EXERCISE

Q1. What is meant by agriculture? Mention briefly the factors influencing agriculture.
Answer:  Agriculture is the oldest and most important economic activity of humans. In a broad sense, it includes both crop cultivation and livestock rearing. It provides food, raw materials, and employment to a large section of the population and has been the backbone of economies since ancient times.

Factors Influencing Agriculture are-

1. Natural factors such as land fertility, slope of the surface, climate, and availability of water influence the type and quantity of crops grown.
2. Socio-economic factors such as the financial condition of farmers, their education level, urbanisation, industrialisation, and transport facilities also affect agricultural activities.
3. Government policies like subsidies, minimum support prices (MSP), and crop insurance also influence agricultural practices.
4. Technological development, including the use of advanced machinery, improved seeds, fertilizers, and irrigation techniques, plays a major role in increasing agricultural productivity.

Q2. Explain why agricultural practice is not similar everywhere in the world.
Answer:  Agricultural practice is not similar everywhere because natural conditions vary widely. Land quality, soil fertility, climate, slope of the surface, and water availability influence what type of crops can be grown. For instance, the fertile Ganga-Brahmaputra plains support wet rice cultivation, whereas the hilly North-East region with steep slopes is more suited to shifting cultivation.

Socio-economic conditions also make agriculture different across the world. Factors like the financial condition of farmers, level of technology, education, market facilities, and transport availability play a big role. In developed countries such as the USA, farming is commercial and mechanised, while in many developing countries, it remains subsistence-based and labour-intensive. These differences create diversity in agricultural practices globally.

Q3. Classify agriculture and give the basis of your classification.
Answer:  Agriculture can be classified based on various characteristics:

Based on Permanence:

1. Permanent Agriculture
2. Shifting Agriculture

Based on Farm Size:

1. Large-scale or Extensive Agriculture
2. Small-scale or Intensive Agriculture

Based on Economic Consideration:

1. Commercial Agriculture
2. Subsistence Agriculture

• Based on Land Quality, Climate and Method of Farming:

1. Dry Farming
2. Wet Farming

Specialised Types:

1. Plantation Agriculture
2. Collective Farming
3. Horticulture
4. Market Gardening

Q4. What is permanent agriculture? Discuss briefly its characteristics.
Answer:  Permanent agriculture is a type of farming where people permanently settle in an area, usually plains, and cultivate the same fields for many years. It is widely practised in most parts of the world today.

Its characteristics are:

1. It is practiced in the plains where the land is suitable for cultivation year after year.
2. Farmers use modern tools and technology like tractors and irrigation facilities.
3. The use of fertilisers and manures is common to maintain soil fertility.
4. Agricultural output is relatively high.
5. Livestock rearing is often an important part of this type of agriculture.

Q5. Give a brief outline of shifting cultivation. Explain how this type of agriculture degrades the environment.
Answer:  Shifting cultivation, also known as Jhuming in North-East India, is a temporary type of agriculture practiced in the highlands of tropical regions. It is a primitive method where farmers clear a patch of forest on a hill slope, cultivate it for 2-3 years, and then abandon it to shift to a new area and repeat the process.

This type of agriculture degrades the environment in the following ways:

1. Deforestation: The process involves clearing forests, which leads to large-scale deforestation and loss of biodiversity.
2. Soil Erosion: The removal of forest cover makes the soil on the hill slopes vulnerable to erosion from wind and rain, leading to loss of fertile topsoil.
3. Loss of Soil Fertility: The soil loses its fertility quickly, forcing the farmers to shift to new areas. 
4. Loss of Habitat: It destroys the natural habitat of many plant and animal species.
5. Air Pollution: The practice of burning the cleared vegetation to prepare the land for cultivation releases smoke and pollutants into the atmosphere.

Q6. Present a comparative picture of large-scale and small-scale agriculture.
Answer: 

Q7. What do you mean by plantation farming? Discuss its characteristics.
Answer: Plantation farming is a type of agriculture that was introduced by Europeans in their tropical colonies. It is a large-scale commercial farming system that focuses on growing a single crop in huge estates.

Its characteristics are:

1. Monoculture: A single crop like tea, coffee, rubber, or cocoa is grown over a vast area.
2. Huge Capital Investment: It requires a large amount of capital for land, machinery, and management.
3. Modern Technology: It involves the use of modern technology in all stages, from cultivation to processing.
4. Market Orientation: The primary objective is to produce for a large market, often international.

Q8. Describe briefly the relationship between urbanisation and market gardening.
Answer: Market gardening is an intensive type of farming that focuses on producing vegetables, fruits, and flowers for urban markets. Urbanisation leads to the growth of cities and industrial centres, which increases the demand for fresh produce. The higher purchasing power of the urban population further boosts this demand, encouraging farmers to practice market gardening near cities.

The closeness of farms to urban areas ensures a regular and fresh supply of products while reducing transport costs. Well-developed transport and communication systems help farmers deliver their produce quickly to markets. Since market gardening is market-oriented, farmers use improved seeds, high-yielding varieties, and modern techniques to increase profits and meet urban needs.

Q9. What kind of environment is required for rice cultivation? Write briefly about the geographical distribution of rice.
Answer: Rice is a major staple food for almost half of the world’s population. The kind of environment required for its cultivation includes:

1. Temperature: High temperature, ranging between 25∘C and 35∘C.
2. Rainfall: High annual rainfall, preferably between 100-200 cm.
3. Soil: Generally, fertile flood plains, coastal plains, and deltaic plains are suitable for its cultivation.

Geographical Distribution of rice are :

1. Asia: Rice is mainly cultivated in the monsoon regions of Asia, which is the largest producing continent. China is the highest producer of rice, followed by India. Other major producing countries include Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, and Japan.
2. India: In India, the Ganga-Brahmaputra valley and the eastern coastal areas are major rice-producing regions. It is also grown in some hilly areas of the north-eastern region using shifting cultivation.
3. Other Countries: Rice is also produced in countries like the USA, Brazil, and Egypt.

Q10. Give an account of wheat cultivation.
Answer: Wheat is one of the world’s most important staple foods and a major crop of the temperate regions. It grows best in clayey and sandy soils of plains. The crop requires 50–100 cm of annual rainfall, though irrigation is used in low-rainfall areas. A temperate climate with at least three frost-free months during its growing period is most suitable for wheat cultivation.

Wheat is widely grown in the USA, China, India, Russia, Canada, Australia, France, Germany, and Pakistan. In India, the Ganga valley is particularly famous for wheat production. China is the leading producer of wheat in the world, followed by the USA and India.

Q11. Discuss the importance and geographical distribution of cotton farming.
Answer: Cotton is one of the most important fibre crops in the world. It plays a vital role in the textile industry as it is the primary raw material for making clothes and fabrics. Cotton grows best in regions with high temperatures, moderate rainfall (65–115 cm), and a long frost-free period of 190–210 days. Well-drained sandy soils and the black soils of the Deccan plateau are especially suitable for its cultivation.

Cotton is cultivated mainly between 45°N and 30°S latitudes. The major producers are the USA, China, India, Pakistan, Brazil, Egypt, and Russia. In the USA, it is grown in the Mississippi and Tennessee valleys, while northern China’s Huang Ho and Yangtse valleys, and Egypt’s Nile valley are also well known. In India, the Deccan plateau is famous for its cotton production. Today, the USA, China, and India lead the world in cotton cultivation.

Q12. What kind of environment is required for growing tea? Write briefly on the distribution of tea plantations.
Answer: Tea requires a hot and humid climate for its proper growth. It grows best in red soils found on well-drained hill slopes. Tea cultivation is capital-intensive and relies heavily on modern technology, as it is a specialised form of plantation farming.

Distribution of Tea Plantations:

1. Tea is an important plantation crop of the monsoon region of Asia. The major tea-producing countries are China, India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, and Japan.
2. In African countries, it is also grown to a certain extent in Kenya, Uganda, and Mozambique.
3. In India, the Brahmaputra and Barak valleys of Assam are famous for tea production. Tea is also grown in the Darjeeling area of West Bengal and the hills of Kerala.

Q13. Link the following correctly: 

Answer: