A Brief History of the Agriculture Sector on the Eve of Independence
It is a well-known fact that at least two-thirds of the national income of India is derived from the agriculture sector of the country. However, before 1947, under British rule, more than 90% of the national income relied on the Indian agriculture sector. A significant portion of the country’s population resided in rural areas where agriculture was the primary source of livelihood.
The pre-colonised India produced primarily two crops, i.e. wheat and rice. Even if it was only two types of crops, the country's agricultural sector was sustainable and self-sufficient. The British invasion resulted in total commercialisation of India’s agriculture industry. On the eve of independence, the once most prominent sector of this country was known to be suffering from stagnation and constant degradation.
It has been known that India's warriors and freedom fighters sacrificed their lives and everything they had to earn independence from British rule. Do you remember how the Indian economy looked on Independence Day in 1947? As a result of the Colonial government's presence and the measures and policies that they adopted, our economy was in a terrible state. Thus, back in 1947, when the British gave our country back to us, our economy was crippled and destroyed.
Agriculture Sector of India - Stagnation During British Rule
Indian agriculture during British rule went towards stagnation. Lack of supervision led to negligence in reforms, which were introduced to ensure development in productivity. Meanwhile, the British government continued in their trade deals, extracting more profit that inevitably led to the fall of India’s agricultural sector.
Agriculture Sector of India – Causes of Stagnation
There are various causes for stagnation in the Indian agricultural sector during British rule. Some of these are –
Zamindari System
One of the primary reasons for the cause of stagnation in India’s agricultural sector was the zamindari system. This agricultural system was mainly practiced in Bengal, which was the then capital of British India. As per this system, the majority of the profits went tolan downers, i.e. zamindars instead of cultivators. As a result, the colonial bosses ultimately made the most income, while such farmers were not remunerated adequately.
These zamindars, who were vassals of their colonial masters, did not help to improve the agriculture sector but only wanted to reap its benefits. Even though economic conditions were degrading gradually, zamindars did not issue any rebates on tariffs. Moreover, such tariffs had unethical rules and guidelines that did not favor cultivators. For example, if cultivators did not pay their rent on time, the colonial leaders would repeal all of their rights.
Forced Commercialization
Even though there was a shortage of resources, the British rule insisted on widespread commercialization to bring in more profits. Their objective was to make this industry evolve and undergo ‘cultivation for sale’ from the orthodox methods of ‘cultivation for self’.
That led to the production of crops only for sale. In India, where the majority of cultivated crops were used for self-consumption, they were then sent to markets for sale. The British also introduced the cultivation of commercial crops such as Indigo to enhance their profits. Even though Indigo is a favorable crop for a commercialized agriculture sector, it brought more harm to India as it damaged the fertility of soils in vast proportions.
Partition
India’s partition into Pakistan and Bangladesh brought in a food crisis all over India as several crop-cultivating lands were now divided. Various rice-producing agricultural lands in Punjab, India then became a part of Pakistan.
Features of Indian Agriculture on the Eve of Independence
There are various reasons behind the decline of the agricultural sector on the eve of Independence of India. They are –
Fragmented Land Ownership
On the eve of independence, our Indian economy was known to be in an agro-state. Despite being a primary means of livelihood, India’s agriculture sector was in a rapid decline. One of the main reasons behind it being scattered was land owned by different individuals which made it even harder for cultivation.
Outdated Technology
Even after India achieved independence, old fashioned technology and outdated methods were used in its agriculture sector. Not only was there a lack of machines, which would help in minimizing human resources but also an absence of growth enhancement ingredients, such as fertilizers, etc.
Low Productivity
Due to the absence of innovative methods and fragmented ownership of cultivated lands’ existence, the total output per hectare of lands was significantly low. So, productivity in India’s agriculture sector reached rock bottom and thus affecting its economy at a large scale.
Feud Amongst Landowners and Cultivators
Another reason behind the agriculture sector’s decline on the eve of independence was the long-lasting feud between landowners and cultivators.
Landowners never paid cultivation costs but only shared the output. Cultivators not only had to pay their landowners a particular rent but also had to bear the overall production cost. It affected cultivators’ finances substantially resulting in a continuous feud between these two sides.
Dependence on Rain
Since India’s agriculture sector lacked innovative methods and valuable equipment, it depended a lot on rainfall. High rainfall led to increased productivity, whereas little rainfall meant there would be insufficient production.
Cultivation for Self
Subsistence farming was also a significant cause for the fall of India’s agriculture sector during this period. Such an agricultural method that focused on self-consumption only instead of selling it in markets brought severe instability in India’s agriculture sector.
On the Eve of Independence (1947), the Indian economy was in a difficult state.
The Indian economy was not in a good state on the eve of independence. In order to have a better future for ourselves and future generations, we had to start from scratch and all over again. As described in class 11 of Indian Economy on the eve of Independence, the following table shows the status of each sector.
The Agricultural Sector on the Eve of Independence
An eve of independence, discussion of Indian economy in class 11 begins with the agricultural sector. The following points are highlighted.
As a result of British land settlements and their government's policy, agricultural production and productivity were low. A major contributing factor back then was the zamindari system, in which the Zamindars received all the profits instead of farmers and cultivators. Farmers were discouraged from producing more back then, which certainly led to lower yields.
Under British rule, irrigation systems and canals were not developed as they were dependent on monsoon rains.
The poor level of agricultural productivity can be attributed to low technology, a lack of irrigation facilities, and inadequate fertilizer use.
Because of this, the Indian economy's agricultural sector was extremely weak on the eve of Independence.
The Following are the Effects of Unfair Revenue Systems like Zamindari:
There was no improvement in the state of agriculture under the Zamindars or Colonial Government.
It is as if farmers are tenants on their own land, always fearing the loss of their property.
Between farmers and zamindars, there was intense social tension.
The Indian agricultural industry was deprived of investments in terracing, flood control, drainage, and soil desalination.
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FAQs on Indian Agriculture on the Eve of Independence
1. As India approached independence, what was the impact of partition on its agriculture sector?
As a result of India's partition at independence, the country's agricultural production was severely affected. There was a large amount of undivided Pakistan's highly irrigated and fertile land that went to Pakistan, negatively impacting agricultural production.
2. What was the state of agriculture before independence?
India's agricultural sector was highly unstable and prone to collapse before independence. In other words, crops did not produce at a steady rate before independence. Inadequate infrastructure for perennial irrigation was the main cause.
3. Approximately what percentage of the British population in India lived in villages and relied on agriculture for their livelihood?
In the 20th century, India's per capita output grew by only 0.5% per year. During the British colonial era, the economy of India was primarily based on agriculture, with approximately 85% of the population living in villages and acquiring their livelihoods from agriculture.
4. At the time of independence, how did the primary sector fare?
Almost 72.7% of the working population was employed in agriculture on the eve of independence during the Indian economy. Those employed in manufacturing or industries accounted for only 10.2% of the working population.
5. What were the main reasons for India's agricultural stagnation during colonial times?
The Indian economy was traditionally based on agriculture, but the sector has been stagnant for years. Although this sector saw some growth in absolute terms, it was because the area under cultivation aggregated grew.
Farmers (Peasants) in India suffer from stagnation and misery because of:
The Zamindari, Ryotwari, and Mahalwari systems of land revenue are unfair.
Agriculture was forced to become commercialized and cash crops like indigo, cotton, tea, and coffee replaced food crops.
It is estimated that almost no technology was used by the farmers, most of them using obsolete technology.
Farms lacked irrigation facilities (most relied on the monsoon for irrigation).
Fertilizer usage was negligible.
The agriculture sector of India was severely underfunded when it came to terracing, flood control, drainage and soil desalination.
6. What were the Causes of Stagnation of the Indian Agricultural Sector during British rule?
A few primary reasons for the stagnation of India’s agricultural sector during the British rule are zamindary system and its demerits, forced commercialisation of crops, the partition of India, etc.
7. How was the Condition of the Agriculture Sector on the Eve of Independence?
The condition of India’s agricultural sector on the eve of independence can be summed up with the following points – fragmented land ownership, outdated technology, rainfall dependant, low productivity, subsistence farming, and feud amongst landowners and cultivators.
