Changing agricultural system in Sonipat district: A study in temporal perspective

Introduction

The type of agricultural system is an indicator of measurement of agricultural as well as rural development of an agriculturally dominated area. Agricultural development in true sense tells us about the quality of the agricultural system of a region, in terms of productivity, diversification and commercialization. It is consistent with the desired state of agrarian relations and ecological balance. Thus, the identification, description and explanation of agricultural systems have been a long concern of geographers. It is like any other natural system and agricultural enterprises may be described as an open system, receiving inputs from outside and losing energy and matter as outputs (Brigg and Courtney, 1985) [1] . The term 'agricultural system' is employed in a specific sense and referred to as a recognizable assemblage or set of agricultural practices, functionally interacted. In terms of system theory an agricultural system is an agricultural complex composed of a hierarchy of sub-complex or sub-sets of elements whose spatial organization is related with cultural evolution and technological change (Singh, 1974) [2] . Whereas according to Hussain, (2002) [3] agricultural system may be a single farm or group of inter-related farms having similarities of agricultural attributes. The first scientific attempt for the delineation of the agricultural system was made by Whittlesey, (1936) [4] . Its classification was based on the functioning forms of agriculture rather than on the distribution of climatic elements and landforms. Morgan (1977) [5] classified agricultural systems as subsistence, subsistence cum commercial and mainly commercial on the basis of purpose of production. Thus it is essential to classify agriculture into basic agricultural systems, which may assist in the description and analysis of different agricultural distributions at the micro level.

Study Area

The Sonipat district is a part of the Upper Yamuna Plane. It lies from 28° 48′30′′ to 29° 17′54′′North latitude and from the 76° 28′30′′ to 77° 30′40′′east of longitude. The perennial Yamuna River share a common boundary between other Indian state Uttar Pradesh and Sonipat district in the east. National capital territory Delhi and Jhajjar district lies in the south of the study area. It is surrounded by the Panipat district in the north, Jind district in the north west and Rohtak district in the South west. Its proximity to the NCR gives it an advantage in attracting urban tourists seeking rural experiences. The district's strategic location along National Highway 44 and the popularity of nearby destinations like Murthal (famous for its Dhabas) make it an ideal candidate for developing farm tourism.

Materials and Methodology

The term basic agricultural system as used here refers to a regional unit on the surface of earth, which possesses similar agricultural characteristics throughout Haryana, which is one of the most uniquely agricultural developed states of the nation, has occupied a place of pride in the field of agriculture. Before the green revolution it had predominantly subsistence arable farming, showing considerable fluctuations from year to year in rainfall and hence low intensity of irrigation. But in the last thirty years the economy has developed impressively in Haryana and especially in the study area. Consequently, the agricultural patterns, which are dynamic, require a constant appraisal of the functioning forms of agriculture. For this the agricultural system characteristic are described on the qualitative and empirical basis and some of the characteristics have also been checked and confirmed with the help of statistical measurement In the present study to characterise the agricultural system of the study area empirical, qualitative as well as quantitative approaches have been adopted, which is based uniformly on the five grade criteria or observable items listed by Whittlesey. By observable items, we mean all those characteristics of agriculture, which can be observed directly and can be enumerated as well. Besides this they can be understood directly and made comparable through some device of calculation based on statistics. The overwhelming variety of agricultural activities has been reduced to certain basic forms of agriculture and various criteria used are given in table 1. The above table 1. illustrates statistics of nine important characteristics of agriculture in the area during 1970-71 and 2000-01. (Husain, 1996) 8 In the present study Gibbs-Martin (1962) 9 index of crop diversification has been used for measuring the extent of diversification in cropping pattern of study area. In this technique index is directly related to the magnitude of diversification. On the basis of above technique the index of crop diversification was 0.79 in 1970-71 and it decreased to 0.67 in 2000-01 in the area, which tells us about the increase in the technological level and also specialisation by some particular crops like fine food grain in the study area.

Result and Discussion

Conclusion

While identifying the agricultural system in the study area only the predominant crops raised (fine/coarse food grain) and animal husbandry (cattle, piggery and poultry dominated), intensity of cropping, intensity of irrigation, density of cultivators and hired agricultural workers, indices of agricultural technification, agricultural productivity and crop diversification were considered. In the study area most of the farmers raise crops, which are sold but are not termed as cash cropping. Consumption of the farm products by the farmer's family, which forms the basis of subsistence agriculture, and the consumption of the farm products by the outsiders, which involves exchange and termed, as commercial agriculture were not considered. In this discussion the purpose of farming has been identified in terms of the agricultural productivity and the inputs (labour, techno-chemicals), which are applied with the methods of cultivation. These basic forms of agriculture are identified on the basis of district level statistics of 1970-71 and 2000-01 and are given in table 7.9, and shows a particular form of agriculture system in the area. In 1970-71 fine and coarse food grain intensive subsistence agricultural system was identified. It shows a dominance of fine and coarse food grains farming, cattle dominance in terms of animal husbandry, low intensity of cropping and irrigation and high index of crop diversification. The area was found to have high density of cultivators and low density of hired agricultural workers, with low indices of agricultural technification and agricultural productivity.

In 2000-01 whereas, the area was having a fine food grain intensive subsistence cum commercial agricultural system. In this type of system there is dominance of fine food grain in crops and cattle dominance with piggery and poultry having a significant place in livestock. The study area has high intensity of cropping and irrigation, very high density of cultivators and hired agricultural workers, high indices of agricultural technification and agricultural productivity but low index of crop diversification in 2000-01.

References

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