Prevalent Farming Systems in India Contributing to Livelihood

1. Introduction

India is predominantly an agriculture-based country, where a large proportion of the population depends on farming and allied activities for their livelihood. The Farming System concept focuses on the integration of different enterprises such as crop, livestock, fishery, forestry, and agro-processing to ensure sustainable income, employment, and resource utilization.

The type of farming system prevalent in any region depends on climate, soil, topography, irrigation, resource availability, market access, and socio-economic conditions of farmers.

2. Major Prevalent Farming Systems in India

a) Crop-Based Farming System

• This is the most common system in India, especially in the Indo-Gangetic Plains, where agriculture is primarily based on cereal crop cultivation.
• Farmers depend mainly on mono-cropping or double cropping of food grains.

Examples:

• Rice–Wheat system (U.P., Punjab, Haryana, Bihar)
• Rice–Rice system (Eastern and Southern India)
• Maize–Wheat system (Hilly and semi-hilly regions)
• Cotton–Wheat system (Central and Western India)

Contribution to livelihood:

• Provides staple food and employment for the majority of rural households.
• Supports agro-industries such as rice mills, flour mills, and oil extraction units.

b) Crop–Livestock Farming System

• Integration of crop cultivation with livestock rearing (dairy, poultry, goatry, or sheep rearing).
• Livestock provides milk, meat, manure, and draft power, while crop residues serve as fodder.

Examples:

• Rice–Buffalo–Fish system (Eastern India)
• Wheat–Cattle–Poultry system (North India)
• Sorghum–Goat–Sheep system (Drylands of Rajasthan and Gujarat)

Contribution to livelihood:

• Enhances income stability and nutritional security.
• Provides employment throughout the year.
• Efficient recycling of farm resources (e.g., manure, crop residues).

c) Crop–Horticulture System

• Integration of field crops with fruit, vegetable, and plantation crops to increase income per unit area.

Examples:

• Rice + Banana / Vegetables (Tamil Nadu, Kerala)
• Wheat + Mango / Guava / Citrus (U.P., Bihar, Maharashtra)
• Arecanut + Black Pepper + Pineapple (Karnataka, Kerala)

Contribution to livelihood:

• Provides higher returns and diversified income.
• Ensures nutritional security through fruits and vegetables.
• Generates on-farm employment and supports small agro-industries.

d) Crop–Fish–Livestock System

• A multienterprise system combining crop farming with fish culture and livestock to ensure complete nutrient recycling and food security.

Examples:

• Rice–Fish–Duck system (Assam, West Bengal)
• Rice–Fish–Pig system (North Eastern states)
• Paddy–Fish–Poultry system (Kerala, Odisha)

Contribution to livelihood:

• Efficient use of water and land.
• Provides multiple sources of income from the same unit area.
• Improves soil fertility through waste recycling.

e) Agroforestry and Silvipastoral System

• Integration of trees with crops and/or pasture to utilize land sustainably, especially in rainfed and degraded areas.

Examples:

• Poplar + Wheat / Sugarcane (U.P., Haryana, Punjab)
• Eucalyptus + Sorghum / Bajra (Central India)
• Leucaena + Grass + Cattle (Drylands)

Contribution to livelihood:

• Provides fuelwood, fodder, timber, and small timber products.
• Improves soil fertility and microclimate.
• Provides long-term income and ecological balance.

f) Crop–Mushroom / Bee Keeping System

• Integration of beekeeping or mushroom cultivation with farming systems as an off-farm income source.

Examples:

• Mustard + Bee keeping (North India)
• Paddy straw + Mushroom cultivation (Eastern India)
• Maize–Vegetable + Mushroom (Hilly regions)

Contribution to livelihood:

• Provides additional income with minimal land.
• Enhances crop yield through pollination.
• Encourages women participation and micro-entrepreneurship.

g) Integrated Farming System (IFS)

• Combination of crop, livestock, fishery, horticulture, poultry, agroforestry, etc. in a synergistic manner where the waste of one enterprise becomes the input of another.

Example Models:

• Crop + Dairy + Goat + Fish + Horticulture (Eastern India)
• Crop + Poultry + Mushroom + Vermicomposting (Southern India)

Contribution to livelihood:

• Income enhancement by 25–150% compared to mono-cropping (Naik, 1998).
• Promotes resource recycling and sustainability.
• Ensures employment generation and resilience to risks.

3. Regional Distribution of Farming Systems in India

Importance of Prevalent Farming Systems in Livelihood Security

• Diversified income sources reduce risk and dependence on a single crop.
• Employment generation throughout the year.
• Nutritional security through diversified food production.
• Efficient resource utilization and waste recycling.
• Environmental sustainability through balanced ecosystem.
• Women empowerment through enterprises like mushroom, poultry, bee-keeping.
• Poverty reduction and improved standard of living in rural areas.