Agroclimatic Zones – UPSC Geography Optional & GS Paper I 2025–26

Agroclimatic zones are geographic regions demarcated according to their homogeneity in climate, soil, and topographical conditions affecting crop production and farm planning. In a nation like India—widely diversified in economy, where there is extensive climatic diversity, diversified landforms, and differential rainfalls—the demarcation of agroclimatic zones offers the key to sustainable agricultural growth. These zones act as a guideline for farm planning in the regions, maximum utilization of natural resources, and policy-making according to ecological balance and productivity improvement.

What Will You Learn from This Article?

• What is the definition and categorization of agroclimatic zones of India?
• How has the Planning Commission categorized India into 15 agroclimatic zones?
• What are the ICAR's 127 agroclimatic zones and their agricultural planning role?
• Why is agroclimatic zoning important for UPSC GS Paper I and Geography Optional?
• How are agroclimatic zones related to resource utilization, irrigation, and cropping patterns?

Key Points for Revision for UPSC Mains

The following section points out major facts and structures for rapid UPSC Mains revision:

• Agroclimatic zoning includes partitioning on the basis of climate, soil, physiography, and cropping pattern.
• The Planning Commission (1989) divided India into 15 agroclimatic zones for regional agriculture planning.
• The scheme employed variables such as rainfall, soil, temperature, humidity, and irrigation.
• ICAR developed a more refined scheme of 127 agroclimatic zones, placing premium on research-based zoning.
• The agroclimatic zone strategy harmonizes agriculture with natural resources, avoiding excessive exploitation.
• Zonal planning provides specific inputs such as fertilizers, seeds, irrigation facilities, and extension services.
• Facilitates formulation of region-specific cropping patterns, avoiding risks of monoculture.
• Planning Commission's 15 zones cover areas like the Western Himalayan Region, Lower Gangetic Plains Region, and Southern Plateau and Hills Region.
• ICAR zones are employed mainly by Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) for transferring technologies.
• Eco-friendly land-use planning and enhancing climate-resilient agriculture are encouraged through zones.
• Agroclimatic zones are a part of schemes such as Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana, PMKSY, and Watershed Development Projects.
• Act as a tool for alleviating drought and water resource management in arid and semi-arid regions.
• Climate parameters employed: rainfall (cm), annual temperature (°C), and humidity (%).
• Agroclimatic regionalisation combines geography, agronomy, climatology, and soil science.
• GIS and Remote Sensing methods are being employed with increasing frequency to improve agroclimatic zonation.

In 1989, the Planning Commission of India proposed a system of dividing the nation into agroclimatic regions with the objective of maximizing agricultural productivity according to regional climate and resource situations. The boundary was drawn on the basis of factors like climate, soil, rainfall, availability of irrigation, and topography. The aim was to facilitate region-wise planning and minimize ecological pressure due to inappropriate cropping systems.

The 15 Agroclimatic Zones by Planning Commission

• Western Himalayan Region – Comprises Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand. The topography is mountainous with a temperate climate.
• Eastern Himalayan Region – Comprises North-East India regions like Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam hills; high rainfall and steep slopes.
• Lower Gangetic Plains Region – West Bengal plains; heavy rainfall and fertile alluvial soil.
• Middle Gangetic Plains Region – Eastern parts of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar with medium rainfall and intensive paddy-wheat cultivation.
• Upper Gangetic Plains Region – Western Uttar Pradesh; well-developed soil and irrigation.
• Trans-Gangetic Plains Region – Punjab, Haryana, and eastern Rajasthan; large wheat and rice region with intensive irrigation.
• Eastern Plateau and Hills Region – Eastern parts of Odisha, Chhattisgarh, and Jharkhand; mixed crops with rainfed agriculture.
• Central Plateau and Hills Region – Madhya Pradesh and Vidarbha belt; cotton, pulses, and oilseeds.
• Western Plateau and Hills Region – Comprises Maharashtra and northern Madhya Pradesh; red and black soils.
• Southern Plateau and Hills Region – Karnataka, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh; rainfed lands cultivating millets and oilseeds.
• East Coast Plains and Hills Region – Coastal Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu; rice crops through irrigation.
• West Coast Plains and Hills Region – Kerala, Goa, and coastal Karnataka; rice, coconut, and spices.
• Gujarat Plains and Hills Region – Dry and semi-dry; arid zones prone to droughts with bajra, groundnut, and cotton.
• Western Dry Region – Western Rajasthan; desert climate and marginal agriculture.
• The Islands Region – Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep; tropical crops and sea-based activities.

All of these zones possess unique features regarding climate, natural resources, cropping systems, and socio-economic attributes. Such categorization provides the basis for regional development programs such as Integrated Watershed Management and Rainfed Area Development.

ICAR's Agroclimatic Zonation Scheme

While the Planning Commission approach emphasized macro-scale planning, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) made a micro-scale classification by dividing India into 127 agroclimatic zones on the basis of agro-ecological features. This model takes into account:

Soil type and depth

Rainfall and temperature regime

• Physiography and slope
• Growing period length

These zones were established mainly for agricultural research and extension activities. A Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) and agricultural university or research station were associated with each zone. The zonation enables:

• Development of location-specific technologies
• Planning of research and demonstration trials
• Monitoring of climate-resilient agriculture
• Implementation of National Agricultural Research System (NARS) activities

Agro-Ecological Regions (AER) by NBSS&LUP

Besides agroclimatic zoning, the National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning (NBSS&LUP) has prepared Agro-Ecological Regions (AERs) which combine physiographic and climatic factors with soil and duration of growing period (LGP). India has been classified into 20 broad AERs and 60 sub-regions, which provide an even more detailed framework for:

• Sustainable land use planning
• Soil fertility mapping
• Watershed-based interventions
• Land capability classification

AERs are especially useful for long-term agricultural sustainability and serve as the foundation of massive policy interventions such as soil health card schemes and region-specific fertilizer use.

Role of Agroclimatic Zones in Regional Planning

• Agroclimatic zoning is more than a technical classification—it has wide-ranging effects on policy, planning, and rural livelihood:
• Resource Optimization: Promotes local suitability of inputs such as seed types, fertilizers, and irrigation practices.
• Policy Targeting: Allows for enhanced targeting of schemes such as MSP, PMKSY, RKVY, and NFSM.
• Risk Management: Supports the formulation of crop insurance and drought management plans specific to local agroclimatic risks.
• Climate Adaptation: Allows for adaptive measures under climate change conditions, such as changes in cropping calendars and seed varieties.
• Institutional Synergy: Aligns KVK, ICAR institutes, state agriculture departments, and local self-governments' efforts in decentralized planning.

UPSC Mains PYQs on Agroclimatic Zones

Key Books on Agroclimatic Zones (UPSC Geography Optional & GS Paper I)