Irrigation and Farming in India Static GK Notes PDF 7 Irrigation is the artificial supply of water to soil for the purposes of farming. This is an often touched upon topic in the chapter of Geography. Facts about Irrigation and Farming in India are easy to learn and remember. India has the highest area of irrigated land in the world and Uttar Pradesh has the largest irrigated agricultural land in the country. So let us learn more about Irrigation and Farming in India in these Static GK Notes. Also download Irrigation and Farming in India as PDF for revision. Farming Farming employs the largest section of Indian labour. Some of the different types of farming in India are described below. INTENSIVE FARMING (Industrial Agriculture) Higher per unit capital & labour input. Maximum yield per unit land. More use of pesticides, fertilizers, technology, mechanisation. Seen in highly populated/developed areas. EXTENSIVE FARMING Lower per unit capital & labour input. Lower yield per unit land.
Less use of pesticides, fertilizers, technology, mechanisation. More use of cattle. Seen in less populated/under developed or semi-developed areas. PLANTATION Growing of single cash crop purely for selling purpose. Capital, technical, factory etc. needed. E.g. rubber, coffee, tea etc. SHIFTING/ JHUM Land cleared by slashing and burning Land abandoned after some years when fertility reduces. Farming shifted to another piece of land. Known as Jhum in Assam, Ponam in Kerala, Podu in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha, Beera in MP. Crops grown include Sugarcane, wheat, maize etc. TERRACE FARMING Mostly practised in hilly areas. Terrace is curved out from the slope to conserve the water. Mainly seen in North Eastern states of India. MIXED FARMING (Diversified Farming) In this type, livestock are reared in combined with crop production. LEY FARMING (Alternate Husbandry) The field is alternated between being seeded for grain/cash crops and then left fallow. During fallow period, grasses are grown on the land.
Removes the need for artificial fertilizers and pesticides. CO-OPERATIVE FARMING Resources of several farmers pooled together. Risk and profit sharing. Specialized Branches of Agriculture & Animal Husbandry Horticulture Scientific Cultivation of Plants. Apiculture Rearing of Bees. Pisciculture Breeding, Hatching and Rearing of Fish. Floriculture Cultivation of Flowers. Sericulture Production of Silk. Vermiculture Composting using Earthworms and Other Worms. Viticulture Grapes Production Moriculture Mulberry Plant Cultivation. Revolutions in Farming Revolution Related to Trivia Green Grains and Cereals mainly Wheat Father of Green Revolution: Normal Borlaug Blue Fisheries Brown Leather
Silver Egg & Poultry White Dairy Operation Flood. Father of White Revolution: Dr. Verghese Kurien Golden Fruits/ Honey/ Overall Horticulture Golden Fibre Jute Silver Fibre Cotton Grey Fertilizer Round Potato Red Meat/ Tomato Yellow Oil seed Irrigation Irrigation is the process of providing water to land through artificial means for the purpose of agriculture. Primary Uses of Irrigation in India 1. Provide moisture to the soil. 2. Help plant/crop to grow. 3. Dilute salts present in the soil. 4. Prevention of soil consolidation (decrease in water content). 5. Suppressing weed growth in grain fields. 6. Dust suppression.
Types of Irrigation Depending on the topography, soil nature, rainfall different types of sources of water for irrigation are used. Tanks Wells and Tube wells Canals Desalinised/treated waste water Water from multipurpose river projects Multipurpose River-Valley s in India Here are the major advantages of multi-purpose river-valley projects: Flood control Hydro electricity generation Fishery Soil Conservation Afforestation Irrigation Navigation Tourism
List of Multipurpose River-Valley s PROJEC T RIVER (LOCATI ON) PURPOSES TRIVIA 1. Irrigation (Punjab, -India s biggest multi- Haryana, Rajasthan etc.) purpose river valley Bhakra- Nangal Sutlej (Himachal Pradesh) 2. Electricity Generation (Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Chandigarh, project. -Two part project: Bhakra Dam & Nangal Dam. -Called New Temple of Delhi) Resurgent India by Jawaharlal Nehru. 1. Irrigation & Catchment -Single largest river (Madhya Pradesh) development scheme in 2. Electricity Generation India. (Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, -More than 3000 large and Narmada Valley Narmada Maharashtra) small dams. -Largest dam in this project is Sardar Sarovar Dam. -Other projects: Tawa, Barna, Kolar, Sukta, Matiari (Dhobatorai),Jobat, Man. 1. Irrigation (Gujarat) -Also known as Vallabh Ukai Dam Tapti 2. Power Generation Sagar. (Gujarat) -The dam is earth-cum-
3. Flood Control (Gujarat) masonry. 1. Flood Control (Orissa) -India s longest man-made 2. Drought Control dam (Chhattisgarh) -Composite structure of 3. Power Generation earth, concrete and (Orissa) masonry. 4. Irrigation (Orissa) -Forms biggest artificial Hirakud Dam Mahanadi lake in Asia. -Submerged temples visible in summer. -Cattle Island located at extreme point of the reservoir is an island completely inhabited by wild cattle and no humans. 1. Catchment (Uttar -Reservoir Govind Ballabh Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh & Pant is on border of UP & Chhattisgarh) MP. Rihand Dam Rihand 2. Irrigation (Bihar) 3. Power Generation -The high alkaline run-off from thermal plants causes (Madhya Pradesh & Uttar increased ph making Pradesh) agricultural fields fallow alkali soil. Tungabha dra Dam Tungabhad ra 1. Irrigation (Karnataka, Rayalseema, Andhra Pradesh) -Dam is near Hospet in Karnataka -According to Krishna
2. Flood Control Water Disputes Tribunal, 3. Power Generation water use from project is 230 tmcft (Karnataka 151 tmcft, Andhra Pradesh 79 tmcft) -Proposed water supply to Telangana 1. Irrigation (Andhra -Built at boundary between Pradesh & Telangana) Telangana & Andhra 2. Power Generation Pradesh. (Andhra Pradesh & -Nearly 80% of Nagarjuna Telangana) Sagar water used in Nagarjuna Sagar Dam Krishna Hyderabad city is made available for irrigation use in Nalgonda district as regenerated water/treated sewage water. -Aliminati Madhava Reddy lift irrigation canal draws water from this reservoir. 1. Irrigation (Delhi, Uttar -India s tallest dam. Pradesh, Uttarakhand) -Rock & Earth-fill Tehri Bhagirathi 2. Municipal Water Supply (Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand) embankment dam. -Primary Dam of THDC India Ltd. 3. Power Generation (Uttar -Located in Central Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himalayan Seismic Gap (a
Punjab, Delhi, Haryana, major geological fault Jammu Kashmir, zone) Chandigarh, Rajasthan & Himachal Pradesh) Sanjay- Vidyut Pariyojna Bhaba Khud 1. Power Generation (Himachal Pradesh) 2. Flood Control -Asia s first hydel project with underground switchyard. Rongtong Hydel Spiti 1. Power Generation (Himachal Pradesh) 2. Economic Upliftment (Himachal Pradesh) -Executed for economic upliftment of tribals in the area. 1. Irrigation (Himachal -Also known as Beas Dam. Pradesh & Punjab) -Earth-fill embankment Pong Dam Beas 2. Power Generation (Himachal Pradesh & dam. -Reservoir Maharana Punjab) Pratap Sagar is a famous bird sanctuary. 1. Nuclear Power Generation -Also known as Tapi River Kakrapara Tapti (Gujarat) Dam -Smaller than and downstream to Ukai Dam. 1. Flushing out sediment -Barrage across Farakka Hooghly deposition from Kolkata Harbour without need of regular mechanical Bhagirathi-Hooghly in West Bengal near Bangladesh border. dredging. -Dispute with Bangladesh.
2. Power Generation (West Bengal) 3. Drinking Water (West Bengal) 1. Irrigation (West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar) 2. Power Generation (West -Original plan of 7 major Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar) dams (Aiyar, Panchet Hill, Damodar 3. Flood Control (West Maithon, Belpahari, Valley Damodar Bengal, Jharkhand) Tilaiya, Konar, Bokaro). 4. Navigation -Only 4 constructed so far 5. Soil erosion reduced, land (Tilaiya, Maithon, Konar, reclamation for agriculture. Panchet Hill). 6. Fisheries 7. Industries Banasuras 1. Power Generation -Banasura Sagar Dam is agar Kabini (Kerala) 2. Irrigation (Kerala) part of the project. -India s largest Earthen 3. Drinking Water (Kerala) dam. 1. Power Generation -Four stage project: (Madhya Pradesh & Gandhi Sagar Dam, Rana Chambal Valley Chambal Rajasthan) 2. Irrigation (Rajasthan & Madhya Pradesh) Pratap Sagar Dam, Jawahar Sagar Dam, Kota Barrage. -Gandhisagar Dam is a reservoir for migratory birds.
1. Irrigation (Punjab, Indira Gandhi Canal Sutlej, Beas & Ravi Haryana, Rajasthan) 2. Drinking water (Rajasthan) 3. Land Reclamation and Sand Dune Stabilization -Formerly known as Rajasthan Canal. -Was credited with Green Revolution in Rajasthan (Thar Desert) 1. Irrigation (Bihar, Nepal) -Built on transboundary of Kosi Kosi 2. Flood Control (Bihar) India and Nepal. -Conceptualized and maintained by Govt. of Bihar. 1. Power Generation -Rubble-Concrete Dam. Koyna Dam Koyna (Maharashtra) 2. Flood Control (Maharashtra) -Catchment aa forms the Shivsagar Lake. -Home to wildlife 3. Catchment sanctuary. Thien Dam Ravi 1. Irrigation (Punjab) 2. Power Generation (Punjab) -Also called Ranjit Sagar Dam. -Largest dam in Punjab Click Here for More Capsules