Agriculture has always been the mainstay of villages in our country .In ancient times agriculture implements were made either in the farmer’s house or in the village itself. Largely, agriculture depends on fertility,climatic conditions and the availability of water.Farmers traditionally grew selected crops. Where water was plentiful,they grew rice ,wheat and sugarcane. Where water was scarce ,they grew jawar, bajra, ragi, and castor. Since bartar system prevailed their crops could be exchanged. As times changed they began to buy and sell them in fairs.
Then the mode of production changed. Instead of producing implements on small scale for local markets , people began to produce on a large scale for national markets. This led to the diversion of land from agriculture to non-agricultural or industries use. Factories were built to meet agriculture needs for farm implements.
Agriculture now depends on industry for its very survival.Synthetic chemical insecticides,harvesting,threshing ,storing and transportation to markets,all require industry support. Even to process floods,the help of the industry has become necessary. While water intensive crops such as rice, peanuts, sugarcane , pulses, maize, and others are increasing being cultivated crops like ragi and jowar that consume less water are neglected.The result is that the groundwater level has fallen down in some places. Cultivation of dryland crops is reducing year after year. Now everybody is dependent on rice! The government , by sudsidizing rice throughthe ration shops , has encouraged the cultivation of rice neglecting less water intensive crops.This has caused largescale reduction in the cultivation and consumption of less water intensive millets like jowar and bajra. Thus you see water availability ,soil fertility ,crop selection subsidies and people’s diet are all inter dependent.
With the success of green revolution, agriculture has seen an increase in investments . As part of this import of some seeds was encouraged. Consequently ,new varities of seeds , alien to the land and its climate,were obtained and continued to be used all over the country.With the advent of the industrial age ,synthetic chemals pesticides ,insecticides and chemical fertilisers produced by industries began to be used on a large scale .The arrival of tractors and mills further mechanized agriculture . Agriculture markets promoted trade and commercial crops .There have now became an industry .At this stage, the basic needs of agricultural sector were extensively met and loans were given for various needs as well.
