How has the emphasis on certain crops brought about changes in cropping patterns in recent past? Elaborate the emphasis on millets production and consumption. Solution gk today?
Answers
One of the reasons for the expansion of irrigation-heavy crops has increased the reach of ground water in addition to the expansion of dam dams and canals. With ease of availability with water, farmers migrated from semi-arid grains to high yielding varieties of cash crops, for which heavy dose of agricultural chemicals and assurance is required irrigation. As the scale grew, the impact on natural resources became more clear. Soil fertility was decreased during ground water fall. Changing chemical pollution and food habits affecting human pollution are direct manifestations of this change in crop pattern.
Cashew plantation, Mecca and Nilgiri have announced their presence in the tribal region of Odisha. Drought-prone districts of Anantapur and Kadapa of Andhra Pradesh have taken citrus fruits and papaya to both intensive crops of water. Upper region of Himachal Pradesh is taking foreign English vegetables, traditionally requires heavy dose of pesticides,
The cultivation of naturally grown rice and legumes
Bt cotton grown in light and red soil areas of Andhra Pradesh is giving poor yield because it requires heavy, black soil. Heavy soils retains excess moisture and allows roots to drown deeply, which helps in planting more number of pods.
In addition to the second crop of a crop, changes also occur within the crop. For example, between oilseeds, area under soya has increased, groundnut is
The mole went down, while retaining its grip. In millets, millet (pearl millet) and jowar (great millet) is still a big area but ragi (finger millet) and small millet like Kodo millet and Barneyard millet are grown in small pockets.
A wide variety of problems regarding cash crops in different areas affecting environment, health and food security have been given.
The trends in cropping patterns in India can be analyzed through various angles and perspectives. The foremost among them is to examine these trends in context with the food and non-food crops.
By food crops, we refer to the crops that are cultivated for human and animal consumption. There are two major categories of the food crops viz. Foodgrains (cereals, coarse cereals and pulses) and horticulture (fruits and vegetables).
Non-food crops include cash crops such as sugarcane, tobacco; plantation crops such as tea or coffee; oilseeds such as mustard, groundnut, palm oil etc.
Following are important observations on food and non-food cropping patterns, for your examinations: