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International Journal of Pure & Applied Bioscience (IJPAB)
Year : 2018, Volume : 6, Issue : 4
First page : (250) Last page : (256)
Article doi: : http://dx.doi.org/10.18782/2320-6773

Problems and Prospects of Hill Agriculture in India: A Review

Suddhasuchi Das*, C. S. Karthik and Anupam Pariari

Department of Plantation, Spices, Medicinal and Aromatic Crops, Faculty of Horticulture,
Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Mohanpur-741252, Nadia, West Bengal, India
*Corresponding Author E-mail: das.suddhasuchi@gmail.com
Received: 6.07.2018  |  Revised: 10.08.2018   |  Accepted: 18.08.2018  

 

 ABSTRACT

With rich land, abundant water and a favourable climate, hill agriculture in North-eastern region of India has considerable potential to grow and contribute towards improving farm incomes, enhancing food and nutrition security, reducing rural poverty and accelerating the overall economic growth of the region. Unfortunately the growth potential of hill agriculture has remained under-exploited due to lack of system-specific production technologies, poor infrastructure (transport, markets, processing) and underdeveloped institutions (credit, extension, information, insurance), inaccessible habitations, diverse socio-cultural and agricultural typologies and fragmented land holdings. The North-eastern region lying between 21.5o N - 29.5o N latitudes and 85.5o E - 97.3o E longitudes comprises of eight states - Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and Sikkim. It may be mentioned that in hill area particularly horticultural crop cultivation as an alternative to jhuming may prove to be a boon in the regional economy. In NEH region farming being the main stay of the people, development of horticulture will markedly improve the economy of the people. Establishment of orchards and planting of plantation crops on hill slopes will prevent soil erosion which may solve the problem of shifting cultivation and out migration of people to towns. The north eastern region is bestowed with the most congenial climatic conditions for the production of under-exploited agricultural and horticultural crops. These agricultural and horticultural crops also provide many fold employment opportunities in agro-based industries, packaging, storage, preservation, canning and transportation.

Key words: Cropping System, Economics, Hill agriculture, NEH region, Soil erosion

Full Text : PDF; Journal doi : http://dx.doi.org/10.18782

Cite this article: Das, S., Karthik, C. S. and Pariari, A., Problems and Prospects of Hill Agriculture in India: A Review, Int. J. Pure App. Biosci.6(4): 250-256 (2018). doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.18782/2320-7051.6773