History of agriculture in the Indian subcontinent

In this episode, we explore the history of agriculture in the Indian subcontinent, tracing how farming systems evolved from the Mughal era through British colonial rule. We examine how Emperor Akbar’s land revenue reforms, based on careful land measurement, soil classification, and long-term production averages, helped organize agricultural taxation, while technologies such as the Persian wheel improved irrigation and productivity. The episode also looks at how colonial policies transformed agriculture by encouraging the cultivation of export crops such as opium and raw cotton, often at the expense of local economic stability. Finally, we consider the impact of British-built railways and irrigation networks, the growing hardship faced by rural communities, and how changes in agricultural production became closely tied to the wider economic decline of colonial India.