Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)

摘要

India lives mainly in her 600,000 villages. The country's economic structure is dominated by agriculture. Agriculture provides a livelihood for approximately 67% of the work force, contributes to nearly 33% of the gross domestic product, and accountsfor 8.5% of India's exports. About 4.3% of India's geographical area is used for agricultural activity. The average farm holding in India is 3.87 acres, which is further divided into between two and six parcels. Draught animals are the major source of motive power for the majority of the farmers. The large number of ruminants has placed heavy demands on grazing lands. While one third of the cropland is irrigated, rain-fed agriculture is vital to the economy. About one fourth of the cropland is prone toflooding. Varying agro-climatic zones and a variety of soil conditions have facilitated the cultivation of almost all the cash crops and food grains.