A GEOGRAPHICAL REVIEW OF THE MODIFYING AGRICULTURE SCENARIO OF HARYANA

ABSTRACT

The cropping pattern is an important indicator of agricultural transition in a region, making its study vital to any geographical inquiry. Using data from five different years (1980–1981, 1990–1982, 2000–2001, 2010–2011, and 2014–2015), this work aims to investigate shifts and patterns in a key agricultural region of Haryana over the course of 50 years (1966–1965 to 2014–2015). The area predominantly under pulses, sugarcane, bajra, maize, barley, and jowar has fallen while the area under cereals, particularly wheat and rice, has increased as a result of new farm technology. Two related phenomena are the evolution of irrigation systems and the related change in crop rotation. The first issue is the growing need for water to support a rise in rice production. Second, as water supply in the canals has decreased due to a lack of maintenance, groundwater irrigation has become increasingly important in meeting this growing demand, and tube wells offer their own benefits in terms of the adaptability and dependability of irrigation. The results also make it clear that there is a requirement for crop variation in the research area, as the amount of tube well irrigation closely parallels the rice cultivation area, indicating significant pressure on groundwater resources.

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