Rural Rajasthan, Rural Life in Rajasthan, Agriculture in Rajasthan

Rajasthan is a royal land with invincible forts, magnificent palaces, rich culture and heritage, beauty and natural resources. In the western Rajasthan, there are vast tracts of the desert and the ecological environment is semi-arid, whereas in the eastern Rajasthan, there are rivers, rains and a lush greenery is present all over and the seasonal crops are grown in plenty. In these harsh climatic conditions, women maintain the cattle and their milking, while the elder or the young men take them out to pastures for grazing and also work on the

fields. In the past, when agriculture was a risky affair, so it became necessary to raise cattle for survival. This tradition has continued to grow in Rajasthan, turning Rajasthan into one of the states that has benefited from the ‘white revolution’.

Since, most of the land holdings are not too large, so the tractors are sometimes used at the time of sowing. Most of the farmers use ploughing method that belongs to the thousands of years to the Indus Valley Civilization. Camels and buffaloes are used for pulling the plough and the mechanized methods of farming are not used. While the majority of farmers still wait for the rains to water the fields, very few of them have tube wells. The water is also sometimes trapped in the man-made ponds and is used only for daily use and not for farming.

Farming, Farming in Rajasthan

Wheat, corn and millets are the three important crops which are grown here. The another important crop are the pulses, since it forms the basis of the lentils required for cooking the meals. Seasame and groundnut are also grown here which forms the basic medium and the important source of the cooking oil. Fresh vegetables are still not grown here, but potatoes and tomatoes are mainly grown in the fields. However, the waters of the canal that have reached Ganganagar are now helping in the cultivation of citrus fruits, including tangerines, oranges and lemons.

Dehydrated vegetables like Sangri and Gwarphali from the bean families, and Kakri from the cucumber family are grown here that can be eaten fresh, or stored to use in the later months. Most of the villagers eat these vegetables. However, in recent years, due to transport facilities, the availability of fresh vegetables in towns and cities has increased.

Very few trees are now left in the towns that provide shelter to both the farmer, and his flock of goats. A large number of trees are not planted here as this would tap the underground water resources, making it harder for crops to survive. Thorny bushes with ber fruits require little water, and can be seen in plenty in Rajasthan. The state also has a large cultivation of watermelons, which is the perfect way to fulfill one’s thirst.