Agro Climatic Zones in India - Overview, Different Climates, & More

India is geographically diverse, and its agro-climatic zones play a crucial role in shaping agricultural practices across the country. These zones are regions with distinct climatic conditions influencing crop suitability and agricultural productivity. India is divided into 15 agro-climatic zones, each characterized by unique environmental factors. The former Planning Commission, now known as the NITI Aayog , proposed the concept of agricultural planning based on agro-climatic zones. This approach was born out of various scientific studies that focused on regionalizing the agricultural economy.

In simple terms, this is a further classification of the climate, with a particular focus on its suitability for agriculture. This article will delve into the crucial aspects of the topic, including its features. It also covers other important aspects, keeping in mind the requirements of the preliminary and main examination of the UPSC IAS Exam .

Why are Agro-climatic zones trending?

The patterns of major crop cultivation and various agricultural issues have been making headlines due to the impacts of climate change and increasing frequencies of adverse weather events affecting agriculture. Additionally, recent demands for crop prioritization and incentives have the potential to disrupt the distribution of agriculture, suitability for different regions, and resource-rich areas. The UPSC has also increased the number of questions related to this topic in the Preliminary and Main examinations in recent years.

Also read: PM Garib Kalyan Yojana here

What are the Main Goals of Agro Climatic Zone Classification?

• To maximize agricultural production.
• To boost farmers' income.
• To generate additional rural employment opportunities.
• To make efficient use of available irrigation water.
• To reduce regional disparities in agricultural development.

What are the Different Climatic Zones?

The geographical area of India is divided into 15 agro-climatic regions. These are further divided into more homogeneous 72 sub-zones. The 15 agro-climatic zones are: 

1. Western Himalayan Region
2. Eastern Himalayan Region
3.  Lower Gangetic Plains Region
4. Middle Gangetic Plains Region
5. Gangetic Plains Region
6.  Upper Gangetic Plains Region
7.  TransGangetic Region
8. Eastern Plateau & Hills Region
9. Central Plateau& Hills Region
10. Western Plateau and Hills Region
11. Southern Plateau & Hills Region
12.  East Coast Plains & Hills Region
13. West Coast Plains & Ghats RegionGujarat Plains & Hills Region
14.  Western Dry Region 
15. The Islands Region. 

Also read National Commission for Scheduled Castes here.

Significance of Agro-climatic zones in India

• Agro-Climatic Regional Planning aims for scientific utilization of natural and manmade resources in the country.
• The country is initially divided into 15 regions based on agroclimatic factors such as soil type, rainfall, temperature, and water resources.
• Each region's development profile is formulated, emphasizing an optimal mix of activities including land stock management, crop production, animal husbandry, aquaculture, horticulture, forestry, and agro-processing.
• At a detailed level, the approach shifts to a farming system, moving away from the traditional crop production approach.
• Objectives include achieving a demand-supply balance nationally, maximizing net income for producers, generating additional employment, particularly for landless laborers, and establishing a framework for the scientific and sustainable use of natural resources like land, water, and forests in the long run.

Testbook provides a set of comprehensive notes for different competitive exams. Testbook is always on the top of the list because of its best quality assured products like live tests, mocks, Content pages, GK and current affairs videos, and much more. To study more topics for UPSC, download the Testbook App now.