In what ways did British colonial rule affect Indian agriculture?

In general, colonized countries' economies are always run in such a way as to benefit the mother country, more or less regardless of what effect that has on the colony.  In India, this trend held true.  In the case of India, Indian agriculture was converted over to the production of staple crops for export.  This conversion was hastened by the US Civil War, which increased demand for Indian cotton.

As Indian agriculture turned to growing cotton, food production declined.  This was, in part, to blame for the famines that hit India during British rule.