Agronomic, Economic and Policy Factors
Agronomic/Technical | Economic | Government Policy |
Climate and soil type | Flow of market signals ' and | ★Non-distortionary policy that discriminate among crops ★Efficient research and extension programmes, without any bias for major crops or against high value crops. ★Contract-farming opportunities ★Rural credit ★Off-farm employment opportunities ★Marketing systems including quality standards ★Involvement of the private sector |
(irrigation, topography, | communication and | |
fertility, drainage etc.) | information systems | |
Availability of required inputs | Venture capital and | |
(fertilizer, chemical, credit, | entrepreneurship | |
tractors etc.) | Transparency of input and | |
Plant/seed of high genetic | output prices | |
quality ★Management techniques | Information on export standards, market demand | |
and quality managers ★Abundance of labour of | and relative profitability Efficient marketing systems | |
appropriate mechanical | ||
technologies |
(Source: World Bank (1990)
1.4. Types of Cropping Systems
1.4.1. Mono-Cropping
Crop rotation: Crops are changed in the field from year to year according to a planned sequence rather than the same crop being grown in the same field again and again.
Mono-cropping or monoculture refers to growing of only one crop on a piece of land year after year.
Cropping Intensity
It refers to number of crops cultivated in a piece of land per annum. In Punjab and Tamil Nadu, the cropping intensity is more than 100% (i.e. around 140-150%). In Rajasthan, the cropping intensity is less.
Need for intensive cropping
♤ The increase in population has put pressure on land to increase productivity per unit area, unit time and for unit resource used.
♤ Moreover, for efficient use of available natural resources, the cropping system has to evolve with change in climate, soil and water availability.
♤ Thus, cropping system should provide enough food for the family, fodder for cattle and generate sufficient cash income for domestic and cultivation expenses.
• It may be due to climatic and socio-economic conditions or due to specialisation of a farmer in growing a particular crop. For example, groundnut or cotton or sorghum are grown year after year due to limitation of rainfall, while in canal irrigated areas, under a waterlogged condition, rice crop is grown as it is not possible to grow any other crop.
1.4.2. Multiple Cropping
It is the practice of growing two or more crops in the same field within a given year.
• It is the intensification of cropping in time and space dimensions, i.e., more number of crops within year and more number of crops on same piece of land in any given period.
• Double-cropping is a case where the land is occupied by two crops, which are grown in a year in sequence. It includes mixed-cropping, inter- cropping and sequence cropping.
A. Mixed Cropping: Two or more crops
grown in the same field within a given year without a definite row arrangement. It is a common practice in most of dry land tracts of India. Seeds of different crops are mixed in certain proportion and are sown.
♤ The objective is to meet the family requirement of cereals, pulses and vegetables. Ex: sorghum, pearl millet and cowpea are mixed and broadcasted in rain-fed conditions.
B. 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.
• It was earlier practiced as an insurance against crop failure under poor rainfall conditions. If done unscientifically, it might lead to intercrop competition for available resources.