India's geographical area—32,87,263 km2;
only 2·4% of World surface area of 135·79
million sq. km; provides shelter to nearly
16·7% of human & 14% ... [Show More] of cattle of World
population.
● India is the ‘7th’ largest country in the world.
● India lies entirely in the northern hemisphere.
● India's mainland extends between latitudes
8°4′ and 37°6′ north; longitudes 68° 7′ and
97°25′ east.
● India's length—about 3,214 km (North to
South) between extreme latitudes; breadth—
about 2,933 km (East to West) between
extreme longitudes.
● India's land frontier—about 15,200 km.
● India's total length of coastline of mainland,
Lakshadweep Islands and Andaman &
Nicobar Islands—7,516·6 km.
● The Plains of the Ganga & the Indus—about
2,400 km long and 240 to 320 km broad;
formed by basins of 3 rivers—Indus, Ganga
& Brahmaputra.
● North-Eastern (NE) Region is called ‘ 7
Sisters’ of India, including the NE-States—
Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland,
Manipur, Tripura, Mizoram and Meghalaya,
later on added ‘Sikkim’. (now total 8 States).
● The Peninsular Plateau (marked–off from
plains of Ganga and Indus) by a mass of
mountain and hill ranges–460 to 1220 metres
in height, represents Aravalli, Vindhya,
Satpura, Maikala and Ajanta.
● Desertic area is in two parts–large & small;
wherein large deserts–spreading from Rann of
Kuchch towards north and upto Luni river;
and small desert–between Jesalmer and
Jodhpur, starting from Luni river upto north
waste-lands. Between these two deserts,
waste-lands stony soils and storage of lime,
are existed.
● Contribution of Agricultural Research in total
productivity growth has been as high as 48%.
● ‘Tongya’ means shifting/Jhum/Jhuming cultivation
adopted in hilly and tribal areas of
Bihar; besides in Myanmar.
● Agriculture, Forestry & Fisheries sector contributing
in Total GDP was 16·3% (2009-10).
● India has the largest cattle population in the
world; viz. 57% of total buffalo and about
16% of cows-bullocks of the world. As per
18th Indian Livestock Census (2007) total
livestock population was 529 million nos, with
an annual (compound) growth rate 5·88%.
● India ranks first in respect of buffaloes,
second in cattle and goats, third in sheep and
fifth in ducks and chickens, tenth in camel
population in the world.
● About 19 million people work in livestock
sector.
● During 2010-11, milk production in India was
121·8 million tonnes, ranking Ist in world.
● The contribution of livestock and fisheries
sectors in total GDP during 2009-10 was
4·1%.
● The per capita per day milk availability in
India is 281 g (2010-11), as against 286 g
world average and minimum requirement is
211 g/day/capita.
● The per capita per day oil availability is 19 g,
as against recommended oil 33 g/day/capita
by medical scientists.
● As per National Forest Policy, 1988 for
ecological balance, the forests-cover should
be on 1/3rd area (i.e. 33%) of the country,
which is only on 20·64% i.e., on 6,78,333 sq
km area (i.e. 12% dense, 8% open, 0·6%
mangrooves) to geographical area presently.
India's forest (percentage)—1·2% in World &
contributes 1·7% in GDP.
● Forest covered by density classes are; 38·3%
open forest and 61·7% dense forest in India.
● High Yielding Varieties (HYV's) Programme
started in—1966.
● First Agricultural Census in India conducted
in—1970 and eighth census in 2003.
● Cattle Insurance Scheme started from—1974.
● 17th Livestock Census in 2003 & 18th
Census 2007 were completed.
4 | Agri. G. K.
● Establishment year of various Institutions—
—1970–Indian Cashew Corporation
—1971–Indian Tea Trade Corporation
—1972–Marine Products Export Development
Corporation
—1974–Indian Mica Trade Corporation
—1986–Agricultural & Processed Food
Products Export Development Corporation.
—1998–National Agriculture Technology
Project (NATP) [World Bank Funded]
—1998–Kisan Credit Card Yojana started
● First Origin of India—
—Hybrid Pigeonpea–ICPH-8 (ICRISAT,
Hyderabad)
—Hybrid Sunflower– BSH–1 (Pro-Agro)
—Hybrid Cotton–H-4 (Surat Farm, Gujarat)
● During 2003–04, the increase in Agriculture
and related sector for value addition was
noted 9·1%, as against 1996–97—9·6% the
highest obtained.
● India has Two hot spots of Bio-diversity (out
of 10 in the World). i.e., Western Ghats and
North-Eastern Region.
● Contribution of Agricultural Research to total
productivity growth in India is 48%.
● India has nearly 8% of total plants and
animals of the world.
● ICAR established the National Research
Centre on Rapeseed-Mustard (NRCRM)
Bharatpur (Raj.) on October 20, 1993 to
carry-out basic, strategic and applied research
on rapeseed-mustard & now Directorate of
Rapeseed-Mustard (DRMR) w.e.f. 1-4-09.
● All India Co-ordinated Research Project on
Oilseeds (AICRPO) was established in April,
1967 for the improvement of oilseeds in the
country ,with its H.Q. Hyderabad.
● India's Revolution (achieved) in Agriculture
Sector & related fields—
Revolution Related Sector
● Green Revolution
(1966–67)
Foodgrains Production
(especially Wheat/Rice)
● White Revolution Milk Production
● Yellow Revolution Oilseed Production
● Grey Revolution Fertilizer Production
● Blue Revolution Fish Production
● Red Revolution Meat/Tomato Production
● Round Revolution Potato Production
● Silver Revolution Egg Production /Poultry
● Pink Revolution Prawn Fish Production
● Golden Revolution Fruit Production (Apple)
● Brown Revolution Non-Conventional Energy
Sources
● Green Revolution—The term Green Revolution
was first used in 1968 by former
USAID (United States Agency for International
Development-Director William S.
Gaud (died in 1977). William S. Gaud—
appointed as executive Vice-President in IFC
on 1 October 1969.
● Need of Revolution in Future in India
(i) Black Revolution Bio-diesel Production for
self sufficiency in Petroleum
& Mineral Oil.
(ii) Food— Chain
Revolution—
Mandate
To double the average
income of Indian farmers
by 2010.
● India needs a ‘New Revolution’/Second
Green Revolution to capitalize on the gains
provided by the ‘Green & White Revolutions’.
● This New Revolution in the food sector
should aim at reducing the wastage of foodgrains,
fruits and vegetables worth thousands
of crore each year.
(iii) Rainbow (Satrangi i.e. ‘BIVYGOR’)
Revolution—This can be achieved through taking
altogether the above Revolutions in future.
● Father of India's ‘Green Revolution’ in
Agriculture—Dr. M.S. Swaminathan (Monkombu
Sakbasivan Swaminathan)—Ex. DG
(ICAR) observed this revolution from 1966-
67 & continued upto 1976-77 in wheat and
rice.
● Nobel Peace Prize (1970) for ‘Green
Revolution’ awarded to U.S. Scientist Nobel
Laureate Dr. N. E., Borlaug (Norman Earnest
Borlaug) (only Nobel-Laureate in Agric in the
World)—death 12 September, 2009 (95 years
age).
● ‘White Revolution’ (Milk Production)
through ‘Operational Flood’ I Step—1970–
81, II Step—1981–85 and III Step—1985–96
(completed in April 1996)
● ‘Father of White Revolution’—(Late) Dr.
Vergese Kurien (1921-2012) First-Director
Chairman, NDDB, Anand (Gujarat) Padma
Vibhushan, Magsaysay Award and World
Food Prize awarded. (born 26 November,
1921 death 9 September, 2012, 91 years live)
● Chairperson of ‘NDDB’ (est. 1965) is now
Dr. (Ms) Amrita Patel w.e.f. 1998.
Agri. G. K. | 5
● On March, 1998; Dairy Co-operative
Societies–77,531; 9·8 million farmer members
& 170 Milk-sheds in the country.
● First Director General (DG) of ICAR—Dr.
B.P. Pal (Benjamin Pyare Pal); and presently
(in 2010)–S. Ayyappan.
● In India, per capita availability of Agricultural
use land—0·30 hectare.
● Per agriculture family—land available–4·5
acre (nearly 1·8 hectare).
● ‘AGMARK’—According to ‘Agriculture
Production Act–1937’–AGMARK is used
as a National Mark to express the quality and
purity of Agriculture and Animal products.
● A new scheme ‘NAIS—National Agriculture
Insurance Scheme’ has been started w.e.f.
Rabi 1999–2000 in place of CCIS (Comprehensive
Crop Insurance Scheme).
● India's population (Census 2011)-
1,210,193,422 (Annual growth rate about
1·76%).
● In India, the NPK nutrients ratio, being used
in agriculture; in year 2009–10, it was
4·3 : 2·0 : 1, as against the ideal ratio of N : P
: K 4 : 2 : 1 in cereals however, it was 9·5
: 3·2 : 1 (at decontrolled on fertilizers) in the
year 1992–93.
● ‘Loknayak Jai Prakash Narain Nidhi’
(Fund) was declared to formulate on Feb.
2004, which will take the place of existing
RIDF (Rural Infra-Structure Development
Fund); and has started w.e.f. 17 Feb, 2004 by
giving some funds.
● The ‘Seed Act–1966’ has been modified into
seeds Bill, 2004.
● Animal Husbandry and Dairying
Sector—(i ) Percentage / number in
India of the World → 16·5% Cattle, →
56·5% Buffalo, → 17·7% Goat, → 5·5%
Sheep and → 2·7% Poultry
(ii) In India, nearly 10% family engaged in
Animal Husbandry and Dairying Sector i.e.,
one person in each family; say–about 19
million persons employed.
(iii) Contribution of Animal Husbandry
Dairying & Fisheries Sector in G.D.P (Gross
Domestic Products)—4·1%; (during 2009-10)
with 14·9 million workers engaged in rural
area.
(iv) Women constitute 71% of labour force in
livestock farming. In dairying, 75 million
women engaged, as against 19 million people.
(v) India’s diversified food consumption
basket-non-foodgrain items-milk, meat, egg
and fish.
● Causes of pungency/bitterness/colour in Fruits
and Vegetables.
● Causes of pungency/bitterness
Symptoms Causes
● Aonla (Phyllanthus emblica)
—(Sourness) —Tenin/Galic acid/Ilogic acid/polyphenol
● Arbi (Colocasia)
—(Acridity/bitterness) —Calcium Oxalate
● Badam (Almond)
—(Bitterness) —Emyladin
● Bael
—(Liquidification) —Marmelosin
● Bittergourd
—(Bitterness) —Memordicocide
● Chilli
—(Pungency)
—(Red Colour)
—Capsaicin
—Capcyanthin
● Cucumber
—(Bitterness) —Cucurbitacin
● Carrot
—(Yellow colour)
—(Orange colour)
—Anthocyanin
—Carotin
● Garlic
—(Pungency)
● Uncrushed
● Crushed
● Fresh
—Allinase, Amino acid
—Alicin
—Alyl radical di-sulphide (smell) [Show Less]
