Land-use records in India are maintained by the Land Revenue Department. This is distinct from the geographical area measured by the Survey of India. The land revenue records measure the reporting area, which fluctuates slightly based on administrative estimates, whereas the geographical area remains fixed.
The Land Revenue Records classify land into nine distinct categories:
Land-use patterns are highly influenced by economic development. Three major economic changes affect land-use:
Over the decades, certain land-use categories have registered increases, while others have declined:
| Increasing Categories | Declining Categories |
|---|---|
| Area under non-agricultural uses (highest rate of increase) | Barren and wasteland |
| Area under forest (due to administrative demarcation) | Culturable wasteland |
| Current fallow | Area under tree crops and groves |
| Net area sown | Fallow other than current fallow |
Land ownership is broadly divided into private land and Common Property Resources (CPRs). CPRs are owned by the state or community and are accessible to all members. They are crucial for providing fodder, fuel, and minor forest products, particularly supporting the livelihoods of landless, marginal farmers, and rural women.
Agriculture is a land-based activity where land quality and ownership directly impact productivity and social status. The total stock of agricultural land resources is calculated as:
To maximize output from limited land resources, farmers increase cropping intensity, which is calculated using the following formula:
India has three distinct cropping seasons, particularly in the northern and central regions:
| Season | Period | Major Crops (North) | Major Crops (South) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kharif | June – September | Rice, Cotton, Bajra, Maize, Jowar, Tur | Rice, Maize, Ragi, Jowar, Groundnut |
| Rabi | October – March | Wheat, Gram, Mustard, Barley | Rice, Maize, Ragi, Groundnut, Jowar |
| Zaid | April – June | Vegetables, Fruits, Fodder | Rice, Vegetables, Fodder |
Foodgrains occupy about two-thirds of the total cropped area in India. They are classified into:
Before independence, Indian agriculture was largely subsistence-based. Post-independence, strategies shifted from expanding cultivated land to intensifying production. The mid-1960s witnessed the introduction of the Green Revolution, utilizing High Yielding Varieties (HYVs) of seeds, chemical fertilizers, and irrigation, which made India self-reliant in foodgrains.