Agriculture
Short Questions
Question: What percentage of India’s population is engaged in agriculture?
Answer: About two-thirds of India’s population is engaged in agriculture.
Question: What is primitive subsistence farming also called in North-East India?
Answer: It is called Jhumming in the North-East.
Question: Which type of farming uses family/community labour and primitive tools?
Answer: Primitive subsistence farming.
Question: Name one state where intensive subsistence farming is practised.
Answer: It is practised in Uttar Pradesh.
Question: Which type of farming uses HYV seeds, fertilizers and pesticides?
Answer: Commercial farming.
Question: Name two important plantation crops in India.
Answer: Tea and coffee.
Question: What are the three cropping seasons in India?
Answer: Rabi, Kharif and Zaid.
Question: Name two rabi crops.
Answer: Wheat and barley.
Question: Which crop is the staple food of a majority of Indians?
Answer: Rice.
Question: Which state is the largest producer of wheat in India?
Answer: Punjab.
Question: Name one leguminous crop that restores soil fertility.
Answer: Pulses (like moong).
Question: Which fibre crop is known as the “golden fibre”?
Answer: Jute.
Question: Which crop is both tropical and subtropical and requires 21°C–27°C?
Answer: Sugarcane.
Question: Who started the Bhoodan movement?
Answer: Vinoba Bhave.
Question: What is sericulture?
Answer: Rearing of silkworms for production of silk.
Long Questions
Question: Describe primitive subsistence farming in India.
Answer: Primitive subsistence farming is done on small patches using primitive tools like hoe and dao. It depends on monsoon, natural soil fertility, and family labour. Farmers practise slash-and-burn methods and shift to new land when fertility decreases.
Question: What are the main features of intensive subsistence farming?
Answer: This farming is labour-intensive and practised in areas of high population density. Farmers use irrigation and biochemical inputs to increase production. Despite small landholdings, they try to get maximum yield.
Question: Explain the main characteristics of commercial farming.
Answer: Commercial farming uses HYV seeds, fertilizers, and machinery to maximize yield. Plantation crops like tea and coffee are grown on large estates. It is capital-intensive and linked with industries and markets.
Question: Differentiate between rabi and kharif crops.
Answer: Rabi crops are sown in winter (Oct–Dec) and harvested in summer (Apr–Jun), like wheat and barley. Kharif crops are sown with monsoon onset (Jun–Jul) and harvested in autumn (Sep–Oct), like rice and maize. Both depend on seasonal rainfall.
Question: Write a short note on rice cultivation in India.
Answer: Rice is the staple food crop of India and a kharif crop. It needs high temperature, humidity, and over 100 cm rainfall. Major producers are West Bengal, Assam, coastal Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu.
Question: What are the geographical conditions required for wheat?
Answer: Wheat needs a cool growing season and bright sunshine at ripening. It requires 50–75 cm rainfall. Major wheat-producing states are Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh.
Question: State the importance of pulses in Indian agriculture.
Answer: Pulses are the main protein source for vegetarians. They improve soil fertility by fixing nitrogen. Major producers are Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh.
Question: Describe tea cultivation in India.
Answer: Tea grows in tropical and sub-tropical climates with fertile, well-drained soil rich in humus. It is labour-intensive and processed in gardens to maintain freshness. Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala are leading producers.
Question: What institutional reforms were introduced in Indian agriculture?
Answer: Post-independence, reforms included abolition of zamindari, land consolidation, and cooperative farming. Later, Green and White Revolutions improved productivity. Schemes like KCC, crop insurance, and MSP were also introduced.
Question: Write a note on the Bhoodan and Gramdan movements.
Answer: Vinoba Bhave started Bhoodan when Ram Chandra Reddy donated land to landless farmers. Later, some landlords gave entire villages under Gramdan. This movement is also called the “bloodless revolution.”
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