Cultivable Land

Soil Conservation

Means of Irrigation

Wells

Wells and tube-wells constitute an important source of irrigation in the district. Masonry wells which were few in the past have increased in number in the last few years. The character of wells depends largely on the depth at which water is found below the surface. This varies in different parts of the district. In the pachar tract the subsoil is firm and the level of water is near about six meters from the surface. In the ghar, on the other hand, the water level varies from 18 to 24 meters, while in the kurka and in the par it was so great a depth as to preclude practically all possibility of irrigation. The wells employed for irrigation are of three classes, those with masonry cylinders, those that are merely earthen and those that partake of the nature of both, being dug like as earthen well but lined with big curved bricks, generally only fitted together though sometimes set in mortar. 

Canals

Canal irrigation was first introduced in the district in 1885 when the Ganges canal was opened for irrigation. The Ganges canal, starting from the head work at Hardwar in the Saharanpur district, traverses Meerut and Bulandshahar and continues as far as Nanu in the Aligarh district. At this point it bifurcates into two branches, the Kanpur and Etawah whose directions are sufficiently indicated by their names. In 1877 the whole canal system of the lower Doabs underwent radical alteration. A new weir was completed in that year at Narora in Blandshahr and a channel was constructed from the weir which intersected the Kanpur and Etawah branches of the old Ganges canal at a point approximately 48 kilometres from Nanu. The small lengths of the old Kanpur and Etawah branches, lying between Nanu and the point of intersection by the channel from Narora, were known as "stumps". They were practically, utilised only to supplement the supply of water in the lower Ganges system when necessary. A few years later the channel from narora was continued beyond the point of intersection across the Sengar and Sersa rivers past Shikohabad in Mainpuri into the ghar tract of Etawah and became the Bhognipur branch the whole system comprising the Kanpur, Etawah and Bhognipur branches had from the river at Narora being called the Lower Ganga canal system.

The whole district is served by 818 km. long irrigation channels and 777 km. long nalas(drains) of the existing Bhognipur branch, Etawah branch and West Allahabad branch of lower Ganga canal system. The total area commanded by the canal is 1.09 lakh ha. of which about 38 thousand ha. proposed for irrigation in rabi and 45 thousand ha. in kharif. 

Ramganga Project

To meet the requirements of intensive agriculture the work on Ramganga project is in progress. In this project a dam has been built on river Ramganga at Kalagarh in district Bijnor. The Ramganga Feeder has been completed. The additional supply available at Narora in district bulandshahar will be picked up and distributed by the Lower Ganga canal to its various branches. About 138.218 km. long new channels have already been completed and construction work on 348.880 km. new channels is in progress. These channels command an area of 8.219 ha. and will irrigate an area of 5.736 ha. 

Agriculture

The methods of cultivation in this district are generally the same as those found elsewhere in the Doab. The application of manure and the use of water for irrigation are extensively resorted to. There are the usual harvests known as the Kharif or autumn, the Rabi or spring and Zaid or extra harvest. The Kharif crops are shown in Ashadha- Sravana and reaped in Kuar-Kartika after the cessation of rains usually well before the preparation of fields for the Rabi sowings which begin in October-November i.e. Kartika and Agrahanya and are harvested in March-April and even May. The Zaid consists of vegetables and low grade cereals sown in March or April and reaped before June. The system of double cropping is followed to a considerable extent in the district owning to the facilities for irrigation. The figures of dofasli area for the different tahsils do not exhibit any great variations, but the proportions are highest in Bidhuna and Bharthana and the proportion is lowest in Auraiya.

PRINCIPAL CROPS

Kharif Crops

The chief  Kharif  crops are the millets, known as Bajra and Jowar, paddy and maize. These are sown either alone or in combination with Arhar. Bajra is chiefly grown in light and sandy soil. Between 1903 and 1907 Bajra alone or in combination covered 42.511 ha. or 28.47 per cent of the kharif. In the subsequent year its cultivation in the district increased by nearly 12,900ha. In 1380 Fasli year that is 1973-74 the bajra covered an area of 77.673 ha. Jowar is generally grown in the stiffer and better soils but like bajra it is usually mixed with arhar, the proportion grown alone being only 5per cent. Both Bajra and Jowar are usually sown in June on unirrigated land,the fields being previously prepared by ploughing. They are reaped in November. A considerable amount of Jowar is grown only for fodder especially in Etawah and Bharthana tahsils. Another important Kharif crop is rice. There has been an enormous increase in the extent of rice cultivation during the last hundred years. Several local varieties of rice are grown. In 1973-74 (1380 Fasli year) the area covered by paddy was 2,59,506 ha. The only other Kharif crop that is of any importance is maize which during the period between 1903 and 1907 covered on the average 52.321 acres or 14.18 per cent of the area cultivated in the kharif. The only tahsil however, where it is extensively planted is Bidhuna. Maize is usually sown in the best gauhani dumat soil, close to the village site, where the fields yield two crops a year. The land is generally well manured and the crops are sown asearly as possible in Asharh. During the ensuing month the field is carefully weeded and by the middle of Bhadon the plants usually attain a height of four feet and the ears begin to show. Among the Kharif cereals small pulses known as Moth, Urd and Moong, the small millet Mandua, and Hemp or Sanai were largely grown in the past, but new incentives in the field of agriculture have lowered their popularity and more valuable crops like paddy, maize and sugar-cane are gradually replacing them. In 1997-98 the combined area occupied by pulses was 9,868 ha. and by sugar-cane was 4,663.

Rabi Crop

Wheat heads the list of Rabi cereals in the district in point of area, which in 1973-74 constituted more than half of the total Rabi sowing. Wheat is grown pure as well as mixed with crops like barley and gram. Wheat when mixed with gram is known as gochani and with barley as gujai. The area under pure wheat has no doubt increased during recent years, but the old practice or sowing mixed crops, a characteristic feature of the district has not disappeared altogether. The wheat crop requires a good soil, and an assured supply of water besides manure. In 1380 Fasli year wheat covered an area of 95,860 ha.

Barley alone or in combination with gram forming the mixed called bejhar to which peas are generally added was the favourite rabi staple in the past, in the area sown with it is due to their replacement with wheat and its combination. Barley flourishes even in soils and in tracts which are not suited to wheat cultivation for lack of irrigation facilities.

Gram is, on the whole, little irrigated and it resists drought well, and for this reason it is acceptable to the inhabitants of the par. It can be grown on inferior soils. It needs only  two ploughings and does not usually require manure. The only other Rabi staple which needs mention is peas.

Soil nutrients

 Co-operative and Joint Farming

Horticulture

In 1999 there was one government nursery in the district. The area under this nursery is 17 acres, 3/4 acre and one acre respectively. These nurseries produce vegetable seedlings and plants and supply to the horticulturists. Besides, there are two private nurseries at Sumerpura and Ramnagar in Etawah tahsil. In the city of Etawah there are about 1000 progressive farmers who grow vegetable seedlings for the purpose of selling them to intending purchasers. 

Multiple Cropping and Rotation of Crops

The popular rotations followed in the district are Paddy Wheat, Paddy Gram, Paddy Peas, Paddy Berseem, Maize Wheat, Maize Potato-wheat, Bajra Wheat or Peas or Gram or Peas and Gram, on account of being leguminous crops, have restorative
qualities, Cultivation of these crops in rotation with exhaustive crops like paddy and bajra helps to maintain the fertility of the fields. The old practice of growing wheat after a fallow period is being replaced by growing wheat after green manuring in Rabi. This practice has been responsible for increasing the yield of wheat by more than one and a half quintals per ha. The two and three years rotation is also adopted in the district and is as follows :

Sugar-cane is generally sown in three years rotation. The areas, near the help of organic manures and fertilizer. In such areas three to four crops in a year are taken such as maize, early potato, late potato and Sitaphal. In these areas the fertility of the fields is maintained by full manuring.

Animal Husbandry

The district is famous for its Bhadawari buffaloes and Jamunapari goats. The buffaloes can be distinguished by flat horns, brown colour of skin and three wheatish signs on the neck. They are also known for eating less and producing more milk. The use of mechanised means of transportation and communication and the high cost of maintaining domestic animals in the district, has tended to reduce the number of drought animals such as horses, elephants, ponies and donkeys which were used as drought animal for military and civil purposes, taking out processions and indifferent ways at festivals and fairs. The erstwhile zamindars of the district also kept the horses. However, the animals are still in use in the ravenous areas. Where
they have their own utility. The following statement shows the number of live-stock in 1993:

Sheep and goats are generally reared extensively in the country between the Yamuna and the Chambal. Sheep are bred for their wool and for the butcher. The goats known as Juamunapari or goats from beyond the Yamuna are in great demand on account of their milk giving properties. 
  

Donkeys are of the usual over-worked and underfed description, such as are possessed by Dhobis and Kumhars. The number of camels is larger here than in any other district of the State, except Agra, and Etawah is one of the chief sources of supply for surrounding tracts.

Fisheries

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