India is an agricultural country. Which two-thirds population engaged in agricultural activities.
Agriculture is a primary activity, which produces food for consumption and raw material for industries.
Some agricultural products like tea, coffee, spices, etc. are also exported.
Types of agriculature
1. Primitive Subsistence Farming :
It is the oldest form of agriculture which is practised on small patches of land with the help of primitive tools like hoe,
dao and digging sticks.
This type of farming depends upon monsoon and natural fertility of the soil.
The farmer does not use fertilisers or other modern inputs in this farmming.
Land productivity in this type of agriculture is low.
It is also known as ‘slash and burn’ agriculture or shifting cultivation.
In this cultivation, farmers clear a patch of land by cutting trees and bushes and burn them. The ash that remained after burning acts as fertilizer for the soil. When the soil fertility decreases, the farmers shift to another patch of land.
Different Names of Slash and Burn Farming:
1. Slash and Burn Farming in India
Jhumming : North-eastern region (Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Nagaland)
Pamlou : Manipur
Dipa : Bastar (Chhattisgarh) and Andaman & Nicobar Islands
Bewar or Dahiya : Madhya Pradesh
Podu or Penda : Andhra Pradesh
Pama Dabi or Koman or Bringa : Orissa
Kumari : Western Ghats
Valre or Waltre : South eastern Rajasthan
Khil : Himalayan belt
Kuruwa : Jharkhand
2. Slash and Burn Farming in World
Milpa : Mexico and Central America
Conuco : Venezuela
Roca : Brazil
Masole : Central Africa
Ladang : Indonesia
Ray : Vietnam
2. Intensive Subsistence Farming :
Intensive subsistence is a labour intensive farming where high doses of biochemical inputs and irrigation are used for obtaining higher production. .
It is practiced in areas of high population pressure on land.
It is a labour intensive farming,
High doses of biochemical inputs and irrigation are used for obtaining higher production.
In this type of farming crops are grown for family consumption.
Commercial Farming
Commercial farming is a farming in which crop production is done for commercial pupose.
This type of farming uses higher doses of modern inputs such as high-yielding variety (HYV) seeds, chemical fertilisers, insecticides and pesticides to obtain higher productivity.
It is practiced on large patches of land.
it is a capitalistic technique.
Farms are very large in this type farming
The degree of commercialisation of agriculture varies from one region to another.
For example, rice is a commercial crop in Haryana and Punjab, but in Odisha, it is a subsistence crop.
Plantation :
Plantation is a type of commercial farming in which the focus is on the production of one crop only.
In this type of farming, a single crop is grown on a large area.
The plantation has an interface of agriculture and industry.
It is capital intensive farming and done with the help of migrant labour.
All the produce of Plantation is used as raw material in respective industries.
In India, tea, coffee, rubber, sugarcane, banana, etc., are important plantation crops.
A well developed network of transport and communication plays an important role in the development of plantations.
Cropping Pattern
Rabi crops : Rabi crops are sown in winter from October to December and harvested in summer from April to June. (October to march)
Example : wheat, barley, peas, gram and mustard.
Wheat is the major crop of rabi.
Kharif crops : Kharif crops are grown with the onset of monsoon and harvested in September-October.(June to september)
Example : paddy, maize, jowar, bajra, tur (arhar), moong, urad, cotton, jute, groundnut and soyabean.
Assam, West Bengal and Odisha, three crops of paddy are grown in a year. These are Aus, Aman and Boro.
Zaid crops :
In between the rabi and the kharif seasons, there is a short season during the summer months known as the Zaid season.
Zaid crops are grown in zaid season mainly from March to June.
Example: watermelon, muskmelon, cucumber, vegetables and fodder crops.
Major Crops
Rice:
It is the staple food crop of a majority of the people in India.
Our country is the second largest producer of rice in the world after China.
Climatic/geographical conditions required for rice :
It is a kharif crop
High temperature, (above 25°C)
High humidity with annual rainfall above 100 cm.
It is possible to grow rice in areas of less rainfall (Punjab and Haryana) with the help of irrigation
Main growing regions:
Northern plains, northeastern India, Coastal areas, deltaic plains and river valleys.
Wheat: This is the second most important cereal crop.
It is the main food crop, in north and north-western part of the country.
Climatic/geographical conditions required for wheat:
It is rabi crop.
It requires a cool season to grow and a bright sunshine at the time of ripening.
It requires 50 to 75 cm of annual rainfall.
Main growing regions:
There are two important wheat-growing zones in the india –
(i) The Ganga-Satluj plains in the north-west
(ii) Black soil region of the Deccan.
The major wheat-producing states are Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Rajasthan.
Millets: Jowar, bajra and ragi are the important millets. They have very high nutritional value.
Bajra : Bajra grows well on sandy soils and shallow black soil. Major Bajra producing States are Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh,
Maharashtra, Gujarat and Haryana.
Jowar : Jowar is the third most important food crop with respect to area and production.
It is a rain-fed crop mostly grown in the moist areas which hardly needs irrigation. Major Jowar producing States are Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
Ragi : Ragi is very rich in iron, calcium, other micro nutrient
Ragi is a crop of dry regions and grows well on red, black, sandy, loamy and shallow black soils.
Major ragi producing states are: Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Jharkhand and Arunachal Pradesh.
Maize: It is a crop which is used both as food and fodder.
It is a kharif crop which requires temperature between 21°C to 27°C
It grows well in old alluvial soil.
In Bihar maize is grown in rabi season also.
Major maize-producing states are Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
Pulses: India is the largest producer and consumer of pulses in the world.
These are the major source of protein in a vegetarian diet.
Major pulses that are grown in India are tur (arhar), urad, moong, masur, peas and gram.
Pulses need less moisture and survive even in dry conditions.
Being leguminous crops, all these crops except arhar help in restoring soil fertility by fixing nitrogen from the air. Therefore, these are mostly grown in rotation with other crops.
Major pulse producing states in India are Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka.
Sugarcane:
India is the second largest producer of sugarcane only after Brazil. It is the main source of sugar, gur (jaggary), khandsari and molasses.
It is a tropical and subtropical crop.
It grows well in hot and humid climate with a temperature of 21°C to
27°C and an annual rainfall between 75cm.and 100cm.
Irrigation is required in the regions of low rainfall.
The major sugarcane-producing states are Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Bihar, Punjab and Haryana.
Oil Seeds: Main oil-seeds produced in India are groundnut, mustard, coconut, sesamum (til), soyabean, castor seeds, cotton seeds, linseed and sunflower.
Oil seeds are grown covering approximately 12 per cent of the total cropped area of the country.
Most of oil seeds are edible and used as cooking mediums.
Some of oil seeds are used as raw material in the production of soap, cosmetics and ointments.
Groundnut is a kharif crop and accounts for about half of the major oilseeds produced in the country.
Largest producer of groundnut in the world after China
Gujarat is the largest producer of groundnut followed by Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu. Linseed and mustard are rabi crops.
Sesamum is a kharif crop in north and rabi crop in south India. Castor seed is grown both as rabi and kharif crop.
Tea: Tea cultivation is plantation agriculture.
It is an important beverage crop
It introduced in India by the British.
Today, most of the tea plantations are owned by Indians.
The tea plant grows well in tropical and sub-tropical climates
The tea plant grows well in deep and fertile , well-drained , rich in humus and organic matter soil.
Tea bushes require warm and moist frost-free climate all through the year.
Frequent showers evenly distributed over the year ensure continuous growth of tender leaves.
Tea is a labour-intensive industry.
It requires abundant, cheap and skilled labour.
Major teaproducing states are Assam, hills of Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri districts, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
In 2018 India was the second largest producer of tea after China.
Coffee: Indian coffee is known in the world for its good quality.
Arabica variety of coffee is produced in India which was brought from Yemen.
Initially its cultivation was introduced on the Baba Budan Hills and even today its cultivation is confined to the Nilgiri in Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
Horticulture Crops:
Horticulture is specialized cultivation of fruits and vegetables
India is the second largest producer of fruits and vegetables in the world after China.
India is a producer of tropical as well as temperate fruits.
Mangoes - Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal,
Oranges - Nagpur and Cherrapunjee (Meghalaya)
Bananas - Kerala, Mizoram, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu
Lichi and Guava - Uttar Pradesh and Bihar,
Pineapples - Meghalaya, grapes of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Maharashtra,
Apples, Pears, Apricots and Walnuts - Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh
Rubber : It is an equatorial crop, but under special conditions it is also grown in tropical and sub-tropical areas.
It requires moist and humid climate with rainfall of more than 200 cm. and temperature above 25°C.
Rubber is an important industrial raw material.
It is mainly grown in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andaman and Nicobar islands and Garo hills of Meghalaya.
Fibre Crops: Cotton, jute, hemp and natural silk are the four major fibre crops grown in India. The first three are derived from the crops grown in the soil, the latter is obtained from cocoons of the silkworms fed on green leaves specially mulberry.
Rearing of silk worms for the production of silk fibre is known as sericulture.
Cotton: India is believed to be the original home of the cotton plant. Cotton is one of the main raw materials for cotton textile industry.
India is second largest producer of cotton after China.
Cotton grows well in drier parts of the black cotton soil of the Deccan plateau.
It requires high temperature, light rainfall or irrigation, 210 frost-free days and bright sun-shine for its growth.
It is a kharif crop and requires 6 to 8 months to mature.
Major cotton-producing states are– Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.
Jute: It is known as the golden fibre.
Jute grows well on well-drained fertile soils in the flood plains where soils are renewed every year.
High temperature is required during the time of growth.
West Bengal, Bihar, Assam, Odisha and Meghalaya are the major jute producing states.
It is used in making gunny bags, mats, ropes, yarn, carpets and other artefacts. Due to its high cost, it is losing market to synthetic fibres and packing materials, particularly the nylon.
Technological and Institutional Reforms
(i) Land reforms: Collectivisation consolidation of holdings cooperation and abolition of zamindari.
(ii) Agricultural reforms: Green revolution and White revolution (Operation Flood).
(iii) Land development programmes(1980s and 1990s) : Provision for crop insurance against drought, flood, cyclone etc. establishment of Grameen banks Cooperative societies and banks for providing loans.
(iv) Kissan Credit Card (KCC) and Personal Accident Insurance Scheme (PAIS) are introduced by the Government of India
(v) Special weather bulletins and agricultural programmes for farmers were introduced on radio and TV.
(vi) Government announces Minimum Support Price (MSP) and remunerative and procurement prices to check exploitation of farmers
Bhoodan – Gramdan
Mahatma Gandhi declared Vinoba Bhave as his spiritual heir.
Once, when he was delivering a lecture at Pochampalli in Andhra Pradesh, some poor landless villagers demanded some land for their economic well-being. Vinoba Bhave could not promise it to them immediately but assured them to talk to the Government of India regarding provision of land for them if they undertook cooperative farming.
Suddenly, Shri Ram Chandra Reddy stood up and offered 80 acres of land to be distributed among 80 land-less villagers. This act was known as ‘Bhoodan’.
Some zamindars, owners of many villages offered to distribute some villages among the landless. It was known as Gramdan. This Bhoodan-Gramdan movement initiated by Vinoba Bhave is also known as the Blood-less Revolution.
- Which crop have very high nutritional value.Millets
- Name the important millets grown in India.Jowar, Bajra and Ragi.
- India is the largest producer as well as consumer of which agricultural product in the world?Pulses.
- Name the important beverage crop introduced by the British in India.Tea
- In which type of soil does maize grow well?Old alluvial.
- Which crop is used both as food and fodder?Maize.
- Which is the leading coffee producer state in India?Karnataka.
- Name any four oilseeds produced in India.(i) Groundnut (ii) Mustard (iii) Coconut (iv) Sesamun
- Which state is the largest producer of ragi?Karnataka.
- Which is the main food crop grown in north and northwestern parts of India.Wheat
- What term is used for grouping of small land holdings with bigger ones?Consolidation of land holdings
- Name the two most important staple food crops in India.Two most important staple food crops in India are rice and wheat.
- Which crop is known as golden fibre?Jute.
- By which other name is ‘slash and burn’ agriculture known?
Primitive subsistence farming/jhumming - Name the country in which Jhumming agriculture is known as Milpa?
Mexico - Describe ‘Jhumming cultivation’ in one sentence.
‘Slash and burn’ cultivation in North- Eastern states of India. - Which type of farming is intensive subsistence farming?
Labour intensive farming. - Hoe, dao, digging sticks are associated with which type of farming?
Primitive subsistence farming. - In which country the ‘slash and burn’ agriculture is known as ‘Roca’?
Brazil. - Name a variety of coffee which is produced in India.Arabica
- Name the crops for which India is the largest producer in the world.
Fruits and vegetables, oilseeds and pulses - Name some industries based on agricultural raw material.
Cotton Textile Industry and Sugar Industry. - In which system of agriculture, a single crop is grown on a large area?Plantation agriculture.
- Name some plantation crops.Tea, coffee, rubber, sugarcane and banana.
- Which crop is grown with the onset monsoons and are harvested in the month of September and October?Kharif.
- Name any two kharif crops.Rice, millet, maize, groundnut, jute, cotton.
- Which crop is the major crop of rabi?Wheat
- Name some rabi crops.Wheat, barley, peas, gram and mustard.
- Which two areas of India produce oranges mainly?Nagpur (Maharashtra) and Cherrapunjee (Meghalaya)
- By which name is specialized cultivation of fruits and vegetables known?Horticulture.
- Which country is the first largest producer of rice?China
- What is sericulture ?Rearing of silkworms for the production of silk fibre is known as sericulture.
- Name the states where three crops of paddy are grown in a year. What are they known as?Assam, West Bengal and OdishaThese crops of paddy are known as Aus, Aman and Boro.
- What is Zaid Season?In between the rabi and kharif seasons, there is a short season during the summer months known as ‘zaid’ season.
- What is White Revolution related to?White Revolution is related to the production of milk. It is also called Operation Flood
- Write the various uses Jute.It can be used to manufacture gunny bags, mats, ropes, yarn, carpets and other artifacts.
- What is primitive subsistence farming ?
It is a type of agriculture / farming which is practised on small patches of land with the help of primitive tools. - Name the two important wheat growing zones in India.(i) The Ganga-Satluj plains in the north-west(ii) Black soil region of the Deccan.
- Give at least one example of crops which may be commercial in one region and may provide subsistence in another region?Rice is a commercial crop in Haryana and Punjab, but it is a subsistence crop in Odisha.
- Explain any two geographical conditions required for the cultivation of pulses.(i) Pulses need less moisture and survive even in dry conditions.(ii) Temperature is required from 25°C to 30°C
- Why the pulses are mostly grown in rotation with other crops? Name any two major pulse producing states?Being leguminous crops, all these crops help in restoring soil fertility by fixing nitrogen from the air. Therefore, these are mostly grown in rotation with other crops.Major pulse producing states - Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan
- Describe the uses of oilseeds? Which state is the largest producer of groundnut?Most of oil seeds are edible and used as cooking mediums.Some of oil seeds are used as raw material in the production of soap, cosmetics and ointments.Gujarat is the largest producer of groundnut.
- Give an account of oilseeds in India.Main oil-seeds produced in India are groundnut, mustard, coconut, sesamum (til), soyabean, castor seeds, cotton seeds, linseed and sunflower.Oil seeds are grown covering approximately 12 per cent of the total cropped area of the country.Most of oil seeds are edible and used as cooking mediums.Some of oil seeds are used as raw material in the production of soap, cosmetics and ointments.
- “The Government of India has introduced various institutional and technological reforms to improve agriculture in the 1980s and 1990s”. Support this statement with examples.in the 1980s and 1990s, a comprehensive land development programme was initiated, which included both institutional and technical reforms.Crop insurance was provided against drought, floods, cyclone, fire and diseaseEstablishment of Grameen banks, cooperative societies and banks for providing loan facilities to the farmers at lower rates of interest.
- Which are the two main cropping seasons in India? Mention their growing and harvesting periods.The two main cropping seasons are Rabi and Kharif:(i) Rabi crops : Rabi crops are sown in winter from October to December and harvested in summer from April to June.(ii) Kharif crops : Kharif crops are grown with the onset of monsoon and harvested in September-October.
- What geographical conditions are required for the cultivation of sugarcane? Name two largest producing states of sugarcane.(i) It is a tropical as well as sub-tropical crop.(ii) It requires a hot and humid climate with a temperature of 21°C to 27°C.(iii) It requires an annual rainfall between 75 to 100 cm.It can be grown on a variety of soils.Largest producing states: Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra
- What are the growing conditions required for the main staple food crop of India? Mention the main growing regions.Growing conditions required for rice:(i) It is a Kharif crop.(ii)High temperature (above 25°C).(iii) High humidity with annual rainfall above 100 cm.Main growing regions: Northern plains, northeastern India, Coastal areas, deltaic plains and river valleys.
- Mention any two geographical conditions required for the growth of maize crop in India. Describe any three factors which have contributed to increase in maize production.Geographical conditions required for the growth of maize crop in India:(i) It is a kharif crop which requires temperature between 21°C to 27°C(ii) It grows well in old alluvial soil.Factors which have contributed to increase in maize production:Use of HYV seeds.Use of fertilizers.Use of irrigation facilities.
- What is intensive subsistence farming? Write three features of intensive farming.Intensive subsistence is a labour intensive farming where high doses of biochemical inputs and irrigation are used for obtaining higher production. .Features of intensive farming:(i) It is practiced in areas of high population pressure on land.(ii) It is a labour intensive farming.(iii) The per hectare yield is very high.
- Explain any five features of primitive subsistence agriculture in India.
(i) It is practised on small patches of land with the help of primitive tools.
(ii) The farmer does not use fertilisers or other modern inputs in this farmming.
(iii) This type of farming depends upon monsoon and natural fertility of the soil.
(iv) Land productivity in this type of agriculture is low.
(v) Tools which are used are basically traditional tools such as hoe, dao and digging stick. - What is the importance of agriculture in Indian economy?(i) Contribution to Employment : Agriculture is the backbone of Indian economy, which two-thirds population depends directly or indirectly on agriculture.(ii) Contribution to GDP : Agriculture contributes a very large share to GDP of the indian economy(iii)Contribution to international trade : It plays an important role in international trade . Some agricultural products like tea, coffee, spices, etc. are exported.(iv) Supplier of raw material for industries : Agriculture provides raw material for industries
- Describe any four geographical conditions required for the growth of tea. Mention the two major tea producing states of South India.1. The tea plant grows well in tropical and sub-tropical climates2. The tea plant grows well in deep and fertile , well-drained , rich in humus and organic matter soil.3. Tea bushes require warm and moist frost-free climate all through the year.4. Tea bushes require rfequent showers throughout the year.Major tea producing states of South India. - Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
- Describe the geographical conditions required for the cultivation of cotton. Which are the two major cotton producing states of North IndiaGeographical conditions required for the cultivation of cotton:(i) It is a kharif crop and requires 6 to 8 months to mature.(ii) It grows well in drier parts of the black cotton soil of the Deccan plateau.(iii) It requires high temperature.(iv) It requires light rainfall or irrigation.(v) It requires 210 frost free days and bright sunshine for its growth.Major cotton producing states of North India : Panjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh
- Explain Rubber cultivation in India under the following heads:a. Importance b. Geographical conditions c. Producing states.(i) Importance: Rubber is an important industrial raw material.(ii) Geographical conditions:It is an equatorial crop, but under special conditions it is also grown in tropical and sub tropical areas.It requires moist and humid climate with rainfall of more than 200 cm. and temperature above 25°C.(iii) Rubber producing states : Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andaman and Nicobar islands and Garo hills of Meghalaya.
- Wheat and rice farming in India are fairly different from each other. Explain.Wheat : It is a rabi crop.It requires 50 to 75 cm of annual rainfall.It requires Low temperature (about 10-15° C).It is Sown in the winter.Rice: It is a kharif crop.It requires Above 100 cm of annual rainfall.It requires Low temperature (about 10-15° C).It is Sown after the onset of monsoon.
- Compare the geographical conditions required for the production of cotton and jute.Cotton : It grows well in drier parts of the black cotton soil growsIt Grown in deccan plateau.It requires 210 frost free days and bright sunshineIt requires light rainfall (50 – 100 cm.)Major cotton-producing states are– Maharashtra, GujaratJute : It grows well on well-drained fertile soilsIt Grown in the flood plainsIt requires high temperature.(30°C)It requires near about 150 - 200 cm. rainfallMajor jute producing states : West Bengal
- Define plantation agriculture. Explain any four characteristics of plantation agriculture.Plantation is a type of commercial farming in which the focus is on the production of one crop only.Characteristics:(i) A single crop is grown over large area.(ii) It is capital intensive farming and done with the help of migrant labour.(iii) All the produce of Plantation is used as raw material in industries(iv) The plantation has an interface of agriculture and industry.(v) A well developed network of transport and communication plays an important role in the plantation agriculture.
- Distinguish between primitive subsistence farming and commercial farming by stating five points of distinction.1. Primitive subsistence farming is practised on small patches of land Whereas commercial farming is practiced on large patches of land.2. Traditional tools are used in primitive subsistence farming. Whereas modern inputs and technology are used in commercial farming.3. In primitive subsistence farming crops are grown for family consumption. Whereas in commercial farming crops are grown for commercial purpose.4. Primitive subsistence farming iis the oldest form of agriculture. Whereas commercial farming is the newest form of agriculture5. In primitive subsistence farming no costly fertilisers are used Whereas in commercial farming costly fertilisers are used.
- Compare intensive subsistence farming with that of commercial farming practiced in India.1. Intensive subsistence agriculture is a labour intensive farming. Whereas commercial farming is mechanized farmingIntensive Subsistence Farming2. Intensive subsistence agriculture is practiced in areas of high population pressure on land.Whereas commercial farming is practiced in areas of low population pressure on land3. In intensive subsistence farming crops are grown for family consumption. Whereas in commercial farming crops are grown for commercial purpose.4. In intensive subsistence farming per hectare yield is very high. Whereas in commercial farming the per hectare yield is low.5. In intensive subsistence farming the size of fields is small. Whereas in commercial farming the size of fields is large.
- Explain any five institutional and technical reforms brought by the government to improve the condition of Indian Agriculture (increase the productivity of agriculture)(i) Land reforms: Collectivisation consolidation of holdings cooperation and abolition of zamindari.(ii) Agricultural reforms: Green revolution and White revolution (Operation Flood).(iii) Land development programmes(1980s and 1990s) : Provision for crop insurance against drought, flood, cyclone etc. establishment of Grameen banks Cooperative societies and banks for providing loans.(iv) Kissan Credit Card (KCC) and Personal Accident Insurance Scheme (PAIS) are introduced by the Government of India(v) Special weather bulletins and agricultural programmes for farmers were introduced on radio and TV.(vi) Government announces Minimum Support Price (MSP) and remunerative and procurement prices to check exploitation of farmers
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