What is the Agro-Climatic Zone?
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| Photo credit: https://geography4u.com/agro-climatic-zones-in-india/ |
In terms of major climates, an "agro-climatic zone" is a land unit that is suitable for a specific range of crops and cultivars. The planning aims to achieve scientific management of regional resources to meet food, fiber, fodder, and fuelwood needs while preserving natural resources and the environment.
Agro-climatic conditions include soil types, rainfall, temperature, and water availability, all of which affect vegetation types. An agro-ecological zone is a land unit carved out of an agro-climatic zone that is superimposed on a landform and functions as a climate and rising time modifier.
Planning of Agro-climatic zones of India
With a geographical area of 329 million hectares, the country has a significant number of complex agro-climatic situations. Several attempts have been made to delineate major agro-ecological regions based on soils, atmosphere, physiographic features, and natural vegetation for more scientific macro-level planning.
Agro-climate regions by the erstwhile Planning Commission
The Planning Commission has divided the country into fifteen diverse agro-climatic zones based on physiography, soils, geological structure, climate, cropping patterns, and production of irrigation and mineral resources for broad agricultural planning and developing potential strategies as a result of the mid-term assessment of the planning goals of the Seventh Plan.
These are further subdivided into 72 sub-zones that are more homogeneous. The mainland had fourteen areas, with the remaining one in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea islands. The key goal was to combine agro-climatic area plans with state and national plans to develop policy using techno-agro-climatic considerations.
Western Himalayan Region:
Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand's hill region make up the Western Himalayan Region.
There is a lot of variance in topography and temperatures. In July, the average temperature is between 5°C and 30°C, while in January, it is between 5°C and -5°C. The average annual rainfall ranges between 75 and 150 cm, but it is less than 30 cm in Ladakh.
During the Kharif season, rice is grown on the valley floors, while maize is grown on the hilly tracts. Barley, oats, and wheat are winter crops. Horticulture thrives in the area, especially apple orchards and other temperate fruits like peaches, apricots, pears, cherries, almonds, litchis, walnuts, and so on.
Eastern Himalayan Region:
Arunachal Pradesh, Assam's hills, Sikkim, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, and West Bengal's Darjeeling district make up the Eastern Himalayan Region. The terrain is difficult to navigate. In July, temperatures range from 25 to 30 °C, and in January, temperatures range from 10 to 20 °C. Rainfall ranges from 200 to 400 cm on average.
Rice, corn, potato, and tea are the primary crops. There are pineapple, litchi, orange, and lime orchards.
Lower Gangetic Plain Region:
This region includes West Bengal (except for the hilly areas), eastern Bihar, and the Brahmaputra Valley. The average annual rainfall ranges from 100 to 200 cm. July temperatures range from 26 to 41 °C, while January temperatures range from 9 to 24 °C. With a high water table, the area has enough groundwater storage.
Rice is the main crop, which can produce three crops in a year (Aman, Aus, and Boro). Other important crops include jute, corn, potato, and pulses. Rice farming, horticulture (banana, mango, and citrus fruits), pisciculture, poultry, livestock, forage production, and seed supply are among the planning strategies.
Middle Gangetic Plain Region:
Huge swaths of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar are part of the Middle Gangetic Plain. July's average temperature ranges from 26°C to 41°C, while January's average temperature ranges from 9°C to 24°C. Annual rainfall averages between 100 cm and 200 cm. The Ganga and its tributaries drain this rich alluvial plain. In Kharif, rice, maize, and millets are important crops; in rabi, wheat, gram, barley, peas, mustard, and potato are important crops.
Upper Gangetic Plains Region:
The central and western parts of Uttar Pradesh and the Uttarakhand districts of Hardwar and Udham Nagar make up the Upper Gangetic Plains area. The climate is sub-humid continental, with temperatures ranging from 26 degrees to 41 degrees Celsius in July and 7 degrees to 23 degrees Celsius in January. Rainfall ranges from 75 to 150 cm on an annual basis.
It's sandy loam soil. Irrigation is primarily provided by canals, tube wells, and wells. Wheat, rice, sugarcane, millets, maize, gram, barley, oilseeds, pulses, and cotton are the main crops in this intensive agricultural area.
Trans-Ganga Plains Region:
This region (also known as the Satluj-Yamuna Plains) spans Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, and Rajasthan's Ganganagar district. The area is semi-arid, with mean monthly temperatures ranging from 25 to 40 degrees Celsius in July and 10 to 20 degrees Celsius in January. The average annual rainfall ranges from 65 to 125 cm.
Wheat, sugarcane, cotton, rice, gram, maize, millets, pulses, and oilseeds are all important crops. The area is credited with bringing the Green Revolution to the country and has introduced new farming methods with a higher degree of mechanization. Waterlogging, salinity, alkalinity, soil erosion, and a declining water table are all threats to the area.
Eastern Plateau and Hills:
The Chhotanagpur Plateau, which stretches across Jharkhand, Orissa, Chhattisgarh, and Dandakaranya, is part of this area. Temperatures range from 26°C to 34°C in July, 10°C to 27°C in January, and annual rainfall ranges from 80 cm to 150 cm. The soils are red and black, with areas of laterites and alluviums thrown in for good measure. Because of the plateau structure and non-perennial streams, the area lacks a water supply. Rice, millets, maize, oilseeds, ragi, gram, and potato are all grown using rainfed agriculture.
Central Plateau and Hills:
Bundelkhand, Baghelkhand, Bhander Plateau, Malwa Plateau, and Vindhyachal Hills make up the district. The area experiences semi-arid climatic conditions, with temperatures ranging from 26°C to 40°C in July and 7°C to 24°C in January, and average annual rainfall ranging from 50 cm to 100 cm. Orange, yellow, and black soils coexist. Water is in short supply. Millets, wheat, gram, oilseeds, cotton, and sunflower are among the crops grown.
Western Plateau and Hills:
This is a regur (black) soil area that includes the southern part of the Malwa plateau and the Deccan plateau (Maharashtra), with July temperatures ranging from 24 to 41 ° C, January temperatures ranging from 6 to 23 ° C, and average annual rainfall of 25 to 75 cm. Wheat, millets, cotton, gram, pulses, groundnuts, and oilseeds are the primary crops in rain-fed areas, while sugarcane, rice, and wheat are grown in irrigated areas. Oranges, grapes, and bananas are also grown.
Southern Plateau and Hills:
From Adilabad District in the north to Madurai District in the south, this area falls in the interior Deccan and includes parts of southern Maharashtra, the greater parts of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu uplands. The average monthly temperature in July is between 25 and 40 ℃, while the average monthly temperature in January is between 10 and 20 ℃. The annual rainfall ranges from 50 to 100 cm.
Millets, oilseeds, and pulses are grown in this dry-zone agricultural region. Coffee, tea, cardamom, and spices are cultivated on the Karnataka plateau's hilly slopes.
Eastern Coastal Plains and Hills:
The Coromandal and northern Circar coasts of Andhra Pradesh and Orissa are located in this area. The average July temperature is between 25 and 35 °C, while the average January temperature is between 20 and 30 °C. The average annual rainfall ranges from 75 to 150 cm. Alkalinity is a concern in the soils, which are alluvial, loam, and clay.
Rice, jute, tobacco, sugarcane, corn, millets, groundnuts, and oilseeds are the main crops. Improvements in spice cultivation (pepper and cardamom) and fisheries production are two of the most important agricultural strategies.
Western Coastal Plains and Ghats:
The Malabar and Konkan coastal plains, as well as the Sahyadris, are hot, with mean July temperatures ranging from 25 to 30 °C and mean January temperatures ranging from 18 to 30 °C. The annual rainfall averages over 200 cm.
Laterite and coastal alluvial soils are available. The main crops are rice, coconut, oilseeds, sugarcane, millets, pulses, and cotton. The area is also known for its plantation crops and spices, which are grown along the Western Ghats' hill slopes.
Gujarat Plains and Hills:
The Kathiawar hills and plains, as well as the fertile Mahi and Sabarmati river valleys, make up this area. It is an arid and semi-arid area, with average July temperatures of 30 °C and January temperatures of around 25 °C. The average annual rainfall is between 50 and 100 cm.
The plateau region has regur soils, alluvium soils in the coastal plains, and red and yellow soils in the Jamnagar district. The main crops are groundnut, cotton, rice, millets, oilseeds, wheat, and tobacco. It is a significant producer of oilseeds.
Western Dry Region:
This area, which stretches across Rajasthan west of the Aravallis, has erratic rainfall with an annual average of less than 25 cm. The desert climate also results in heavy evaporation and extreme temperatures, with temperatures ranging from 28 to 45 ° C. in June and 5 to 22 ° C in January. In Kharif, the main crops are bajra, jowar, and moth, while in rabi, the main crops are wheat and gram. Livestock has a major impact on desert ecology.
Island Region:
Andaman-Nicobar and Lakshadweep, which have a generally equatorial climate (annual rainfall less than 300 cm; mean July and January temperatures in Port Blair of 30 °C and 25 °C, respectively), are part of the island area. Soils range from sandy near the coast to clayey loam in valleys and lower slopes.
Rice, maize, millets, pulses, areca nut, turmeric, and cassava are the primary crops. Coconut covers nearly half of the cropped area. The region is densely forested, and agriculture is at a standstill.
Agro-climatic zones under National Agricultural Research Project (NARP)
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| Photo credit: https://vikaspedia.in/ |
ICAR initiated the National Agricultural Research Project (NARP) to initiate agricultural research in the country's agro-climatic zones. The aim was to establish or upgrade a zonal research station in each agro-climatic zone to conduct location-specific, need-based research for specific agro-ecological situations.
The emphasis was on examining agro-ecological conditions and cropping trends to develop a program that was specifically designed to address the major bottlenecks of agricultural growth in a zone centered on natural resources, major crops, farming systems, production constraints, and socio-economic conditions. The emphasis was on the generation of technology.
Agro-ecological regions by the National Bureau of Soil Survey & Land Use Planning (NBSS & LUP)
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| Photo credit: https://vikaspedia.in/ |
The National Bureau of Soil Survey & Land Use Planning (NBSS&LUP) established twenty agro-ecological zones based on the growing season as an integrated criterion of successful rainfall, soil classes, and delineated boundaries adjusted to district boundaries with the fewest possible regions. These twenty agro-ecological zones were then further subdivided into 60 sub-zones.
Reference List:
What is Agro-Climatic Zone? by Josh, available at:
15 Agro-Climatic Zones in India Categorised by the Planning Commission by Dk Sinha, available at:
Agro-climatic zones in India by vikaspedia, available at:
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