CH-7

AGRICULTURE

1. What is meant by agriculture? Mention briefly the factors influencing agriculture.

Answer: Agriculture is a major and old economic activity of people. In a broad sense, both crop production and livestock rearing together are considered as agriculture.

Agriculture depends on several factors:

1. Natural factors – land, surface slope, climate, and water.

2. Socio-economic factors – economic condition, level of education, urbanisation, industrialisation, transport, communication, and market.

These factors vary from place to place and time to time. Therefore, agricultural practices are not the same everywhere in the world.

2. Explain why agricultural practice is not similar everywhere in the world.

Answer: Agricultural practice is not similar everywhere in the world because the conditions that influence agriculture are not the same in all regions.

Firstly, natural factors such as land, slope of the surface, climate, and water availability differ from one place to another. Secondly, socio-economic factors like the economic condition of farmers, their level of education, urbanisation, industrialisation, transport, communication, and market facilities also vary from region to region.

As a result of these differences, the type of crops grown, the methods of cultivation, and even the main objectives of agriculture also vary across the world and also change with time.

3. Classify agriculture and give the basis of your classification.

Answer: Agriculture can be classified on different bases. The main types are:

1. On the basis of permanence:
(a) Permanent agriculture.
(b) Shifting agriculture.

2. On the basis of farm size:
(a) Large-scale or Extensive agriculture.
(b) Small-scale or Intensive agriculture.

3. On the basis of economic consideration:
(a) Commercial agriculture.
(b) Subsistence agriculture.

4. On the basis of land quality, climate, and method of farming:
(a) Dry farming.
(b) Wet farming.

Besides these, some special types are also practiced in certain countries, such as Plantation agriculture, Collective farming, Horticulture, and Market gardening.

4. What is permanent agriculture? Discuss briefly its characteristics.

Answer: Permanent agriculture means farming that is practiced continuously in the same place for years together. People usually settle in the plains and cultivate crops permanently with the help of plough, tractors, irrigation, and fertilisers.

The main characteristics of permanent agriculture are:

1. Farming is practiced permanently in one area, mostly in plains.

2. Modern tools like plough, tractors, irrigation and fertilisers are used.

3. Agricultural production is comparatively high.

4. Livestock rearing also forms a part of this agriculture.

5. Give a brief outline of shifting cultivation. Explain how this type of agriculture degrades the environment.

Answer: Shifting cultivation is a temporary type of agriculture practiced in the highlands of tropical regions. People cut and burn forest cover on hill slopes and cultivate the land for 2–3 years. After the fertility reduces, they shift to a new area and repeat the same method. In North-eastern India, this practice is called jhum cultivation. It is mainly done by tribal people and gives a relatively low crop output.

This type of agriculture degrades the environment because frequent shifting and burning of forests destroy vegetation, reduce soil fertility, and disturb the natural balance of the local environment.

6. Present a comparative picture of large-scale and small-scale agriculture.

Answer: Large-scale agriculture is practiced in countries where land is abundant compared to population. The farms are extensive and modern machinery is used. A single crop often covers a vast area, and the production is mostly for international markets. Examples are found in the USA, Canada, and Australia.

On the other hand, small-scale agriculture is common in densely populated countries where land is scarce. Families own little land and cultivate the same plot two to three times a year to meet their needs. It is labour-intensive, and most of the produce is used for domestic consumption. Such farming is dominant in countries like India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, and Japan.

7. What do you mean by plantation farming? Discuss its characteristics.

Answer: Plantation farming is a special type of agriculture introduced by Europeans in their tropical colonies. It involves growing a single crop on large estates with the help of modern technology and huge capital investment.

The main characteristics of plantation farming are:

1. Large-scale estates are used for cultivation.

2. Huge capital investment is required.

3. Modern technology and improved methods are applied.

4. Only one type of crop (mono crop) like tea, coffee, rubber or cocoa is grown.

5. Production is closely linked with transport, communication and markets.

6. Processing units and industries are established near the plantations.

8. Describe briefly the relationship between urbanisation and market gardening.

Answer: Urbanisation and market gardening are closely related. With the growth of cities and industrial centres, the number of people with higher purchasing power also increases. This creates a strong demand for fruits and vegetables in urban areas.

To meet this demand, horticultural crops are grown intensively throughout the year around big cities and industrial centres. Good transport and communication systems help farmers to supply these products quickly to urban markets. Because of these advantages, market gardening develops around large cities, and even around Guwahati city farmers are increasingly attracted to this practice.

9. What kind of environment is required for rice cultivation? Write briefly about the geographical distribution of rice.

Answer: Rice is a principal food crop and almost half of the world’s population uses it as a staple food.

The environment required for rice cultivation is:

1. High temperature between 25°C to 35°C.

2. Annual rainfall of 100–200 cm.

3. Floodplains, coastal plains, and deltaic plains are most suitable.

4. It can also be grown in some hilly areas.

Geographical distribution: Rice is mainly cultivated in monsoon regions. The leading producers are China, India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Japan, and the Philippines. It is also grown in the USA, Brazil, and Egypt. China ranks first in production followed by India. In India, the Ganga-Brahmaputra valley and eastern coastal areas are important rice-growing regions, while in the north-eastern hills, rice is also cultivated by shifting (jhum) method.

10.Give an account of wheat cultivation.

Answer: Wheat is one of the world’s main staple crops. It grows best in clayey and sandy soils of plains with 50–100 cm of annual rainfall. A temperate climate and at least three frost-free months are necessary, while irrigation helps in low rainfall areas. Major wheat-producing countries are the USA, China, India, Russia, Canada, Australia, France, Germany, and Pakistan. In India, the Ganga valley is famous for wheat, and globally China ranks first in production followed by the USA and India.

11.Discuss the importance and geographical distribution of cotton farming.

Answer: Cotton is an important fibre crop as the textile industries of the world depend on it. The crop needs high temperature, medium rainfall between 65–115 cm, and a long frost-free period of about 190–210 days. Well-drained sandy soils are most suitable for its growth, and improved varieties are now cultivated widely.

Cotton farming is common between 45°N and 30°S latitudes. The leading producers are the USA, China, Pakistan, Russia, Egypt, India, and Brazil. In the USA, it is grown in the Mississippi and Tennessee valleys, in China in the Huang Ho and Yangtse valleys, and in Egypt in the Nile valley. In India, the black soil of the Deccan plateau is most important, along with parts of Meghalaya. At present, the USA, China, and India are the top producers of cotton.

12.What kind of environment is required for growing tea? Write briefly on the distribution of tea plantations.

Answer: Tea is an important beverage crop grown under hot and humid conditions. It requires well-drained hill slopes with red soils. Tea cultivation is labour and capital intensive, and it is carried out as plantation farming with the use of modern technology.

Tea plantations are mostly found in the monsoon regions of Asia. The major producing countries are China, India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, and Japan. In Africa, Kenya, Uganda, and Mozambique also produce tea. In India, the Brahmaputra and Barak valleys of Assam, the Darjeeling hills of West Bengal, and the hills of Kerala are the main tea-growing areas. India ranks first in tea production in the world, followed by China