Agro-climatic zones UPSC| Agriculture | Geography of India

Table of Content:

• Purpose of Agro-Climatic zone
• What is the Agro-Climatic Zone?
• Basis of division
• 15 Climatic zones

Purpose of Agro-climatic zone division:

As we have already studied that there are some negative outcomes of the green revolution. One negative outcome was; that it increased regional disparity. 

To reduce the agriculture regional disparity, In the 7th five-year plan(1985 to 1990), the planning commission of India delineated India into 15 "Agro-climatic zone". Mains' aim was to reduce the regional disparity, increase agriculture productivity, and micro-level agriculture planning.

What is Agro-Climatic Zone;

As per the Food and agriculture organization(FAO)1983, Agro-Climatic Zone is a land unit that represents the major climate and growing period precisely.

Here growing period includes Kharif, Rabi, and Zaid. 

Basis of Divisions of Agro-Climatic Zones:

Both agriculture and Climatic variables are considered to make homogeneous regions for agriculture. The following variables:

• Agriculture variables: 
• Growing period
• Climatic variables: 
• Temperature
• Rainfall

On the basis of these variables and as per the Planning commission, the following are the 15 climatic zones of India:

1. Western Himalayan
2. Eastern Himalayan
3. Lower Gangetic Plain
4. Middle Gangetic Plain
5. Upper Gangetic Plain
6. Trans Gangetic Plain
7. Eastern Plateau and Hills
8. Central Plateaus and Hills
9. Western Plateau
10. Southern Plateau
11. Eastern Coastal Plains
12. Western Coastal Plains
13. Gujarat Plains
14. Western Arid Plains
15. Islands

Western Himalayan:

Areas: 

• Jammu and Kashmir
• Ladakh
• Himachal Pradesh
• Uttarakhand except for plain areas.

Characteristics:

• Rainfall 100 to 200 cm
• The low temperature all the year
• Hilly terrain
• Major crops:
• Plantation crops; Walnut, Litchi, Almonds, Cherry
• Saffron

Eastern Himalayan:

Areas:

• All northeastern states and the Darjeeling district of West Bengal
• Characteristics:
• The highest rainfall in the world

Crops:

• Rice + fish
• Orange
• Tea

Lower Gangetic Plains:

Areas:

• West Bengal except for Darjeeling
• Eastern Bihar

Crops: 

• Rice, 
• Jute, 
• Potato

Middle Gangetic Plains:

Areas:

• Eastern Uttar Pradesh
• Western Bihar

Crops:

• Rice
• Maize
• Wheat

Upper Gangetic Plains:

Areas:

• Central and Western Uttar Pradesh
• Plain areas of Uttarakhand

Crops:

• Rice
• Wheat
• Sugarcane

Trans Gangetic Plains:

Areas:

• Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, northern Rajasthan

Crops:

• Wheat, grams, pulse, Sugarcane, rice

Eastern Plateau and Hills:

Area:

• Chota Nagpur

Crops:

• Rice, Millet, Groundnut

Central Plateau and Hills:

Areas:

• Bundelkhand
• Bakhelkhand, 
• Vindhyas
• Eastern Malwa Plateaus

Major Crops:

• Cotton, Soybeans, Pulse

Western Plateaus:

Areas:

• Western Deccan,
• Malwa Plateau

Crops:

• Cotton, Millet, Pulse

Southern Plateaus:

Areas:

• Southern Deccan,
• Maharastra, 
• Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu.

Crops:

• Cotton, Millet, tea, Spices

Eastern Coastal Plains:

Areas:

• Odisha, Andhra, and Tamil Nadu coast

Crops:

• Rice, Jute, Tobacco, Sugar Cane.

Western Coastal Plains:

Areas:

• Maharastra
• Karnataka, and Kerala coast

Crops:

• Rice, Coconut, and oilseeds.

Gujarat Plains:

Crops:

• Groundnut, Cotton

Western Dry Plains:

Crops:

• Mung, Bajara, Jowar

Islands:

Areas: 

• Lakshadweep 
• Andaman and Nicobar islands.

Crops:

• Rice, Maize, Turmeric.

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