwent a great increase in the the recent years. This has resulted in the
lessening of the availability of the natural resources including the land . The per capita availability of
every natural resources is now limited.

Therefore in these days the primitive subsistence agriculture is difficult to practice.

The population pressures has resulted in the development of a anew form of agriculture. The
Intensive Subsistence Farming. This type of farming is practiced in the areas of high population
pressure on land. It is Labour intensive farming. Where high doses of biochemical inputs and
irrigation are used for obtaining higher production.

Though the ‘right of inheritance’ leading to the division of land among successive generations has
rendered land holding size un-economical, the farmers continue to take maximum output from the
limited land in the absence of alternative source of livelihood. Thus there is enormous pressure on
the agricultural land.

The Intensive subsistence farming is aimed at higher production and uses new technologies to
support the agricultural practices. This includes the use of chemical fertilizers and increased use of
insecticides. These farming practices are now becoming a threat to the environment by making the
hazardous chemicals enter into the food chain. This is causing the a great threat to the health of
man.
Commercial Farming

The main characteristics of this type of farming is the use of higher doses of modern inputs, e.g. high
yielding variety seeds, chemical fertilizers, insecticides and pesticides in order to obtain higher
productivity. The degree of commercialization of agriculture varies from one region to other. For
example, rice is a commercial crop in Haryana and Punjab, but in Orissa, it is a commercial crop.

Plantation is also a type of commercial farming. In this type of farming, a single crop is grown on a
large area. The plantation has an interface of agriculture and industry. Plantations cover large tracts
of land, using capital intensive inputs, with the help of migrant laborers. All the produce is used as
raw materials in respective industries.

In India tea, coffee, rubber, sugar cane, banana, etc… are important plantation crops. Tea in Assam
and North Bengal Coffee in Karnataka are some of the important plantation crops grown in these
states. Since the product is mainly for market, a well developed network of transport and
communication connecting the plantation areas, processing industries and markets plays an
important in the development of plantations.
But the agriculture in India is now showing a downward trend in these days. People are not
interested in taking the farming as a profession and are not ready to come into the field of farming.
Many farmers are owning very small pieces of land thus bringing the more input cost and less profit.
The modern techniques of the farming is not so common among the farmers.
Our Government should take necessary measures to improve the quality and quantity of the
agriculture in India. The new technologies should be implemented in the agriculture without
harming the environment. There should be enough measures taken to market the produces of the
farmers and assure them a good income.