CHAPTER- 4 AGRICULTURE

1. ‘India is an agricultural country. ' Comment. Or Why is agricultural development a

precondition for our national prosperity? Or What is the importance of agriculture in
India?
1) India is an agricultural country. Nearly two-third of its population depends directly on
agriculture for its livelihood.
2) Agriculture is the mainstay of India's economy. It accounts for 26 % of the Gross
Domestic Product.
3) Agriculture provides 10 % of our total exports and a source of fodder for animals.
4) Its share in providing employment and livelihood to the population is 63 per cent in 2001.

2. Define the term agriculture.

The term agriculture is derived from two Latin words 'ager' meaning land and 'cultur' meaning
cultivation. Agriculture thus means land cultivation. However, it includes animal husbandry,
forestry, horticulture and pisiculture.

3. State any two reasons for the change in the methods of cultivation.
i. Change in the physical environment
ii. Change in the technological know-how
iii. Change in the socio cultural practices. (Explain)

4. Differentiate between net sown area and gross cropped area.

1) The total land cultivated in a year is called net sown area. The net sown area and the land in
the net sown area cultivated more than once together make gross cultivated area.
2) The net sown area in India at the present is 143 million hectares. It is about 46.6 % of the
total geographical area.

5. Mention in brief, the various limitations from which the Indian agriculture suffers
presently. (Drawback of Indian agriculture)

I. Agriculture is not generating sufficient employment opportunities in the country. The

growth rate in agriculture is decelerating which is an alarming situation.
II. Today, Indian farmers are facing a big challenge from international competition and
our government is going ahead with reduction in the public investment in agriculture
sector particularly in irrigation, power, rural roads, market and mechanization.
III. Subsidy on fertilizers is decreased leading to increase in the cost of production.
Moreover, reduction in import duties on agricultural products have proved detrimental
to agriculture in the country.
IV. Farmers are withdrawing their investment from agriculture causing a downfall in the
employment in agriculture.

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6. What is primitive subsistence farming? Why do majority of Indian farmers follow it?

i. Subsistence farming is the cultivation of crops for domestic use and not for sale. It is
practiced in small patches of land with the help of primitive tools like hoe, digging sticks
and family labour.
ii. This type of farming depends on monsoon, natural fertility of the soil and suitability of
other environmental conditions to the crops grown.
iii. Majority of Indian farmers practise subsistence farming because they have scattered land
holdings and they use only primitive tools.
iv. They are poor farmers and they can't use fertilizers and machinery. Facilities like
electricity and irrigation are not available to them.

7. Name any two local names of primitive subsistence farming.

i. It is Jhumming in Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Nagaland.
ii. In Manipur it is Pamlou.
iii. It is Dipa in Bastar districts of Chattisgarh and Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

8. What is shifting agriculture? What are its features?

a) Shifting agriculture is the old type of agriculture. In this system, forestland is cleared to
cultivate. Crops are grown for two or three years. When the fertility is reduced the farmers
move to another area to cultivate by clearing forests again. It allows the land to replenish the
fertility of the soil through natural processes.
b) Dry paddy, maize, and vegetables are grown in this farming. The per- hectare yield is low.
It is, other wise known as ‘slash and burn’ agriculture.
Features:
a) It is a subsistence type of agriculture.
c) The rotation of field is practiced.
d) Simple implements are used.
e) Per capita or the per-hectare production is low.
f) It is practiced in the region of low density of population

9. What is intensive subsistence farming? Why do the farmers follow this type of
farming?
i. It is a type of farming practiced in the areas of high population pressure on land. It is a
labour intensive farming, where high dozes of bio-chemical inputs and irrigation are used
for obtaining high production.
ii. The farmers follow this type because their holding of land is very small due to
continuous family partition and the ‘right of inheritance’ and the absence of alternative
sources of livelihood.

10. What is commercial farming? What are its characteristics?

It is the type of farming practised mainly for sale. So they produce more than what they
require for domestic consumption. Plantation agriculture is an example of commercial
farming. Its characteristics are the following:
i. Modern inputs like High Yielding Varieties of seeds, chemical fertilizers, insecticides, and
pesticides are used.

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 ii. The yield per hectare or productivity is very high.
iii. It is a mechanized farming system in which modern machinery is used.
iv. Irrigation facilities are available to this farming technique.

11. What are the features of plantation agriculture?

Plantation agriculture is bush or tree farming. The British introduced it in the 19th Century. Its
features are the following:
1) It is a single crop farming in a large area. It includes tea, coffee, cocoa, spices, coconut,
apples, grapes, oranges etc.
2) It is a capital-intensive agriculture and requires good managerial ability.
3) It requires technical know-how, sophisticated machinery, fertilizes, irrigation and
transport facilities.
4) It is normally developed in hilly areas of northeastern India, Nilgiri, Aanamalai and
Cardamom hills.
5) Since the production is on large quantity processing factory also is built with in or close
to it.
6) All the produce is used as raw material in respective industries and has an interface of
agriculture and industry.

12. What are the factors that play an important role in the development of plantations?
i. A well-developed network of transport and communication system is an important factor since
the plantation agriculture is market-oriented.
ii. Processing industries with in the estate and the technical know-how play an important role in
its development.

13. Which are the different crop seasons in India?

i. Kharif Crop season: The ' Kharif ' season starts with the onset of monsoon and continues till
the beginning of winter i.e. from June – July to September -October. Crops like rice, maize,
millet, cotton, groundnut, moong, urad etc. are grown in Kharif season.
ii. Rabi Crop Season: Rabi season starts in winter from October to December and harvested in
summer from April to June. Crops such as wheat, barley, grain, linseed, rapeseed and mustard
seeds are grown in rabi season.
iii. Zaid season: It is a crop season between Rabi and Kharif seasons practised during the end of
summer in March to May. Crops like watermelon, muskmelon, cucumber, vegetables, and
fodder crops are grown during this period.

14. State any two reasons for the success of rabi crops in wheat producing areas.
i. Availability of precipitation during winter months due to western temperate cyclones helps the
growth of these crops.
ii. The success of Green Revolution in Punjab, Haryana, Western Uttar Pradesh and parts of
Rajasthan helped a lot in the growth of rabi crops.

15. Why is the extension of green revolution necessary in India?

( Growing population and declining trend of food production- for food security- For making use
of abundant natural gas to manufacture fertilizers- to have a favourable land use pattern and to
increase the net sown area) .(Explain points)

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 16. Name an important staple crop of India and the regions where it is produced. Or
Describe the temperature and rainfall conditions necessary for the growth of rice. Name
the major areas of rice production. Or What are the features of rice cultivation in
India?

Rice is the most important staple crop in India. It is a tropical plant. It requires high temperature
and high humidity for its successful growth. The mean monthly temperature of about 25°C, with
minor variations during, sowing, growing and harvesting seasons, is ideal for its cultivation.
It grows well in areas of 100 cm of rainfall. In the areas of less rainfall, it is grown with the help
of irrigation. The most important rice producing areas are Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Andhra
Pradesh and Tamil Nadu ( BUPAT)

17. Into how many heads can we group the varieties of crops conveniently?
(Cereals, pulses, oilseeds, fibre crops, beverage crops and cash crops. (Give examples.)

18. Describe the temperature and rainfall conditions necessary for the growth of wheat. Name
the major areas of wheat production.
India is the second largest producer of wheat after China. It is a rabi crop.
The ideal temperature at the time of sowing wheat is 10 to 15° C and at the time of harvest, it is
20 to 25° C.
The crop grows well in areas where rainfall is 50 to 75 cm. It requires well-drained fertile lands.
This crop requires cool growing season and a bright sunshine at the time of ripening. It grows
well in two wheat growing zones in India viz. the Ganga Satluj plains in the north-west and the
black soil region in the Deccan.
The major areas of wheat cultivation is Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and
Bihar.(PHURB)

19. What are millets? Why are millets a very important food crop in India?
a) Millets are the third most important food crops in India, after rice and wheat.
Jowar, bajra and ragi are some of the important millets grown in India. They have high
nutritional value. Ragi is rich in iron, calcium and other micro nutrients.
b) Jowar is produced in many states like Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh,
and Madhya Pradesh.
c) Rajasthan is the largest producer of Bajra. It is also produced in Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra,
Gujarat and Haryana.
d) Ragi is produced mainly in the drier parts of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
e) Rice and Wheat cannot provide the total food of India. So millets are important to support
the food requirements.

20. State the importance of ragi crop in India.

i. It belongs to the millet group. Rice and Wheat cannot provide the total food for India.
Therefore, millets are important to support the food requirements.
ii. Ragi has a high nutritional value. Ragi is rich in iron, calcium and other micronutrients.
iii. It is a crop of dry region and grows well on red, black, sandy, loamy, and shallow black soils.
iv. Karnataka is the largest producer of ragi followed by Tamil Nadu.

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21. Describe the characteristics of maize and its cultivation.
(a) Maize is a coarse grain and used as both food and fodder.
(b) It is grown under varied soil and climatic conditions.
(c) It grows well in areas of 50 to 100cm of rain and in areas of less rain it is grown under
irrigation.
(d) It grows well under temperature between 21 and 27°C and grows well in old alluvial soil.
(e) It requires well-drained fertile soil.
(f) It is cultivated mainly as a kharif crop.
(g) Major maize producing states are Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and
Andhra Pradesh(KUMBA)

22. Describe the importance of pulses as a food crop and its cultivation. State any two important
pulses and mention the states producing it.
(a) Pulses are the major sources of protein in a vegetarian diet.
(b) These are grown all over the country except the areas of heavy rainfall.
(c) Pulses like Tur, Arhar and Urad are kharif crops and Moong and Masur, Peas and Gram
are rabi crops.
(d) Plants of pulses help in restoring fertility of the soil and hence they are grown in rotation
with other crops.
(e) Two important pulses are Gram and Tur. Gram is produced in Madhya Pradesh, Uttar
Pradesh and Rajasthan(MUR) and Tur is produced in Maharashtra, UttarPradesh, Karnataka,
Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh(MUKAM).

23. What is the importance of oil seeds in India? Describe any one and its distribution.
(a) Oil seeds are used to make vegetable oil, which is an important item of Indian food.
(b) Oil cake, the residue after oil is extracted from the seeds, is an important cattle feed.
(c) India is the largest producer of oil seeds in the world.
The major oil seeds are the following:
(a) Groundnut: It accounts for about half of the major oil seeds produced in the country.
It is a kharif crop.Its major producers are Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh
and Maharashtra.(TG.KAM).
The other oil seeds are Sesamum, Rapeseed and Mustard seed and Lin seed:

24. Name an important beverage crop and specify the geographical conditions required for its
growth.
Tea is an important beverage crop in India.
(1) Tea cultivation in India is a classic example of plantation agriculture. It is a tropical as well
as a sub-tropical plant.
(2)Tea grows well in deep and fertile well-drained soil, rich in humus and organic matter.
(3) It requires warm and moist frost-free climate all through the year.
(4) It is a labour intensive crop and requires cheap and skilled labour.
(5)The ideal temperature for its growth is 20 to 30°C and annual rainfall of 150 to 300 cm.
(6) High humidity is good for the rapid development of tender leaves.
Major tea producing states are Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

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25. What is the importance of rubber production as a cash crop?
(1) Rubber is produced from the latex of a number of different species of rubber tree.
(2) It is used for manufacture of a number of industrial products like tyres and tubes.
(3)India is the fifth major rubber producing country in the world.
(4) About 97% of the country’s demand for natural rubber is met from domestic production.
(5) The tree requires moist and humid climate with rainfall more than 200cm. and temperature
above 25°C.
(6) Kerala produces about nine-tenth of the total production of rubber. The other rubber
producing states are Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Assam and Tripura.
( Write the temperature and rainfall conditions required for rubber cultivation. Explain point 5)
26. Which are the important fibre crops in India. Mention the major producing areas of any two
crops.
i) Cotton, Jute, Silk and Wool are the important fibre crops of India. Cotton is grown in
tropical and sub-tropical areas.
ii) It requires at least 210 frost-free days. It is grown well in black and alluvial soils.
iii) It requires 6 to 8 months to mature and it is a kharif crop. It requires a lot of cheap and
efficient labour at the time of plucking of cotton balls. At the time of harvest, the weather
should be fine to maintain the luster of cotton.
iv) The main cotton producing states are Gujarat, Haryana, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh and
Maharashtra.
a) Jute is a crop of hot and humid climate. The crop takes 8 to 10 months to mature.
b) The fibre is obtained from the retting of the plant.
c) It is used in making bags, mats, ropes, yarn, carpets and other artifacts.
d) It is produced in Bihar, Orissa, West Bengal, Assam, and Meghalaya.

27. How have the technological and institutional reforms been able to improve the conditions of
Indian agriculture? Explain with suitable examples.

Technological Reforms.
a) Modern machineries are used in agriculture for ploughing, sowing, harvesting and thrashing.
b) Indian farmers have started to use chemical fertilizers on a large scale.
c) High Yielding Varieties and early maturing quality seeds have been introduced to increase
the agricultural production.
d) Irrigation facilities have improved with the constructions of canals and the introduction of
motor pumps, drip irrigation and use of sprinklers.
Institutional Reforms. ( Enlist the various institutional reform programmes introduced by the
Government in the interest of farmers.
a) The govt. abolished the Zamindari system to protect the interest of the farmers.
b) The Govt. encouraged the consolidation of smallholdings of land to make them more
profitable.
c) The widespread use of radio and television acquainted farmers in new and improved
techniques of cultivation.
d) The crop insurance against drought, flood, fire, cyclone and diseases was another set up to
protect the farmers in new and improved techniques of cultivation.
e) Easy availability of capital or investment, through a well-knit network of rural banking like
‘Grammen banks’ was introduced.

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 f) Special bulletins for farmers were introduced in T.V. and radios to take precautionary
measures.
g) Minimum support price for various crops is introduced to remove uncertainty of
prices and sales.
h) Issue of Kissan Credit Cards and introduction of Personal Accident Insurance Scheme are
some other measures taken.

28. Point out the initiative taken by the Government to ensure the increase in the agricultural
production.
i. The Government of India started a number of agricultural reforms to improve Indian
agriculture in the 1960s and 1970s. The Green revolution based on the use of package
technology and the White Revolution were some of the strategies adopted.
ii. The Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Agricultural Universities, Veterinary services,
Horticulture Department, research and development in the field of meteorology and weather
forecast were given priority to modernize agriculture and to improve it.
iii. Comprehensive land development programmes, which included the institutional and
technological reforms, were introduced in 1980s and 1990s.
iv. ( add relevant points from answer 27 )

29. The land under cultivation has been reduced day by day. What are its consequences?
i. It affects the food security in India. There will be acute shortage of food grains in India
since the population is increasing.
ii. A major part of our foreign exchange will have to be spent for importing food grains.
iii. Majority of the population in India will have to find alternate occupation since agricultural
activity is declining.
iv. It affects the dependent cattle population in India and even affects the ecological balance.
30. Explain any four features of the comprehensive land development programmes
initiated in our country during 1980s and 1990s.
i. Comprehensive land development programmes, which included the institutional and
technological reforms, were introduced in 1980s and 1990s.
ii. The widespread use of radio and television acquainted farmers with new and improved
techniques of cultivation.
iii. The crop insurance against drought, flood, fire, cyclone and diseases was another schemes to
protect the farmers against crop failures.
iv. Easy availability of capital or investment through a well-knit network of rural banking like
‘Grammen banks’ were introduced.
v. Special bulletins for farmers were introduced in T.V. and radios to make precautionary
measures and to get the farmers acquainted with modern techniques of farming.
vi. Issue of Kissan Credit Cards and introduction of Personal Accident Insurance Scheme are
some other measures taken.
vii. The government also announced minimum support price for important crops to check the
exploitation of farmers by speculators and intermediaries. (any four)

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31. Name a commercial crop of Punjab and Haryana, which is a subsistence crop in
Odisha.
Ans: Rice

32. Name any two types of paddy grown in Assam, West Bengal and Odisha.
Ans: Aus, Aman and Boro.

33. Name the inputs in commercial farming.

(HYV seeds, fertilizers, insecticides, irrigation, modern technology)

34. What are the challenges faced by India farmers today?

i. Today Indian Farmers are facing a big challenge from international competition and our
government is going ahead with reduction in public investment in agriculture sector
particularly in irrigation, power, rural roads, market and mechanization.
ii. Subsidy on fertilizers is decreased leading to increase in the cost of production.
iii. More over reduction in import duties on agricultural products have proved detrimental to
agriculture in the country.
iv. Farmers are withdrawing their investment from agriculture causing a downfall in the
employment in agriculture.

35. Why is the declining share of agriculture in the GDP a matter of serious concern?
Because any decline and stagnation in agriculture will lead to a decline in other spheres of
the economy having wider implications for society.
36. Wheat and rice farming in India are fairly different from each other. Justify the
statement.

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