Describe the features of extensive agriculture in India.
Larger farm size:
Farm
size in extensive farming is very large, often exceeding 250 hectares. In
north-western Europe, this farm size remains lower than 50 hectares but in
North American continent it exceeds over 200 hectares.
High intensity of the capital:
This
is a highly capital-intensive system. The entire operation is controlled by machines.
The low intensity of labour:
Due
to a low density of population and non-lucrative nature of the agricultural system
very few people are seriously interested in agriculture. Due to the scarcity of
human labour, wages became high, that prevents owners from employing larger
labour force.
High per capita Production:
Efforts
are always made to maximize per capita production in lieu of per unit land
production. Each farmer controls and cultivates extensive farm-land. So per
capita production increases significantly.
Emphasis on mono-cropping:
In
contrast to intensive farming—where land is cultivated throughout the
year—extensive farming is only limited within a definite span of the year,
emphasis is given on producing a single crop, particularly wheat farming.
Commercial approach:
In
contrast to intensive farming — where the entire product is consumed by the
cultivator himself—extensive farming is highly commercialized. Little is
consumed by the cultivators themselves. The bulk of the production is sent to the
international market for export.
Low production per unit of land:
Due
to extensive nature of cropping pattern, productivity per unit area of land
remains very low. Only in some parts of north-western Europe is productivity at
par with intensive farming. In the rest of the extensive farming region,
productivity often goes lower than intensive farming.
The dominance of single cereals:
One
particular crop —mainly wheat—dominates the cultivation. 90% of the extensive
farming region concentrates only on one crop production.
Huge surplus:
Almost
entire products are sent for export. Only a little is consumed by cultivators
themselves.
The dominance of machine:
Due
to a dearth of human labour, the entire operation of cultivation is controlled
by machines. Unlike intensive farming, the importance of animals is less
significant in extensive farming where machines like tractors, harvesters,
winnowers, thrashers are employed in the cultivation process.
Larger farm size:
Farm size in extensive farming is very large, often exceeding 250 hectares. In north-western Europe, this farm size remains lower than 50 hectares but in North American continent it exceeds over 200 hectares.
High intensity of the capital:
This is a highly capital-intensive system. The entire operation is controlled by machines.
The low intensity of labour:
Due to a low density of population and non-lucrative nature of the agricultural system very few people are seriously interested in agriculture. Due to the scarcity of human labour, wages became high, that prevents owners from employing larger labour force.
High per capita Production:
Efforts are always made to maximize per capita production in lieu of per unit land production. Each farmer controls and cultivates extensive farm-land. So per capita production increases significantly.
Emphasis on mono-cropping:
In contrast to intensive farming—where land is cultivated throughout the year—extensive farming is only limited within a definite span of the year, emphasis is given on producing a single crop, particularly wheat farming.
Commercial approach:
In contrast to intensive farming — where the entire product is consumed by the cultivator himself—extensive farming is highly commercialized. Little is consumed by the cultivators themselves. The bulk of the production is sent to the international market for export.
Low production per unit of land:
Due to extensive nature of cropping pattern, productivity per unit area of land remains very low. Only in some parts of north-western Europe is productivity at par with intensive farming. In the rest of the extensive farming region, productivity often goes lower than intensive farming.
The dominance of single cereals:
One particular crop —mainly wheat—dominates the cultivation. 90% of the extensive farming region concentrates only on one crop production.
Huge surplus:
Almost entire products are sent for export. Only a little is consumed by cultivators themselves.
The dominance of machine:
Due to a dearth of human labour, the entire operation of cultivation is controlled by machines. Unlike intensive farming, the importance of animals is less significant in extensive farming where machines like tractors, harvesters, winnowers, thrashers are employed in the cultivation process.
