Question

how many types of farmers are there in our villages? who are they?​

Answer 1

. Arable Farming

Arable farming involves growing of crops only in warm climate. It is practiced on gently sloping or flat land with deep, fertile soil. It is important that the land is neither too wet nor dry. Land ideal for growing crops should be fairly sheltered and suitable for use of machinery. In the UK, this type of farming is mainly adopted in the east and south.

Arable Farming

2. Pastoral Farming

Pastoral farming is the practice of rearing animals only in cold and wet climates not ideal for growing crops. Land with steep slopes and poor soils cannot support the use of machinery nor provide the nutrients crops need to grow. Only heather and grasses can grow on that kind of land.

Stronger winds on the steep slopes can also easily damage crops. Therefore, they are ideal for rearing animals such as sheep. In the UK, highland areas in the west and north allow for pastoral farming. Sheep can easily graze on hilly areas and feed on the kind of grass growing in such areas.

However, dairy animals need flat land with enough pasture to feed on. Dairy farming is also practiced near markets because dairy products are highly perishable.

3. Mixed Farming

Mixed farming involves growing of crops and rearing of animals on the same piece of land. The two types of farming, pastoral and arable, support each other and increase farm yield. This type of farming reduces the risk of making losses due to poor weather conditions. For instance, if the crops are not doing well, animals on the farm are still a good source of food and money.

Furthermore, animals provide the manure farmers need to improve soil fertility for crops to grow and increase yield.

Mixed Farming

4. Subsistence Farming

Subsistence farming is the practice of growing crops and rearing animals for personal use. It is done on a small-scale with the focus of feeding the farmer’s family. It can be labor-intensive in terms of manpower in use, but little to no machinery or technology is used. Subsistence farmers are determined to be self-sufficient.

5. Commercial Farming

Commercial farming is practiced for the purpose of making a profit. It involves the rearing of animals and or growing of crops on a large scale to increase production and profits. Technology and machinery are used with a few workers to operate them. This type of farming often involves monoculture, the growing of a single type of cash crop such as flowers or coffee.

Commercial Tea Plantation

6. Extensive and Intensive Farming

Extensive farming or cultivation involves land tillage with an aim of increasing output. Farmers increase the size of land for cultivation to improve yield without changing other factors. On the other hand, intensive farming involves increasing capital and labor on the same piece of land being cultivated to increase yield.

7. Nomadic Farming

Nomadic farming involves farmers moving with their animals from one place to another in search of pasture and water. It is similar to pastoral farming and often practiced in arid and semi-arid areas.

Different regions across the world rear different animals under this type of farming. They include camels, sheep, cattle, donkeys, goats and horses. As a type of subsistence farming, it provides families with food.

Nomadic Herding

8. Sedentary Farming

Sedentary farming involves tilling the same piece of land for many years. Unlike nomadic farming, land is used permanently for growing crops or rearing animals. With its origins in the Americas and Eurasia, the practice is believed to have started in 10,000 B.C.E.

Hunters and foragers first settled in America in 20,000 B.C.E. and by 7,000 B.C.E, agriculture had spread to South America. This type of farming fostered the development of early civilizations.

9. Poultry Farming

Poultry farming involves the rearing of turkeys and chickens for meat and eggs. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the U.S exports about 18% of all its poultry meat. It can be practiced in large or small scale farms. However, there is increasing demand for local poultry fed on natural pasture.

Poultry Farming

10. Fish Farming

Fish farming is also known as aquaculture. It is the practice of raising fish in large numbers in large tanks or fish ponds. Although farmed fish, according to Grist, have a bad reputation, properly managed fish farms are clean, sustainable and yield protein of high quality.

Answer 2

• $\huge\bf\red {\underline{\underline{Answer:-}}}$

Rural Livelihoods in India

• Have you ever been to a village? In a village, it is interesting to see farmers eating the crops they grow and drinking milk from the cows they milk. We can also see other activities like women making butter and baskets to sell and men who fish. But what do rural livelihoods mean? Let us explore this topic.

• Rural areas are those areas that do not have modern facilities and the population is way lower than in cities. Livelihoods mean the type of jobs and lifestyles people lead to earn a living. Thus, in this chapter, we will be looking at the different types of rural livelihoods.

Types of Rural Livelihoods

1] Agriculture Labourers

farmers

• Agriculture labourers are those people in rural areas who work as labour in fields and get daily wages. They comprise two- fifths of the total rural population in India! These labourers do not own land of their own, thus are forced to work in the lands of richer farmers. Even if some labourers own land, it is extremely small and not enough for the family. These workers are sadly exploited by rich farmers, as they don’t have any alternative ways to earn money and they come in plenty as ‘cheap labour’ for the fields.

2] Farmers

rural livelihoods

• This group consist of villagers who carry out farming activities in their own lands. They sow seeds, weed and harvest crops by themselves and also reap the profits themselves. However, eighty percent of these farmers also have very small land holdings and need to depend on other sources of income like having a poultry or dairy business. To earn enough money to barely survive, these farmers borrow money from money lenders for seeds, fertilisers, etc., and are at great risk of being in debt. This is why we hear of so many unfortunate news of farmer suicides in India.

3] Farmers with Other Sources of Income

rural livelihoods farmers

• The farmers who do not earn enough from their land, or by working on other rich farmer’s lands need other sources of income. They work in mills near the farms or sell milk of the cows that they own. Selling other by-products like sap, collecting wood, leaves of certain plants, fruits, etc., helps them to sustain and survive. Some farmers also seasonally go to the cities or towns to work as wage earners as there is more opportunity to earn money in cities.

4] Rich Farmers and Landowners

rural livelihoods farmers

• The “rich” farmers that we have spoken about above are in a very small percentage in rural areas. They are the ones who own most of the land and hire agricultural labourers to work for them. They are also the exploitative village money lenders and also generally own the nearby mills and small factories.

5] Other Service Providers

• In villages, apart from labourers, farmers and landlords, there are also people who provide basic services. Barbers, nurses, village teachers, etc., are small professionals who are found in villages. Some of them are self- employed and some are employed under government schools or hospitals.