General Agriculture Notes for Competitive Exam by Agriculture RS Rajput

 

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Evolution and History of Agriculture

1. Evolution of Man and Agriculture

• 70 Million years ago: Earliest primates/prosimians developed in trees.

• 40 Million years ago: Evolution of Monkeys and Apes.

• 1.5 Million years ago: First true man (Homo erectus) emerged in Indonesia and Africa.

• 1 Million years ago: Homo erectus migrated through the Old World tropics.

• 0.8 Million years ago: Homo erectus populated temperate regions.

• 0.5 Million years ago: Homo erectus pekinensis (Peking Man) learnt the use and control of Fire.

• 32,000 years ago: Cro-Magnon man (Homo sapiens sapiens) emerged in Europe.

• 10,000 B.C.: Domestication of Dog (First animal domesticated) for hunting (in Iraq & Israel).

2. Timeline of Domestication and Cultivation

The following table lists significant events in the development of agriculture:

Year (Approx.)	Event / Crop Domesticated
8700 B.C.	Domestication of Sheep (First domesticated ruminant).
7700 B.C.	Domestication of Goat.
7500 B.C.	Cultivation of crops: Wheat and Barley.
6000 B.C.	Domestication of Cattle and Pigs.
4400 B.C.	Cultivation of Maize.
3500 B.C.	Cultivation of Potato.
3400 B.C.	Invention of the Wheel.
3000 B.C.	Bronze was used to make tools.
2900 B.C.	Invention of the Plough; Irrigated farming started.
2700 B.C.	Silk Moth domestication in China.
2300 B.C.	Cultivation of Chickpea, Pear, Sarson (Mustard), and Cotton.
2200 B.C.	Domestication of Fowl, Buffalo, and Elephant; Cultivation of Rice.
1800 B.C.	Cultivation of Finger Millet (Ragi).
1725 B.C.	Cultivation of Sorghum (Jowar).
1500 B.C.	Cultivation of Sugarcane; Irrigation through wells started.
1400 B.C.	Use of Iron in the Middle East.

3. Ancient & Medieval History

• 1000–600 B.C.: Age of Iron; Iron plough share and axe invented. Crop cultivation expanded in Punjab, UP, and Bihar.

• 15th Century A.D.: Cultivation of Sweet Orange, Sour Orange, Wild Brinjal, and Pomegranate.

• 16th Century A.D. (Portuguese Era): Introduction of several crops into India by the Portuguese:

• Potato, Sweet Potato, Tomato, Chillies.

• Pumpkin, Papaya, Pineapple, Guava, Custard Apple.

• Groundnut, Cashewnut, Tobacco, American Cotton, Rubber.

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Development of Modern Agriculture in India

Important Historical Milestones

Year	Event / Establishment
1871	Joint Department of Revenue, Agriculture and Commerce established (Lord Mayo).
1881	Separate Department of Agriculture established (on recommendation of Famine Commission 1880).
1899-1900	Severe Famine (Chhappania Akal) in India.
1901	Appointment of first Inspector General of Agriculture (USA).
1901	First Irrigation Commission appointed (Lord Curzon).
1903	Model Village Scheme (Rural Reconstruction) launched by Daniel Hamilton.
1905	Establishment of IARI (Imperial Agricultural Research Institute) at Pusa, Bihar (Lord Curzon).
1934	Severe Earthquake damaged IARI building at Pusa.
1936	IARI shifted to New Delhi.
1926	Royal Commission on Agriculture (RCA) appointed under Lord Linlithgow.
1928	RCA submitted its report.
1929 (16 July)	Establishment of ICAR (Imperial Council of Agricultural Research) based on RCA recommendations.
1946	Directorate of Plant Protection, Quarantine and Storage (DPPQS) established at Faridabad.
1960	First Agricultural University in India: GBPUAT, Pantnagar (Uttarakhand).
1965	First DG (Director General) of ICAR appointed: Dr. B.P. Pal.
1966-67	Green Revolution started in India.
1973	Establishment of ARS (Agricultural Research Service) and ASRB.
1974	First KVK (Krishi Vigyan Kendra) established at Puducherry (under TNAU, Coimbatore).
2004	National Commission on Farmers constituted (Chairman: Dr. M.S. Swaminathan).

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General Agriculture Statistics & Facts

Classification of ICAR Institutes

(List of Deemed Universities and Important Institutes)

1. IARI: Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi.

2. IVRI: Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, UP.

3. NDRI: National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana.

4. CIFE: Central Institute of Fisheries Education, Mumbai.

Agricultural Revolutions

Revolution	Related To	Father/Leader
Green Revolution	Food Grain Production (Wheat/Rice)	N. Borlaug (World), M.S. Swaminathan (India)
White Revolution	Milk Production (Operation Flood)	Dr. Verghese Kurien
Blue Revolution	Fish Production	Dr. Arun Krishnan
Yellow Revolution	Oilseeds Production (Mustard/Sunflower)	Sam Pitroda
Golden Revolution	Fruit/Honey/Horticulture	Nirpakh Tutaj
Pink Revolution	Onion/Prawn/Pharmaceuticals	Durgesh Patel
Grey Revolution	Fertilizer Production	-
Round Revolution	Potato Production	-
Silver Revolution	Egg/Poultry Production	Indira Gandhi
Rainbow Revolution	Overall development of agriculture sector	-

Famous Names of Crops

• King of Cereals: Wheat

• Queen of Cereals: Maize

• King of Pulses: Chickpea (Gram)

• Queen of Pulses: Pea

• King of Oilseeds: Groundnut

• Queen of Oilseeds: Sesame (Til)

• King of Weeds: Congress Grass (Parthenium)

• King of Fruits: Mango (National Fruit of India)

• Queen of Fruits: Mangosteen / Litchi

• King of Spices: Black Pepper

• Queen of Spices: Cardamom (Small)

• Poor Man's Meat: Soybean / Pulses

• Poor Man's Fruit: Ber (Jujube) / Jackfruit

• Kalpavriksha: Coconut

Important Days in Agriculture

• March 21: World Forestry Day.

• March 22: World Water Day.

• April 22: World Earth Day.

• June 5: World Environment Day.

• July 16: ICAR Foundation Day.

• October 16: World Food Day.

• December 3: Agricultural Education Day (R. Prasad's B-day).

• December 23: Kisan Diwas (Ch. Charan Singh's B-day).

Best of Luck