Maarg Manthan · Topic 11.6

Infrastructure Factors: Seeds, Fertilizers, Irrigation

Geography › Agriculture and Crop Geography · Topic 11.6

Seeds, fertilizers and irrigation are the key inputs of modern Indian farming. High-yielding varieties of seed, supplied by public research institutions, the National Seeds Corporation and private firms, raised yields during the Green Revolution; Bt cotton is the only genetically modified crop approved for cultivation. Chemical fertilizers (nitrogen, phosphorus, potash) are subsidised, and India is among the largest consumers. About half of the net sown area is irrigated, mostly by tube wells and wells, then canals and tanks. The Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (2015) aims at 'har khet ko pani' and 'per drop more crop'.

5 min read · UPSC Prelims · Geography · Agriculture and Crop Geography

At a Glance

Seeds HYVs, hybrids, Bt cotton
Fertilizers N, P, K; urea subsidised
Irrigated area About half of the net sown area
Main irrigation source Tube wells and wells
Scheme PMKSY, 2015
Exam link UPSC Prelims, Geography: Agriculture and Crop Geography

Where Does It Fit?

This topic follows the cropping seasons and describes the inputs that decide yields. It prepares for the topics on land reform, the Green Revolution and the schemes for farmers that follow. Previous topic: Cropping Seasons in India. Next topic: Land Use Pattern in India and Land Reform (Institutional Factors).

What Is the Role of Seeds?

High-yielding varieties: introduced from 1966 with dwarf wheat from Mexico (Sonora 64, Lerma Rojo) and IR8 rice from the Philippines, as in Horticulture, honey Exam…">Agricultural Revolutions (Green Revolution, White Revolution, Blue Revolution, etc.). Their yield depends on fertilizer and water.
Seed supply: the National Seeds Corporation was set up in 1963; state seed corporations and private companies also supply seed. The Seeds Act, 1966 regulates quality. Seed replacement rate, the share of area sown with certified seed, is high in hybrid crops, but low for self-pollinated crops like wheat and rice.
Research: the Indian Council of Agricultural Research and agricultural universities breed new varieties, including drought and flood-tolerant varieties, biofortified crops and short-duration crops.
Genetically modified crops: Bt cotton, approved in 2002, is the only GM crop grown commercially in India; GM mustard has been under legal and public debate. Concerns include biosafety, seed costs and corporate control of seeds.
Protection of varieties: the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Act, 2001.

What Is the Role of Fertilizers?

Aspect	Details
Nutrients	Nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) are main nutrients. The recommended ratio is about 4:2:1 (N:P:K), but the actual use is tilted towards nitrogen because urea is cheap
Use	India is among the largest consumers of fertilizer in the world, using about 30 million tonnes of nutrients; Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh have the highest use per hectare
Subsidy	Urea is sold at a fixed price, with the government paying the difference. P and K fertilizers are under the Nutrient Based Subsidy scheme (2010)
Policy changes	Neem-coated urea made compulsory in 2015 to reduce diversion and use; nano urea launched by IFFCO; PM-PRANAM (2023) to promote balanced and alternative fertilizers
Imports	India imports much of its phosphate and potash, and a share of urea and gas for its production
Concerns	Soil health decline, nutrient imbalance, groundwater nitrate pollution and a heavy subsidy burden of over a lakh of crores a year

Soil Health Cards, covered in Soil Degradation and Erosion in India and Conservation Measures, guide balanced use. Organic and natural farming are being promoted as alternatives, as in Impact of Climate Change on Agriculture and Sustainable Agriculture Practices.

What Is the Role of Irrigation?

Extent: about half of the net sown area is irrigated. The share is near 100 per cent in Punjab and Haryana and low in the Deccan and the east.
Sources: wells and tube wells are the largest source, then canals, and then tanks and others. Groundwater use grew with cheap electricity, but water tables fell in many regions, as in Water Resources: Utilization, Water Contamination, Conservation Methods.
Canals: mainly in the northern plains and deltas, such as the Indira Gandhi canal in Rajasthan and the Sarda canal. Tanks are important in the peninsular region, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.
Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (2015): brings together schemes to expand irrigation coverage (Har Khet Ko Pani), improve water use efficiency (Per Drop More Crop) through drip and sprinkler systems, and develop watersheds.
Others: credit through Kisan Credit Cards, mechanisation, rural electricity, storage, roads and markets.

As an analytical point, high-input farming raised output but at a cost to soil and water. The next stage aims at precision use, balanced nutrients and efficient irrigation, as in Use of Information Technology in Agriculture.

Why Is This Topic Important?

Inputs Green Revolution base
Policy Subsidy and PMKSY
Concern Soil and water stress

What Came Next?

The next topic describes land use patterns in India and land reform as institutional factors. Next topic: Land Use Pattern in India and Land Reform (Institutional Factors).

Key People and Terms

HYV High-yielding variety
Seed replacement rate Share of area with certified seed
NBS Nutrient Based Subsidy
Neem-coated urea Urea treated to slow release
Micro irrigation Drip and sprinkler systems
Bt cotton Genetically modified cotton

Exam Corner

Points to Remember

Bt cotton: the only GM crop grown, from 2002.
Ideal N:P:K ratio is about 4:2:1.
Neem-coated urea became compulsory in 2015.
Tube wells are the largest irrigation source.
PMKSY: Har Khet Ko Pani.

Do Not Confuse With

Urea subsidy and NBS Fixed price urea versus nutrient-based subsidy for P and K
PMKSY and PM-KISAN Irrigation scheme versus income support
HYV and hybrid seeds Improved varieties versus first-generation crosses

Memory Hook

Seed, feed and water: HYV, NPK, tube well; balance them well.

Mains Angle

Questions ask about the cost and benefit of inputs. These points add depth.

Seeds Research and GM debate
Fertiliser Imbalance and subsidy
Water Groundwater and efficiency

A Question You May Face

An original practice question, not a past paper question.

“Examine the role of seeds, fertilisers and irrigation in the growth of Indian agriculture and the problems arising from their use.”

How to Answer

Seeds HYVs and GM.
Fertilisers NPK and subsidy.
Irrigation Sources and PMKSY.
Problems Soil and water.

GS Relevance

Prelims: sources of irrigation, fertilizer schemes, PMKSY, neem-coated urea, Bt cotton. GS Paper 3: agriculture inputs and subsidies.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the role of high-yielding varieties in Indian agriculture?

High-yielding varieties, first introduced in 1966 as dwarf wheat from Mexico and IR8 rice, give much higher yields when given fertiliser and water. They drove the Green Revolution and made India self-sufficient in foodgrains, but they depend on costly inputs and irrigation.

Which genetically modified crop is grown in India?

Bt cotton, approved in 2002, is the only genetically modified crop that is grown commercially in India. It carries a gene from a soil bacterium that protects it against the bollworm pest. GM food crops such as GM mustard have faced legal and public debate about biosafety.

What is neem-coated urea?

Neem-coated urea is urea coated with neem oil, which slows the release of nitrogen in the soil and makes it less useful for industrial uses. It was made compulsory in India in 2015 to improve nutrient use efficiency by crops and to reduce the diversion of subsidised urea.

What are the main sources of irrigation in India?

The main sources of irrigation in India are wells and tube wells, which provide the largest share, canals, and tanks. About half of the net sown area is irrigated. Canals are important in the northern plains and deltas, and tanks in the peninsular region, especially Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.

What is the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana?

The Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana, launched in 2015, aims to expand irrigation coverage with the slogan Har Khet Ko Pani, to improve water use efficiency through drip and sprinkler irrigation under Per Drop More Crop, and to develop watersheds in rainfed areas.

PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis

1 Bt cotton is the only genetically modified crop grown commercially in India.

True

It was approved in 2002.

2 Canals are the largest source of irrigation in India.

False

Wells and tube wells are the largest.

3 Neem-coated urea was made compulsory in 2015.