Correlate the agro-climatic zones with the agro-ecological region of India.
(UPSC geography optional paper 2 2019, 20 Marks)
Answer.
The agro-climatic zone is an extension of climate classification based on the growing period of the crops. The planning commission classified India into 15 major agro-climatic zones.
Agro-Climatic zone has two major variables:
- Climate
- Growing Period
The agro-ecological region is an extension of the agro-climatic zone. The agroecological region is made up of a superimposed map of the agro-climatic zone on landforms that influence both climate and length of the growing period of crops.
The Agro-ecological region has four major variables:
- Climate
- Soil types
- Landform
- Length of Growing Period
In the delineation of the agro-ecological region, homogeneity must be maintained in terms of soils, climate, slope, moisture availability period. As per the National Burea of soil survey and land use planning, there are 20 major agro-ecological regions and 60 sub-agro-ecological regions in India.
But the state government has its own agro-ecological region of their state for suitability for sustainable agriculture. For example,
Kerala's agro-ecological region:
Kerala is the part of the Western Coastal Plains and Ghats agro-climatic zone, however, there are five agro-ecological zones within Kerala demarcated after back to back flood in 2018 and 2019 to minimize the ecological losses due to agriculture. The following are five agro-ecological regions:
- Coastal plains
- Mid land laterites
- Foothills
- High hill
- Palakkad
In Kerala, agro-ecological zones were demarcated on the basis of soil characteristics for determining the crops, crop management, manure usage.
There are five agro-ecological regions in Kerala, recently delegated after back to back flood in Kerala 2018 and 2019.
There are five agro-ecological regions in Kerala, recently delegated after back to back flood in Kerala 2018 and 2019.
Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh also planning to make agroecological regions in their States.
The main aim of the delineation of the agro-ecological zone is cropping should be grown in a sustainable way that means making balance among the economy, public, and environment.
It will enhance the fertile landscape, increase yields, restored soil health and biodiversity, promote climate resilience, and improve farmer wellbeing.
For example,
The main aim of the delineation of the agro-ecological zone is cropping should be grown in a sustainable way that means making balance among the economy, public, and environment.
It will enhance the fertile landscape, increase yields, restored soil health and biodiversity, promote climate resilience, and improve farmer wellbeing.
For example,
Tuber crops such as potatoes and sweet potatoes should not be grown in areas having more than 30 degrees of slopes that could lose the soils after post-harvest that will leads to soil erosion. Soil erosion leads to loss of productive and soil fertility in the future. It also leads to the silting of the drainage system and will shallow the drainage bed, at the result cause flood.
Source: The Hindu
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