History of Agriculture 2

19th Century (1800s)

• 1868-69 – Department of Revenue, Agriculture, and Commerce (DRAC) formed.
• 1871 – Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) established at Pune.
• 1880 – Famine Commission appointed.
• 1881 – Department of Revenue & Agriculture started in provinces.
• 1882 – Veterinary College established at Lahore (now in Pakistan).
• 1891 – Dr. J.A. Volcker’s report on Indian Agriculture improvement.

Early 20th Century (1900-1946)

• 1900 – Forest Research Institute founded.
• 1901-05 – Agricultural Colleges established in Pune, Kanpur, Sabour, Nagpur, Lyallpur, and Coimbatore.
• 1905 – Imperial Agricultural Research Institute (now IARI) established at Pusa, later shifted to Delhi (1936).
• 1906 – Agriculture Journal of India started.
• 1919 – Constitutional reforms made agriculture a state subject.
• 1920-21 – Several rural development projects initiated (Gurgaon, Sriniketan, Marthandam, Sevagram).
• 1926 – Royal Commission on Agriculture (headed by Lord Linlithgow).
• 1929 – Imperial Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) established.
• 1936 – Indian Central Jute Committee formed.
• 1940 – Indian Farming Journal launched by ICAR.
• 1943 – Great Bengal Famine (caused by Helminthosporium oryzae).
• 1944-45 – Establishment of committees for sugarcane, coconut, tobacco, and oilseeds.
• 1946 – Central Rice Research Institute formed.
• 1947 – Indian Central Oilseeds Committee; Fertilizers & Chemicals Travancore established.

Post-Independence Agricultural Development (1948-1971)

• 1948 – Etawah Pilot Project (Albert Mayer); Indian Village Service initiated.
• 1952 – Community Development Programme launched.
• 1953 – National Extension Service (NES) initiated.
• 1957 – All India Coordinated Maize Improvement Project.
• 1958 – IARI granted Deemed University status under UGC Act.
• 1959 – Panchayati Raj System introduced (Balwant Rai Mehta Committee).
• 1960 – First Agricultural University at Pantnagar, based on the U.S. Land Grant Model.
• 1960-61 – Intensive Agriculture District Programme (IADP) launched.
• 1963 – National Seed Corporation established.
• 1964-65 – Intensive Agriculture Area Programme (IAAP) and National Demonstration Programme started.
• 1966-67 – High Yielding Varieties Programme (HYVP) and Green Revolution launched.
• 1967-68 – Farmers’ Training and Education Centre (FTEC) initiated.
• 1969 – Second Irrigation Commission formed.
• 1970 – National Commission on Agriculture.
• 1970-71 – Drought Prone Area Programme (DPAP).
• 1971 – Minikit Programme (MKP) launched.