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• Planning commission [7th (1985-1990)] divided the, India into 15 agro climatic zones (124 sub zones), based on the homogeneity in agro- characteristics, such as, Rainfall, Temperature, Topography, Cropping and farming systems, water resources, • According to ICAR country is divided into 131 agroclimatic zones, • According to NARP India is divided into 127 ACZs
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Zone number, , Zone name, , State covers, , 1, , Western Himalayan division, , J & K, HP, UK, , 2, , Eastern Himalayan division, , N-E states, , 3, , Lower Gangetic plain region, , WB, , 4, , Middle Gangetic plain region., , UP, BH, , 5, , Upper Gangetic plain region, , UP, , 6, , Trans-Gangetic plain region, , PN, HR, Delhi, RJ (, Ganganagar), , 7, , Eastern plateau and hill region., , MH, MP, OD, WB, JH, CHH, , 8, , Central plateau and hill region., , MP, RJ, UP, , 9, , Western plateau and hill region, , MH, RJ, MP, , 10, , Southern plateau and hill region, , AP, KR, TN, , 11, , East coast plain and hill region, , OD, AP, TN, , 12, , West coast plain and hill region, , TN, KL, Goa, KR, MH, , 13, , Gujarat plain and hill region, , GJ, , 14, , Western dry zone, , RJ, , 15, , Island region, , ANGI, Lashadweep
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1. WESTERN HIMALAYAN REGION:, This consists of three distinct sub-zones of Jammu and, Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh hills., The region consists of skeletal soils of cold region,, podsolic soils, mountain meadow soils and hilly brown, soils. Annual Rainfall – 1650 -2000 mm, Ginger, saffron, many temperature flowers and vegetables, are grown in this region., 2. EASTERN HIMALAYAN REGION- covers complete North, east stae, • Shifting cultivation (Jhum), practiced in nearly one third, of the cultivated area., • This zone is characterized by high rainfall and forest cover
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3. LOWER GANGETIC PLAINS, • The West Bengal – Lower Gangetic Plains, region consists of four sub-regions. This zone, accounts for about 12% of the country’s rice, production., • Rice, Jute, mustard, rabi maize and potato are, emerging as new crops of this zone. The per, capita land availability here is very low (0.095, hectares) as this zone has highest density of, population (692 per km2).
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• 4. MIDDLE GANGETIC PLAINS:, • This zone consists of 12 districts of eastern Uttar, Pradesh and 27 districts of Bihar plains. Eastern, U.P. has been further sub-divided into nine, regions based on the heterogeneity in soil, land, use, topography and climatic factors. This region, has a geographical area of 16 m.ha. and a high, population of 85 millions. The rainfall is high and, 39% of the gross cropped area is irrigated and the, cropping intensity is 142%., • There is large area under salt affected (usar), lands. Rice is the principal crop but its, productivity is low.
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5. UPPER GANGETIC PLAINS:, • This zone consists of 32 districts of Uttar Pradesh divided into, three sub-zones of, • Central, North- West and South –West U.P. The zone has 144%, cropping intensity., • Irrigation is largely through canals and tube wells., 6. TRANS-GANGETIC PLAINS, • This zone consists of Punjab and Haryana, Union Territories of, Delhi and Chandigarh and Sriganganagar district of Rajasthan., • It is delineated into three sub-zones, namely, foothills of, Shiwalik and the Himalayas, plains (Semi arid) and arid zone, bordering the Thar desert., • The major characteristics of the area are: highest net sown, area, highest irrigated area, least poverty level, high cropping, intensity (170%) and high ground water utilization., • Rice-wheat system is prevalent.
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7. EASTERN PLATEAU AND HILLS, • The eastern Plateau and Hills region consists of the, following sub-regions:, • I. Sub-region of Wainganga, Madhya Pradesh Eastern Hills, and Orissa inland,, • II. Orissa Northern and M.P. Eastern Hills and plateau, • III. Chotanagpur North and Eastern Hills and plateau, • IV. Chotanagpur South and West Bengal Hills and Plateau,, and, • V. Chattisgarh and South-Western Orissa Hills., • The soils of the region are shallow and medium in depth, and the topography is undulating with a slope of 1 to 10%., Rainfall is nearly 1300 mm., • In kharif, 82% of the area is under rice, • Largest agro climatic zone
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8. CENTRAL PLATEAU AND HILLS, • This zone comprises of 46 districts of Madhya Pradesh, Uttar, Pradesh and Rajasthan., • Irrigation and intensity of cropping are low. Per capita availability of, land is very high (0.446 ha). Since 75% of the area is rainfed, a, watershed management programme is to be implemented., 9. WESTERN PLATEAU AND HILLS, • This zone comprises of major parts of Maharashtra, parts of, Madhya Pradesh and one district of Rajasthan and is divided into, four sub-zones. This region forms a major part of peninsular India,, with an annual average rainfall of 904 mm., • Net sown area is 65% and only 12.4% area is irrigated. Sorghum and, Cotton are the major crops in nearly half of the cultivated area., • This zone is known for the best quality oranges, grapes and, bananas. The area under fruit crops is about one lakh hectares., • Farmers are adopting sprinklers and the drip methods of irrigation,, particularly, for fruit and vegetable crops.
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10. SOUTHERN PLATEAU AND HILLS:, • This zone comprises of 35 districts of Andhra Pradesh,, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu,, • which are typically semi-arid zones. Rainfed farming is, adopted in 81% of the area and the cropping intensity is, 111%. Low value cereals and minor millets, predominate in the cropping systems., 11. EAST COAST PLAINS AND HILLS:, This zone consists of six sub-zones i) Orissa coastal ii), North Coastal Andhra and Ganjam, iii) South Coastal, Andhra, iv) North Coastal Tamil Nadu, v) Thanjavur and, vi) South Coastal Tamil Nadu. Rice and groundnut are the, important crops.
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12 WEST COAST PLAINS AND GHATS:, • This zone runs along the west coast, covering, parts of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka,, Maharastra and Goa with a variety of crop, patterns, rainfall and soil types., • This is an important zone for plantation crops, and spices and fisheries. Literacy is the highest, in Kerala and so is unemployment. Cropping, intensity is 124%., • This zone is important for multi-storeyed, cropping.
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13. GUJARAT PLAINS AND HILLS:, • This zone consists of 19 districts of Gujarat, classified into seven sub-zones., • This zone is also called as oilseed zone, 14 .WESTERN DRY REGION, • This region comprises of nine districts of, Rajasthan and is characterized by hot, sandydesert, erratic rainfall, high evaporation,, no perennial rivers and scanty vegetation., Famine and drought are common features
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15. ISLANDS REGION:, This zone covers the island territories of the, Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshadweep, which, are typically equatorial. Rainfall of 3,000 mm is, spread over eight to nine months. It is largely a, forest zone having large undulating areas, leading to heavy loss of soil due to runoff., Nearly half of the cropped area is under, coconut. This is the smallest zone with a high, literacy rate and low poverty levels.
