The emergence of climate change is contributing to the resurgence of millet farming. Talk about it. Mention the initiatives the government has taking to boost millet production in India as well. (Answer in 150 words)
Cropping pattern refers to the proportion of area under different crops at any given point of time in a unit area. It indicates the temporal and/or spatial arrangement of crops in a particular area. Whereas, cropping system is a broader term than cropping pattern and includes the sum total of all crRead more
Cropping pattern refers to the proportion of area under different crops at any given point of time in a unit area. It indicates the temporal and/or spatial arrangement of crops in a particular area. Whereas, cropping system is a broader term than cropping pattern and includes the sum total of all crops and the practices used to grow those crops on a field or farm. It comprises all components, such as water, soil, technology etc. required for the production of a particular crop and the interrelationships between them and the surrounding environment.
Differences between Cropping pattern and Cropping systems:
| Cropping Pattern | Cropping System |
| Includes crop rotation practiced by a majority of farmers in a given area or locality. | Includes cropping pattern and its management to derive benefits from a given resource base under specific environmental conditions. |
| Type and management of crops through temporal arrangement i.e. yearly sequence of growing different crops on a piece of land. Also, management is done through spatial arrangement i.e. arrangement of crops on a piece of land in various patterns. | The cropping patterns used on a farm and their interaction with farm resources, other farm enterprises and available technology which determine their make-up. |
Types of cropping systems practiced in India:
- Mono Cropping: It refers to growing only one crop on a piece of land year after year. It may be due to climatic and socio-economic conditions or due to specialisation of a farmer in growing a particular crop. For e.g. groundnut or cotton or sorghum are grown year after year due to limitation of rainfall while under waterlogged condition, rice crop is grown as it is not possible to grow any other crop.
- Multiple Cropping: It is the practice of growing two or more crops in the same field within a given year. It includes
- Mixed-cropping: Two or more crops grown in the same field within a given year without a definite row arrangement. Sorghum, pearl millet and cowpeas are mixed and broadcasted in rain-fed conditions.
- Inter-cropping: It includes growing two or more crops simultaneously with definite row arrangement on the same field with an objective of higher productivity per unit area in addition to stability in production. Example is that of maize plus greengram or blackgram.
- Sequence cropping: It can be defined as growing two or more crops in a sequence on the same piece of land in a farming year. The succeeding crop is planted after the preceding crop has been harvested. Example: Tomato- rice- pulse or rice-cotton.
- Other types of Cropping:
- Alley Cropping: It is planting rows of trees at wide spacing with a companion crop grown in the alleyways between the rows. The trees may include valuable hardwood veneer or lumber species; fruit, nuts etc.
- Relay Cropping: Growing two or more crops simultaneously during the part of the life cycle of each. In India, Rice -cauliflower – onion-summer gourd is one example of relay cropping.
- Ratoon Cropping: Crop regrows out of roots or stalks which were left after harvest of crops. Besides sugarcane, ratooning is also practiced commercially in many other crops including banana, cotton etc.
Cropping patterns and systems are mostly affected due to agronomic factors, economic factors and policy-related factors. Over the last few decades the stress over agriculture has hinted that the cropping pattern and system needs to be reformed based on agriculture zones.
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The agricultural sector is one of the sectors most sensitive to climate change because the climate of a region determines the nature and characteristics of vegetation and crops. In such a situation, there is a need to look for crops, which can survive the ongoing climate change. In this context, theRead more
The agricultural sector is one of the sectors most sensitive to climate change because the climate of a region determines the nature and characteristics of vegetation and crops. In such a situation, there is a need to look for crops, which can survive the ongoing climate change. In this context, the cultivation of millets is being revived owing to the following reasons:
Moreover, climate change, which is now impacting agricultural production and food stability, threatens nutritional security as well. In this context, millets gain importance as they act as rich sources of macronutrients and micronutrients, with high levels of calcium, iron, zinc, potassium, protein, and essential amino acids. They are non-glutinous and rich in antioxidants as well. India currently has around 14 million hectares of land under millet cultivation. Further, according to the fourth advance estimates for the year 2021-22, about 16 million tonnes of millet have been produced in India, which is about 5 percent of the national food grain basket. Considering the benefits, various steps have been taken by the government to promote millet cultivation, including:
With 2023 being the UN-designated International Year of Millets, there is a need to promote and strengthen the value chain for millets and millet-based products, including the ready-to-eat category. Millets are being increasingly recognized as climate-smart crops with enormous nutritional and health benefits.
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