Unit 2 Ch 4 : Agriculture Social Studies - Unit 2 Ch 4 : Agriculture

Which fibre is also known as the golden fibre?

Which state is known for growing tea?

As per the map given, which among the following is a minor area of rice production?

What is ‘Bangar’?

Mention growing and harvesting periods of Rabi crops.

How did the Bailadila Iron ore field get its name?

Mention the sowing period of Kharif crops.

Name the two main fibre crops of India.

“Wells and tube wells are the most popular means of irrigation in northern plains of India.” Justify the statement with two arguments.

Mr. Palani is from Tamil Nādu, wishes to cultivate either Tea or Wheat. Which one of the crops out of the two can he cultivate in his state? Substantiate your answer with any two reasons.

Answer the following question in 30 words.Name one staple crop of India and the regions where it is produced.

Answer the following question in 30 words.Name one important beverage crop and specify the geographical conditions required for its growth.

Which steps were taken by the Indian government for a comprehensive land development programme?

Name one staple crop of India and the regions where it is produced.

Name one important beverage crop and specify the geographical conditions required for its growth.

The land under cultivation has got reduced day by day. Can you imagine its consequences?

Enlist the various institutional reform programmes introduced by the government in the interest of farmers.

“Wells and tube wells are the most popular means of irrigation in northern plains of India.” Justify the statement with two arguments.

Look at the given picture carefully and answer the questions that follow:

1. Name the crop shown in the picture.
2. State the climatic conditions required for cultivation of this crop.
3. Name the two major regions of growing this crop.

Explain any four human activities which are mainly responsible for land degradation in India.

Describe the impact of globalisation on Indian agriculture.

How did the partition of the country in 1947 affect the jute industry?

Describe the geographical conditions required for the growth of rice.

Maharashtra is a state located in western India, with a population of over 110 million people. The state is home to several large cities, including Mumbai, and has a significant agricultural sector. However, the state is facing a severe water crisis, with its water resources coming under increasing pressure due to climate change, industrialization, and urbanization. The main challenges faced by water resource management in Maharashtra are:
i.Overexploitation of groundwater: Maharashtra is one of the most groundwaterstressed states in India, with the demand for water exceeding the supply. Overexploitation of groundwater for agriculture and urban use has led to a declinein water levels, which has severe implications for the sustainability of water resources.
ii. Pollution of surface water: Industrialization and urbanization have led to the pollution of surface water bodies such as rivers and lakes. The pollution has led to water quality degradation, which poses risks to human health and the environment.
iii. Inefficient irrigation practices: The agricultural sector is the largest user of water in Maharashtra, accounting for around 80% of total water use. However, traditional irrigation practices such as flood irrigation are inefficient and lead to the wastage of water.

Q.1. Mention any two reasons for the water crisis faced by the state of Maharashtra.
Q.2. Despite being the second highest rainfall-receiving state of the country, Maharashtra still faces water crisis. Substantiate this statement in 40 words.
Q.3. Propose any one solution to mitigate the water crisis faced by Maharashtra state.

Read the text given below and answer the questions that follow:
Sustained uses of land without compatible techno-institutional changes have hindered the pace of agricultural development. Inspite of development of sources of irrigation, most of the farmers in large parts of the country still depend upon monsoon and natural fertility in order to carry on their agriculture. For a growing population, this poses a serious challenge. Agriculture, which provides livelihood for more than 60 per cent of its population, needs some serious technical and institutional reforms. Thus, collectivisation, consolidation of holdings, cooperation, and abolition of zamindari, etc. were given priority to bring about institutional reforms in the country after Independence. ‘Land reform’ was the main focus of our First Five-Year Plan. The right of inheritance had already lead to fragmentation of land holdings, necessitating consolidation of holdings. The laws of land reforms were enacted, but the implementation was lacking or lukewarm. The Government of India embarked upon introducing agricultural reforms to improve Indian agriculture in the 1960s and 1970s. The Green Revolution based on the use of package technology and the White Revolution (Operation Flood) were some of the strategies initiated to improve the lot of Indian agriculture. But, this too led to the concentration of development in few selected areas. Therefore, in the 1980s and 1990s, a comprehensive land development programme was initiated, which included both institutional and technical reforms. Provision for crop insurance against drought, flood, cyclone, fire and disease, establishment of Grameen banks, cooperative societies and banks for providing loan facilities to the farmers at lower rates of interest were some important steps in this direction.

1. In order to tackle the various problems faced by the Indian agriculture especially the pressure of growing population, various __________ and _____________ reforms have been initiated.

1. Political, institutional.
2. Technological, institutional.
3. Administrative, judicial.
4. Executive, organisational.

2. Which of the following is associated with Operation flood?

1. Green revolution.
2. White revolution.
3. Gene revolution.
4. Blood revolution.

3. This soil is mainly good for cultivation of.

1. Improvement in the conditions of the farmers.
2. Increase in irrigated area.
3. Increase in the agricultural production.
4. Mechanisation of farming.

4. Which of the following measures is not introduced by the government to improve agriculture.

1. Abolition of zamindari system.
2. Consolidation of land holdings.
3. Crop insurance.
4. Maximum support price.

Read the text given below and answer the questions that follow:
Tea cultivation is an example of plantation agriculture. It is also an important beverage crop introduced in India initially by the British. Today, most of the tea plantations are owned by Indians. The tea plant grows well in tropical and sub-tropical climates endowed with deep and fertile well -drained soil, rich in humus and organic matter. 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. Tea is processed within the tea garden; to restore its freshness. Major tea producing states are Assam, hills of Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri districts. West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Apart from these, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Meghalaya, Andhra Pradesh and Tripura are also tea – producing states in the country. In 2017 India was the second largest producer of tea after China. Indian coffee is known in the world for its good quality. The Arabica variety initially brought from Yemen is produced in the country. This variety is in great demand all over the world. Initially its cultivation was introduced on the Baba Budan Hills and even today its cultivation is confined to the Nilgiris in Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

1. What is common between Tea and Coffee?

1. They are Beverages.
2. They are plantation crops
3. They grow in Hilly regions.
4. All of the above

2. Which of the following conditions can spoil tea crops?

1. Frequent rains widespread throughout the year.
2. Clayey soil, which has a high-water holding capacity.
3. Deep fertile well -drained soil.
4. Warm, moist and frost-free climate.

3. India competes with ____ for its ____ of tea.

1. China, consumption.
2. Yemen, production.
3. China, Production.
4. Yemen, consumption.

4. Taking a hint from the given picture: identify what are these women doing?

1. Sowing the tea and coffee seeds.
2. Plucking coffee beans.
3. Pruning tea bushes.
4. Plucking tea leaves.

Read the text given below and answer the questions that follow:
Sustained uses of land without compatible techno-institutional changes have hindered the pace of agricultural development. In spite of development of sources of irrigation, most of the farmers in large parts of the country still depend upon monsoon and natural fertility in order to carry on their agriculture. For a growing population, this poses a serious challenge. Agriculture, which provides livelihood for more than 60 per cent of its population, needs some serious technical and institutional reforms. Thus, collectivisation, consolidation of holdings, cooperation and abolition of zamindari, etc. were given priority to bring about institutional reforms in the country after Independence. ‘Land reform’ was the main focus of our First Five-Year Plan.

1. Institutional reforms are.

1. Changes brought by State governments to improve agriculture.
2. Changes brought by Central government to improve agriculture.
3. Changes brought by both Central and State government from time to time to improve agriculture.
4. Green Revolution.

2. Grouping of small land holdings into a bigger one is called.

1. The ceiling on land holdings.
2. Collectivisation.
3. Co-operation farming.
4. Consolidation of land holdings.

3. Which of the following isn’t included in the comprehensive land development programme of the 1980s and 1990s?

1. Kisan credit card.
2. Personal accident insurance scheme.
3. Minimum Support Price
4. Fragmentation of land holdings.

4. Land reform included-

1. Abolition of Zamindari
2. Fragmentation of land holdings.
3. Irrigation.
4. Land ceiling

1. i and ii.
2. ii and iii.
3. i and iv.
4. iii and iv.

Read the text given below and answer the questions that follow:
India has three cropping seasons — rabi, kharif and zaid. Rabi crops are sown in winter from October to December and harvested in summer from April to June. Some of the important rabi crops are wheat, barley, peas, gram and mustard. Though these crops are grown in large parts of India, states from the north and north-western parts such as Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh are important for the production of wheat and other rabi crops. Availability of precipitation during winter months due to the western temperate cyclones helps in the success of these crops. Kharif crops are grown with the onset of monsoon in different parts of the country and these are harvested in September-October. Important crops grown during this season are paddy, maize, jowar, bajra, tur (arhar), moong, urad, cotton, jute, groundnut and soyabean. Some of the most important rice-growing regions are Assam, West Bengal, coastal regions of Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Maharashtra, particularly the (Konkan coast) along with Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. In between the rabi and the kharif seasons, there is a short season during the summer months known as the Zaid season. Some of the crops produced during ‘zaid’ are watermelon, muskmelon, cucumber, vegetables and fodder crops. TERM-1, 2021

1. Availability of ______________ during winter months due to western temperate cyclones help in the success of the Green Revolution.

1. Sunshine.
2. Precipitation.
3. Cold climate.
4. Hot climate.

2. Crops grown during Rabi season are ______________ and ____________.

1. Tea and Coffee.
2. Cotton and Jute.
3. Wheat and Peas.
4. Aus and Aman.

3. Kharif crops are harvested in:

1. September and October.
2. June and July.
3. April and June.
4. December and January.

4. Crops which are grown in states like Assam, Bengal and Odisha during kharif season are –

1. Rice, Wheat and Maize.
2. Bajra, Rice and Wheat.
3. Aus, Aman and Boro.
4. Pulses, Cotton and Jute.

Which of the following statements best evaluates the overall goal of the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchaee Yojana?

Which one of the following is a leguminous crop?

Which one of the following is a rabi crop?

Which one of the following describes a system of agriculture where a single crop is grown on a large area?

Which crops come under the classification of millets?

DIRECTION: Mark the option which is most suitable:

1. If both assertion (A) and reason (R) are true and reason (R) is the correct explanation of assertion (A).
2. If both assertion (A) and reason (R) are true but reason (R) is not the correct explanation of assertion (A).
3. Assertion (A) is true but reason (R) is false.
4. Both assertion (A) and reason (R) are false.

ASSERTION (A): In the 1980s and 1990s a comprehensive land development programme was initiated which included both institutional and technological reforms.

REASON (R): Green revolution was based on the use of package Technology.

DIRECTION: Mark the option which is most suitable:

1. If both assertion (A) and reason (R) are true and reason (R) is the correct explanation of assertion (A).
2. If both assertion (A) and reason (R) are true but reason (R) is not the correct explanation of assertion (A).
3. Assertion (A) is true but reason (R) is false.
4. Both assertion (A) and reason (R) are false.

ASSERTION (A): Tea cultivation is a labour intensive industry.

REASON (R): It requires abundant, cheap and skilled labour to pluck the tender leaves throughout the year.

DIRECTION: Mark the option which is most suitable:

1. If both assertion (A) and reason (R) are true and reason (R) is the correct explanation of assertion (A).
2. If both assertion (A) and reason (R) are true but reason (R) is not the correct explanation of assertion (A).
3. Assertion (A) is true but reason (R) is false.
4. Both assertion (A) and reason (R) are false.

ASSERTION (A): Pulses are grown in rotation with other crops.

REASON (R): It helps in restoring soil fertility by fixing nitrogen from the air.

DIRECTION: Mark the option which is most suitable:

1. If both assertion (A) and reason (R) are true and reason (R) is the correct explanation of assertion (A).
2. If both assertion (A) and reason (R) are true but reason (R) is not the correct explanation of assertion (A).
3. Assertion (A) is true but reason (R) is false.
4. Both assertion (A) and reason (R) are false.

ASSERTION (A): Pulses are considered as a major source of protein in a vegetarian diet.

REASON (R): Being leguminous crops, they help in restoring the soil fertility by fixing nitrogen from the air.

DIRECTION: Mark the option which is most suitable:

1. If both assertion (A) and reason (R) are true and reason (R) is the correct explanation of assertion (A).
2. If both assertion (A) and reason (R) are true but reason (R) is not the correct explanation of assertion (A).
3. Assertion (A) is true but reason (R) is false.
4. Both assertion (A) and reason (R) are false.

ASSERTION (A): Primitive Subsistence Farming is practised in very few parts of India.

REASON (R): This type of farming mainly depends on monsoon and natural fertility of soil.

Terrace cultivation leads to increase in the level of soil erosion. (True/ False)

Wheat is the ________________ most important cereal crop in India.

Wheat is a ________________ crop.

The ________________ variety of coffee is produced in India.

Tea in Assam and coffee in Karnataka are examples of ________________ crops.

Tea cultivation is an example of ________________ agriculture.

What is ‘Bangar’?

Mention growing and harvesting periods of Rabi crops.

How did the Bailadila Iron ore field get its name?

Mention the sowing period of Kharif crops.

Name the two main fibre crops of India.

Enlist the various institutional reform programmes introduced by the government in the interest of farmers.

The land under cultivation has got reduced day by day. Can you imagine its consequences?

Name one staple crop of India and the regions where it is produced.

Name one important beverage crop and specify the geographical conditions required for its growth.

Look at the given picture carefully and answer the questions that follow:

1. Name the crop shown in the picture.
2. State the climatic conditions required for cultivation of this crop.
3. Name the two major regions of growing this crop.

Explain any four human activities which are mainly responsible for land degradation in India.

Describe the geographical conditions required for the growth of rice.

Maharashtra is a state located in western India, with a population of over 110 million people. The state is home to several large cities, including Mumbai, and has a significant agricultural sector. However, the state is facing a severe water crisis, with its water resources coming under increasing pressure due to climate change, industrialization, and urbanization. The main challenges faced by water resource management in Maharashtra are:
i.Overexploitation of groundwater: Maharashtra is one of the most groundwaterstressed states in India, with the demand for water exceeding the supply. Overexploitation of groundwater for agriculture and urban use has led to a declinein water levels, which has severe implications for the sustainability of water resources.
ii. Pollution of surface water: Industrialization and urbanization have led to the pollution of surface water bodies such as rivers and lakes. The pollution has led to water quality degradation, which poses risks to human health and the environment.
iii. Inefficient irrigation practices: The agricultural sector is the largest user of water in Maharashtra, accounting for around 80% of total water use. However, traditional irrigation practices such as flood irrigation are inefficient and lead to the wastage of water.

Q.1. Mention any two reasons for the water crisis faced by the state of Maharashtra.
Q.2. Despite being the second highest rainfall-receiving state of the country, Maharashtra still faces water crisis. Substantiate this statement in 40 words.
Q.3. Propose any one solution to mitigate the water crisis faced by Maharashtra state.

Read the source given below and answer the questions that follows:
Many thought that given the disadvantages and rising resistance against the multipurpose projects, water harvesting system was a viable alternative, both socio-economically and environmentally. In ancient India, along with the sophisticated hydraulic structures, there existed an extraordinary tradition of water- harvesting system. People had in-depth knowledge of rainfall regimes and soil types and developed wide C ranging techniques to harvest rainwater, groundwater, river water and flood water in keeping with the
local ecological conditions and their water needs. In hill and mountainous regions, people built diversion channels like the 'guls' or 'kuls' of the Western Himalayas for agriculture. "Rooftop rainwater harvesting' was commonly practiced to store drinking water, particularly in Rajasthan. In the flood plains of Bengal, people developed inundation channels to irrigate their fields. In arid and semi-arid regions, agricultural fields were converted into rain fed storage structures that allowed the water to stand and moisten the soil like the "khadins' in Jaisalmer and 'Johads' in other parts of Rajasthan.
Q.1. Which type of water harvesting system is practiced in Rajasthan and why?
Q.2. Why people of Bengal have developed inundation channels?
Q.3. What are 'Khadins' and 'Johads' in Rajasthan?

Read the passage given below and answer the following questions.

Groundwater in India

"Recent evidence suggests that the groundwater is under serious threat of overuse in many parts of the country. About 300 districts have reported a water level decline of over 4 meters during the past 20 years. Nearly one-third of the country is overusing their groundwater reserves. In another 25 years, 60 per cent of the country would be doing the same if the present way of using this resource continues. Groundwater overuse is particularly found in the agriculturally prosperous regions of Punjab and Western U.P., hard rock plateau areas of central and south India, some coastal areas and the rapidly growing urban settlements."
Q.1. Why ground water is overused?
Q.2. Can there be development possible without overusing of ground water

Read the passage given below and answer the following questions:
In the early years, the cotton textile industry was concentrated in the cotton growing belt of Maharashtra and Gujarat. Availability of raw cotton, market, transport including accessible port facilities, labour, moist climate, etc. contributed towards its localisation. This industry has close links with agriculture and provides a living to farmers, cotton boll pluckers and workers engaged in ginning, spinning, weaving. dyeing, designing, packaging, tailoring and sewing. The industry by creating demands supports many other
industries, such as; chemicals and dyes, packaging materials and engineering works. While spinning continues to be centralised in Maharashtra, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu, weaving is highly decentralised to provide scope for incorporating traditional skills and designs of weaving in cotton, silk, zari embroidery, etc. India has world class production in spinning, but weaving supplies low quality of fabric as it cannot use much of the high quality yarn produced in the country. Weaving is done by handloom, powerloom and in mills.
Q.1. Which group of states has the largest number of cotton textile centres?
Q.2. How is cotton industry interlinked with agriculture?
Q.3. Why is it important for us to improve our weaving sector instead of exporting in large quantities?

Read the passage given below and answer the following questions:
Agriculture has been the backbone of the Indian economy though its share in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has registered a declining trend from 1951 onwards; According to Census of India 2011 about 54.6 per cent of the total work force was employed by the farm sector which makes more than half of the Indian Population dependent on agriculture for sustenance. The declining share of agriculture in the GDP is a matter of serious concern because any decline and stagnation in agriculture will lead to a decline in other spheres of the economy having wider implications for society. Considering the importance of agriculture in India, the Government of India made concerted efforts to modernise agriculture. Establishment of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), agricultural universities, veterinary services and animal breeding centres, horticulture development, research and development in the field of meteorology and weather forecast, etc. were given priority for improving Indian agriculture.
Q.1. What steps are taken by the government to modernise agriculture?
Q.2. What is the purpose of establishment of ICAR?
Q.3. Why is the declining share of agriculture a matter of concern?

Rice is grown as a commercial crop in Haryana and Punjab, but as a subsistence crop in Odisha. Using your understanding of geographical factors and economic practices, explain why rice cultivation differs in these regions.

Name one staple crop of India and the regions where it is produced.

Name one important beverage crop and specify the geographical conditions required for its growth.

Mr. Palani is from Tamil Nādu, wishes to cultivate either Tea or Wheat. Which one of the crops out of the two can he cultivate in his state? Substantiate your answer with any two reasons.