Questions solution Agriculture chapter

(i) What is agriculture?

1. Agriculture is the science and art of cultivation on the soil, raising crops and rearing of livestock. 

2. Agriculture is a primary activity and favourable climate and fertile soil are crucial for agricultural activity.

(ii) Name the factors influencing agriculture

The topography and fertility of the soil and the climate are the two main factors that influence agriculture. 

Crops need fertile soil, adequate rainfall and plenty of sunlight to grow well.

(iii) What is shifting cultivation? What are its disadvantages?

In the thickly forested areas of tropical Africa, Amazon basin and Northeast India, farmers clear a piece of land by felling the trees. The felled trees are then burnt and ashes are mixed into the soil. Crops like yam, potatoes, cassava and maize are grown in these farms. When the soil loses its fertility, they will abandon the land and move to another plot. This is known as shifting cultivation.

The major disadvantage of shifting cultivation 

1. it leads to deforestation and soil erosion. 

2. It is also highly labor intensive. 

3. The farmer has to prepare the land every time he wants to grow crops.

4. In addition, this method of farming is not suitable for producing crops in large quantities.

(iv) What is plantation agriculture?

 Plantation agriculture is a type of commercial farming where a single crop of tea, sugarcane, coffee, cashew, rubber, banana or cotton is grown. 

Large amounts of labor and capital are required. 

Brazil has large plantations of coffee and India has large plantations of tea.

(v) Name the fibre crops and name the climatic conditions required for their growth.

Cotton and jute are the chief fibre crops. 

Cotton requires light rainfall, bright sunshine, high temperature and at least 210 frost free days for optimum growth. It grows on black and alluvial soil. 

Jute requires high temperature, heavy rainfall and humid climate. It grows well on alluvial soil.

Give reasons

(i) In India agriculture is a primary activity

 Two-thirds of the population of India still depends on agriculture. Most farmers in India practice intensive agriculture. 

Commercial farming is not practiced here and most farmers simply take their produce to the mandi and sell it even when the prices are low. 

Since the farmer only grows crops and is not involved in its commercial trade or processing, agriculture in India is considered as a primary activity.

(ii) Different crops are grown in different regions

 Different crops grown in a particular region depends upon several factors such as the topography of the soil, demand for the produce, availability of technology and climate. 

For example, rice requires high temperature and heavy rainfall available in tropical and sub-tropical climates. Wheat, on the other hand, requires moderate temperature and rainfall.

4. Distinguish between the following

(i) Primary activities and tertiary activities

Primary activities include all those activities connected with the extraction and production of natural resources.

 Fishing and farming are good examples of primary activities.

Tertiary activities support the primary and secondary activities through services.  Examples of tertiary activities include trade, advertising, banking and transport.

(ii) Subsistence farming and intensive farming

Subsistence farming is the type of farming practiced to meet the needs of the farmer and his family.
In which old tools and primitive methods are used.

Intensive farming 

1. is a kind of subsistence farming in which the farmer cultivates a small piece of land using simple tools and manual labour. 
2. The farmer may grow two or three crops in a year on the same land. 
3. This type of farming is mainly practiced in the thickly populated areas of south, southeast and east Asia.

Difference between a farm in India and  a farm in USA.

Size  farm size in India approximately 1.5 hectare.
An average farm size in USA is 200 hectare.
Crops  farmers in India  grows at least two crops in a year which are normally wheat or rice and pulses.
In USA farmers grow single crop such as  corn, soybean, wheat, cotton and sugar beet.
Tools farmers in India  still use traditional method of using bullocks for ploughing.
In USA farmers uses tractors, seed drills, leveler, combined harvester and thresher to perform various agricultural operations.
In India majority of the farmers do not have storage facilities.
In USA A grains are stored in the automated grain storage or dispatched to market agencies.