Agriculture Class 10 Social Science Notes and Questions

Horticulture

Slash and burn cultivation in the NE region of India.

Loan facilities to the farmers at lower rates of interest, Kisan Credit Card (KCC) and crop insurance etc.

Jhum cultivation

Pulses

For the best production deep, well-drained sandy or sandy-loam soil is recommended.

(i) Growing conditions required for rice :

(a)   High temperature (above 25°C). It is a Kharif crop.

(b)  High  humidity  with  annual  rainfall  above 100 cm.

(ii)  Main  growing  regions  :   Northern   plains, north  eastern India, Coastal areas, deltaic plains and river valleys.

The three cropping seasons in India are:
(i)   Rabi (ii) Kharif (iii) Zaid Rabi

These are characterized as :

(i)  The kharif season largely coincides with Southwest Monsoon under which the cultivation of tropical crops such as rice, cotton, jute, jowar, bajra and tur is possible.

(ii)  The rabi  season  begins with  the  onset  of winter in October-November and ends in March- April.  The  low  temperature  conditions  during this season facilitate the cultivation of temperate and subtropical crops such as wheat, gram and mustard.

(iii) Zaid is a short duration summer cropping season beginning after harvesting of rabi crops.

The most  important  staple  crops  are  rice and wheat. The states where they are grown and geographical conditions for the production of rice and wheat are :

Plantation agriculture : It is a type of commercial farming practised in tropical and sub- tropical regions. It was introduced by the British in India.

Characteristics :

(i)   A single crop is grown over a large area.

(ii)  It is capital intensive and done with cheap labour.

(iii) All produce is used as raw materials in various industries. Crops are tea, coffee, rubber, sugarcane, banana, etc.

(iv) Plantation has interface of agriculture and industry both.

(i)  Importance  :  Many  industries  depend upon rubber as their raw material especially transport industry.

(ii)  Geographical conditions :
(a)  It is an equatorial crop, but under special conditions, it is also grown in tropical and subtropical areas. It requires moist and humid climate with rainfall of more than 200 cm and temperature above 25°C.

(iii) Rubber producing states are Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Garo hills of Meghalaya.

Tea : Grows well in tropical and sub-tropical climates.

Soil type : Deep and fertile, well drained soil, rich in humus and organic matter.

Climate : Warm and moist, frost-free climate throughout the years.

Rainfall : Frequent showers throughout the year. Two states : Assam, West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Andhra Pradesh, Meghalaya and Tripura.

Maharashtra, Gujarat, MP. etc., are the major cotton producing states.

Geographical conditions required for the cultivation of cotton are:

(i)   It grows well in drier parts of the black cotton soil of the Deccan plateau.

(ii)  It requires high temperature (21°C – 30°C).

(iii) It requires light rainfall or irrigation (50-100 cm).

(iv) It  requires  210 frost  free days and  bright sunshine for its growth.

Features of primitive subsistence agriculture in India are :

(i)   It is practised on small patches of land with the help of primitive tools.

(ii)   Tools which are used are basically traditional tools such as hoe, dao and digging sticks.

(iii) This type of agriculture totally depends upon monsoon.

(iv) When the soil fertility decreases, the farmers shift to another plot of land.

(i)  Intensive subsistence farming is practised in areas of high population pressure on land. In this type of farming, the agricultural production is increased by using high doses of biochemical inputs and better agricultural inputs.

(ii) Features of intensive farming :
(a) High yielding variety (HYV) seeds and modern chemical inputs and irrigation are used to increase the production.
(b) The per hectare yield is very high.
(c) More than one crop is cultivated during a year.
(d) In Indian this kind of farming is seen in Kerala.

Karnataka

In addition to their good nutritional value, an important feature of these crops is that they require much less water to grow than rice and wheat. They can be successfully cultivated in semi-arid tropics and on poor soils.

Wheat

The kharif cropping season is from July – October during the south-west monsoon.

(a)   Rabi crops  are  also known  as winter crops. They are sown from October to December and harvested from April to June.

(b)  Wheat, barley, pea, gram and mustard are the important rabi crops. Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Uttarakhan and Uttar Pradesh are the important producers of rabi crops.

(c)  Availability of precipitation  during  winter months due to the western disturbances  helps in the success of these crops. However, the success of the green revolution in Punjab, Haryana, western Uttar Pradesh and parts of Rajasthan has also been an important factor in the growth of the above mentioned rabi crops.

(a) Kharif crops are also known as summer crops. They are sown at the beginning of monsoon and harvested in September-October.

(b) Paddy, maize, jowar, bajra, tur, moong, urad, cotton, jute, groundnut and soybean are important kharif crops. Assam, West Bengal, coastal regions of Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar are important rice growing states.

(c) In  Assam, West Bengal and  Orissa; three crops of paddy are grown in a year. These are called Aus, Aman and Boro.

India is the largest producer  and consumer of pulses in the world. Pulses are rich in proteins and are the main source of protein for vegetarians India. It is second important constituent of Indian diet after cereals.

Pulses are mostly grown in rotation with other crops because

(i)   Pulses need less moisture and survive even dry conditions.

(ii)  Being leguminous crops, all these crops help in restoring soil fertility by fixing nitrogen from the air.

(iii) Major pulse producing  states are :  Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh

Wheat requires a cool growing season and a bright sunshine at the time of ripening. It requires 50 to 75 cm of annual rainfall evenly distributed over the growing season. Fertile alluvial soil or mixed soil and plain land or gentle slope is ideal for wheat cultivation.

There are  two  important  wheat-growing  zones in the country – the Ganga-Satluj plains in the northwest  and  black soil region of the Deccan. The major wheat-producing states are Punjab, Haryana,  Uttar  Pradesh,  Bihar,  Rajasthan  and parts of Madhya Pradesh.

Pulses are  mostly  grown  in  rotation  with other crops because

(i)   Pulses need less moisture and survive even in dry conditions.

(ii)  Being leguminous crops, all these crops help in restoring soil fertility by fixing nitrogen from the air.

Major pulse producing states are : Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.

(a) Climatic condition : It is a kharif crop which requires high temperature (above 25°C) and high humidity with annual rainfall above 100 cm. In the areas of less rainfall, it grows with the help of irrigation.

(b)  Soil requirement : Rice is grown in the plains of north and north-eastern India, coastal areas and the deltaic regions. The preferred soil type is clayey or clayey -loam.

(c)   Two  major  rice  producing   states  :   West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh

Importance of oil seeds :

(i)   These are edible and used as cooking medium. (ii)  Also used as raw material in production  of soaps, cosmetics and ointments.

(iii) India is the largest producers of oil seeds. Groundnut :

(i)   Kharif crop

(ii)  Accounts   for   half   of   the   total   oilseed production in India.

(iii) State   :    Andhara   Pradesh,   Tamil   Nadu, Karnataka, Gujarat and Maharashtra.

 (i)  Groundnut               (ii) Mustard (iii) Coconut    (iv) Sesame (v)  Soyabean, Sunflower, etc.

Importance of oilseeds : Most of these are edible in the form of oil. Used as raw material for manufacturing paints, varnishes, soaps, perfumes etc,. oil cake is used as cattle feed and fertiliser.

Millets  are  coarse  grains  but   have  high nutritional value e.g., ragi-rich in iron, calcium.

(i)   Jowar – Rain fed crop mostly grows in moist area.

(ii)  Bajra – grows well on sandy soils and shallow black soil.

States   producing   –   Rajasthan,   Maharashtra, Gujrat, Haryana and U.P.

(iii) Ragi – grows well in dry region on red, black, sandy and loamy soils.

States   producing   –   Tamil   Nadu,   Himachal

Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Sikkim.

(i)  Jute is called the golden fibre.

(ii)  Geographical conditions :
(a)   Grows well in drained fertile soil of the flood plains where the soil is renewed every year.
(b)  High temperature is required during the time of growth.

Uses : Can be used to manufacture gunny bags, mats, ropes, yarn, carpets and other artefacts.

Pulses are  mostly  grown  in  rotation  with other crops because

(i)   Pulses need less moisture and survive even in dry conditions.

(ii)  Being leguminous crops, all these crops help in restoring soil fertility by fixing nitrogen from the air.

Major pulse producing states are : Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.

(i) Geographical conditions required for the growth of maize crop in India : (a) It is a kharif crop which requires temperature between 21°C to 27°C.
(b) It grows well in alluvial soil.

(ii)  Use of modern  inputs  such as HYV seeds, fertilisers and irrigation have contributed  to the increased production of maize.

(i) Three geographical conditions for the growth of rice :
(a)   It requires high temperature (above 25°C).
(b)  Annual rainfall above 100 cm.
(c)   High humidity

(ii)  It is possible to grow rice in areas of less rainfall with the help of irrigation as done in Punjab and Haryana.

(i) Three geographical conditions for the growth of rice :
(a)   It requires high temperature (above 25°C).
(b)  Annual rainfall above 100 cm.
(c)   High humidity

(ii)  It is possible to grow rice in areas of less rainfall with the help of irrigation as done in Punjab and Haryana.

Geographical conditions required for the growth of sugarcane in India are :

(i)   It is a tropical as well as sub-tropical crop so it requires a hot and humid climate.

(ii)  Temperature of 24°C to 27°C.

(iii) It requires an annual rainfall between 75 to 100 cm.

(iv) It can be grown on a variety of soils.

Major sugarcane producing states of North India are : Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Punjab and Haryana.

Development of dense canal network and inputs like fertilizers and pesticides.

Three steps were as follows  :

From  the  earliest  days  agriculture  was  given great importance in the “five year plans”.  Other important steps included : 1.    Abolishment of zamindari system. The right to own the land was given to the actual cultivators which then led to the increase in the production.

1.    Abolishment of zamindari system. The right to own the land was given to the actual cultivators which then led to the increase in the production.

2. Cooperative societies were formed which provided quality seeds and fertilizers to farmers at low price.

3.    Another  act  called  ‘land  ceiling  act’  was passed, according to which the land could not be held by a person beyond a defined limit.

The important institutional reforms carried out by the Government of India have been as follows  :

(i)   Provision for crop insurance against drought, flood, cyclone, fire and disease.

(ii) Establishment of Grameen (regional rural) banks, cooperative societies and banks for providing loan facilities to the farmers at lower rates of interest. (iii) Establishment    of    Indian    Council    of Agricultural Research (ICAR), agricultural universities, veterinary services and animal breeding centers, horticulture development, research and development in the field of meteorology and weather forecasting etc.

(i) Land    reforms     :      Collectivisation, consolidation of land holdings, cooperation and abolition of zamindari.

(ii)  Agricultural reforms : Green revolution and white revolution.

(iii) Land development programmes  :  Provision for crop insurance against drought, flood, cyclone etc., establishment of Grameen banks.

(iv) Issuing of Kisan Credit Card and  Personal Accident Insurance Scheme, etc.

(v)  Special weather bulletins and agricultural programmes for farmers on radio and TV.

The various institutional reforms introduced by the government in the interest of farmers are mentioned below:

(i)   Provision for crop insurance against drought, flood, cyclone, and disease.

(ii)  Establishment of Grameen banks, cooperative societies and banks for providing loan facilities to the farmers at lower rates of interest.

(iii) Kisan Credit Card (KCC), Personal Accident Insurance Scheme (PAIS) schemes are introduced by the Government of India for the benefit of the farmers.

(iv) Special weather bulletins and agricultural program for farmers have been introduced on the radio and television.

(v)  The government also announces minimum support price, remunerative and procurement prices for important crops to check the exploitation of farmers by speculators and middlemen.

The technological advancements gave birth to Green Revolution, White Revolution or Operation Flood. Considering the importance of agriculture the Government of India took steps to modernize agriculture.    Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) was established. The government encourages through various institution the use of –

(a)   Soil testing facilities

(b)  Technology such as drip irrigation

(c)   Better seeds, fertilizers and pesticides

The main initiatives include :

(i) Land reforms : Collectivisation, consolidation of  land holdings, cooperation and abolition of zamindari.

(ii)  Agricultural reforms : Green revolution and white revolution.

(iii) Land development programmes  :  Provision for crop insurance against drought, flood, cyclone, etc., establishment of Grameen banks, Cooperative societies and banks for providing loans.

(iv) Issuing of Kisan Credit Card and  Personal

Accident Insurance Scheme, etc.

(v)  Special weather bulletins and agricultural programmes for farmers on radio and TV.

(vi) Government announces Minimum support Price (MSP) and remunerative and procurement prices to check exploitation.

(vii) The government  provides  HYV seeds and fertilisers.

(viii) Government provides technical assistance and training for farmers.

(ix) Soil  testing  facilities, cold  storage  and transportation for farmers.

(i) More  and  more  land  is  used  for construction of factories, warehouses and shelters which have reduced the land under cultivation.

(ii)  Soil gets degraded by the use of pesticides, fertilizers, etc. Irrigation, often leads to water logging and salinity.

(iii) Today  Indian  farmers  are  facing  a  big challenge from international competition.

(iv) Our  government  is reducing  the  public investment in agriculture, subsidy on fertilizers have decreased.

(v)  Reduction in import duties on agricultural products have proved detrimental to agriculture in our country.

(i) Agriculture is the mainstay of Indian economy because about  67% of our  population depends directly or indirectly on agriculture.

(ii)  It provides raw materials to the industries. (iii)  India  earns  foreign exchange by exporting agricultural products.

(iv) It contributes  about  17% to other  gross domestic product.

(v)  It provides food to the Indian population.

Indian agriculture started a decline in the trend of food production because :

(i) More and more land is used for construction of factories, warehouses and shelters. This has reduced good land under cultivation.

(ii) Soil gets degraded by the use of pesticides, fertilizers, over-irrigation, etc., which leads to water logging and salinity.

Remedial measures:

(i) Use of agricultural techniques which are environmentally sustainable.

(ii) Use of biotechnology in modifying different crops and increase the yield per hectare. It reduces dependence on insecticides and also require less water.