Transformation of Indian Agriculture

Historical Context and Current Status

At India's Independence, agriculture was primarily bovine-based with approximately 5,000 tractors and limited chemical fertiliser production. By 2025-26, tractor sales reached 1.16 million units, and fertiliser consumption hit over 32.9 million tonnes, demonstrating significant mechanization and reliance on chemical inputs post-Green Revolution.

De-bullockisation of Agriculture

• Traditionally, bullocks were integral to farming operations, providing draught power and aiding in multiple farm activities.
• By 1991-92, mechanical power (tractors, engines) surpassed animate sources (draught animals, laborers).
• In 2024-25, farm power availability was estimated at 550.8 million kilowatts, with draught animals contributing a mere 2.3%.
• The population of draught animals fell from 80.8 million in 1972 to 34.8 million in 2019.

Fossilisation and Mechanisation

• Tractor numbers increased from 5,000 in 1946-47 to over 12 million, replacing bullocks in various operations.
• Mechanical implements like rotavators facilitated deep tillage and soil management.
• Combine harvesters replaced human labor and bullocks for harvesting and threshing.

Fertiliser Use and the Green Revolution

The Green Revolution introduced high-yield crop varieties and increased demand for concentrated fertilisers like urea, DAP, and MOP, providing 46% N (urea), 46% P and 18% N (DAP), and 60% K (MOP). The 2024-25 fertiliser consumption was primarily through 70.7 mt of fertiliser products including 38.8 mt of urea.

Vulnerability of Indian Agriculture

• The reliance on imported natural gas for fertiliser production exposes vulnerabilities to global supply shocks.
• Geopolitical tensions affecting major trade routes like the Strait of Hormuz impact fertiliser trade and availability.
• India's lack of domestic reserves for key fertiliser components like rock phosphate and potash further exacerbates this vulnerability.

Dependency on Fossil Fuels

• Tractors and farm machinery are heavily reliant on diesel fuel.
• Crop protection chemicals rely on petroleum-based solvents, making them sensitive to crude oil supply disruptions.

The agricultural shift from traditional to modern practices in India highlights increased productivity but also underscores significant dependency on fossil fuel-based inputs, making it susceptible to global market fluctuations and geopolitical conflicts.