Agriculture is one of the most important sectors in the world. This sector not only ensures food sufficiency but also plays an important role in the world economy. Similarly, the Indian economy is also dependent on agriculture. As a matter of fact, 70% of India’s rural households are dependent on it. Hence it is important to understand aspects related to agriculture including various farming techniques. Here is a list of the nine popular types of agricultural practices in India along with their advantages and disadvantages:
1. Primitive subsistence farming:
It is an ancient type of farming method, where farmers grow crops for self-use only at a designated place. This was not grown for sale. Crops such as bananas, maize, and millet are grown using this practice.
Advantages:
- It is cost-effective
- It is an organic farming method
- Grown as per consumption requirement of the farmer’s family
Disadvantages:
- None
2. Commercial agriculture:
As the name suggests, this type of agriculture was practiced to produce commodities for sale. This is usually done on a large piece of land where the farmer grows the crops and later sells them in mandis or to other buyers.
Advantages:
- It helps in improving local infrastructure
- Helps in job creation
- Progress towards food security
- Opens the window for international trade
Disadvantages:
- Deteriorates soil quality
- Non-uniform regional development
3. Dry farming:
This is also known as dryland farming. In this technique, irrigation is done with limited water. Accordingly, only those crops are cultivated that consume less moisture and can grow on dry farmland. Crops such as jwar, bajra, ragi are grown using this practice.
Advantages:
- Short-term profits for farmers
- Increases crop production
- Increases soil organic matter
- Decreases soil erosion
Disadvantages:
- Early or delayed arrival of rains hamper cultivation
- Extension of dry spells hamper irrigation
- No moisture control capacity
- Low fertility of the soil
4. Wet farming:
Wet farming is dependent on rainfall. Crops like rice, soya, sugarcane, etc. that require a lot of water during cultivation are grown using this technique.
Advantages:
- High crop yield
- Helps farmers to protect the land from wild animals
Disadvantages:
- Floods or other natural calamities can destroy the crops
- Low monsoon rainfall can hamper the crops
5. Shifting agriculture:
This is also as known as shifting cultivation. In this type of agriculture, the farmer clears a plot of land for cultivation for a temporary period. They wait for a while until the soil rejuvenates itself and don’t cultivate it during the waiting period. Crops such as ginger, cucumber and beans are grown using this practice.
Advantages:
- The land is cleared, burned, and cultured for the next yielding season
- Easy and fast preparation of land for agriculture
Disadvantages:
- Cutting or burning of trees
- Cutting or burning of trees leads to soil erosion
6. Plantation agriculture:
This is a type of commercial farming where only one crop is grown on the farmland for at least a year. No other crops are grown introduced during this time. Crops such as tea, coffee and cashew are grown using this practice.
Advantages:
- Creates jobs for local people
- Helps in generating income
- Large scale crop production
- Process-based management of large estates
Disadvantages:
- Creates imbalance in the ecology
- Leads to over-harvesting
- Absence of crop-rotation
- Low soil fertility
7. Intensive agriculture:
Also known as intensive farming, this technique allows for a high quantity of fertilizers and pesticides to be used on the farmland. Also, it uses manual labour and livestock. Crops such as rice, wheat and jowar are grown using this practice.
Advantages:
- Farm yield is extremely high
- Management of the land is easier
- Food grown by this practice is less expensive
Disadvantages:
- Increased pollution due to fertilizers and pesticides
- Overcrowding of cattle
- Bad impact on the environment
8. Mixed and multiple agriculture:
This is also known as inter-cropping. In this type of farming, the farmers grow different crops on the same plot of land at the same time. This practice helps in maintaining an ecological balance while meeting the high demand for agricultural produce.
Advantages:
- Consistent production
- Increased productivity of the farmland
- Increase in profit
- Decreases the dependency on external inputs
Disadvantages:
- Using fertilizers on a single crop is difficult
- Spraying pesticides on a single crop is difficult
- Gathering and separating crops is difficult
9. Vertical farming:
These crops are grown indoors, where the plants are cultivated in a vertical position. The cultivation takes less space but the output is more. Crops such as coriander, spinach and lettuce are grown using this practice.
Advantages:
- Ensures consistent production
- Optimal usage of space
- Less water consumption
- Low transportation cost
- Low labour costs
Disadvantages:
- High energy utilization
- Need extra preservation efforts
The above-mentioned practices can be followed to increase crop yields. A higher crop yield means a higher sale of produce in mandis. This would add greater pressure on the commission agents who work in mandis. To manage this high demand and simultaneously generate bills, manage inventory and keep a check on payments, commission agents need help. Understanding the concerns of commission agents and turning them into opportunities, Bijak which is India’s Number 1 Agritrading App, came up with a solution called ChargeERP.
ChargeERP the solution
ChargeERP accounting software has been designed keeping in mind the daily interactions of commission agents in agricultural mandis. It is a cloud-based accounting software introduced with the core aim of reducing the agent’s workload. ChargeERP is the easiest, fastest and most secure mandi accounting software available in India. One of the many benefits of this platform is that it can be accessed from anywhere and from multiple devices. It provides data security with end-to-end encryption. Plus, it doesn’t require any kind of technical or accounting expertise.
If you are looking to explore more about this next-level accounting software, feel free to dial +91 9311341199 or visit www.chargeerp.com, and request your free demo today. We also suggest that you follow us on Facebook for regular updates. You can also view the latest instructional videos on the ChargeERP YouTube channel.