Session: 2019-20 By Ajeet Sir
Agriculture
Political Science
Class-10
Agriculture is derived from two Latin words – ager (field, land, soil) and cultura (cultivation)
It can be defined as the cultivation of crop plants or livestock (animal farming). It is a primary activity which includes
farming, fisheries, forestry, horticulture etc. Agriculture also produces raw materials for various industries. 2/3 of
India’s population is engaged in agriculture.
Types of farming
Primitive Subsistence farming
Small patches of land are used
Trees, plants, grass are cut down and burnt to clear the land for cultivation.
No use of machines or fertilizers. Remaining ash fertilises the soil.
Productivity is low.
Production is done for self-consumption.
Cultivators keep on shifting from one patch of land to another
This type of farming is harmful to the environment.
Intensive Subsistence Farming
It is labour intensive farming
It is practised in high population density areas.
It is practised in well-irrigated areas.
Machine tools and fertilizers are used.
Multiple cropping pattern is adopted.
The yield per unit is high.
Example: Rice and wheat
Regions: Indo-Gangetic plains in Bihar, West Bengal, UP, and parts of Haryana.
Commercial Farming
Crops are raised for markets and earning.
Modern technology is used.
Crop specialisation is a feature.
Cultivators use HYV seeds, chemical fertilizers, pesticides etc.
Example: Oilseeds, cotton, jute, tea, coffee
Plantation
It is a mix of industry and agriculture.
Large tracts of land are used to grow a single crop for commercial purposes.
It is capital intensive and migrant labourers are employed.
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Class 10 Geography Chapter: Agriculture | Ajeet Sir
It needs well-developed support of transport and communication network.
Markets play an important role in the feasibility of plantation agriculture.
Example: Banana, rubber, sugarcane, tea etc.
Cropping Pattern
The physical and cultural diversities of India are also reflected in agricultural practices and cropping patterns in our
country. Food crops, fibre crops, fruits, spices, condiments etc. are examples of the variety of crops. India has three
cropping seasons.
Rabi Crops:
Rabi crops are grown in winter and from October to December and are harvested in summer from April to June.
Such crops get rain due to western temperate cyclones
It is grown in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, J & K, Uttarakhand and in UP.
The green revolution has also been an important factor in the growth of Rabi crops in Northern parts of India like
Punjab, Haryana, Western Uttar Pradesh, and parts of Rajasthan.
Examples of crops: Wheat, barley, peas, gram and mustard.
Kharif crops:
It is a monsoon cropping season and begins with the onset of monsoon in India.
It is grown in the month of June and July and harvested in September-October.
Examples of crops: Rice, Bajra, Jowar, oilseeds, cotton, pulses like urad, moong, arhar(tur)
Major rice-growing regions: Assam, UP, Bihar, W. Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu,
Kerala, coastal regions of Odisha, Konkan coast (Maharashtra).
Three paddy crops: Aus, Aman and Boro paddy crops are grown in a year in Assam, W. Bengal and Odisha.
Zaid Season
This is a short season that comes in summer in between Rabi and the Kharif Season.
The sowing time lies around March.
Early maturing crops are grown
Example of crops: watermelon, bitter gourd, fodder crops, moong dal.
Major Food Crops with Geographical Conditions
Rice (Kharif Crop): It is a major staple food crop of the majority of people in India. It occupies around one-fourth
of total crop area grown in India.
Climate: Warm and humid
Rainfall: Above 100cm and standing water required during growth. Different Means of Irrigation help grow
rice in less rainfed areas like Punjab and Haryana.
Temperature: High temperature (above 25° C)
Soil type: Clay, loamy fertile soil with good water retention capacity.
Production area: Plains of North and north-eastern India, coastal areas and delta regions.
Leading producers: West Bengal (India) China (world), India ranks 2nd in the world.
Varieties of Rice: Sabarmati, Padma
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Class 10 Geography Chapter: Agriculture | Ajeet Sir
Wheat (Rabi Crop): It is the 2nd most important crop of India. It occupies around 14% of the crop area in India.
The green revolution has made India self-sufficient in wheat production.
Climate: Cool and bright sunlight
Rainfall: 50 – 75 cm, moderate and evenly distributed rain. Water should not stagnate in the wheat field.
Temperature: 15° to 20°C with bright sunshine.
Soil type: Well-drained fertile soil rich in humus and mineral content.
Production area: Ganga-Sutlej plain and black soil region. Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh,
Maharashtra, Bihar, Rajasthan.
Leading producers: Uttar Pradesh (India) China (world), India ranks 2nd in the world.
Varieties of Rice: Sonalika, Heera
A comparative study of differences between wheat and rice farming.
Geological Conditions Rice Wheat
Crop type Kharif Rabi
Rainfall Above 100 cm 50 – 75 cm
Temperature Above 25° C 15 ° C
Plains of North and north-
Producing regions North and north-west
western India
Major Producing States West Bengal Punjab
Millets
Climate
Leading Producing
Crops Soil
Regions
Temperature Rainfall
20 -3 2° C 30 – 100 cm
Maharashtra
Well-drained sandy (other states: Karnataka
Jowar Third important crop of India.
and loamy soil.
Needs moist area to grow. M.P. Tamil Nadu)
Sandy, shallow black Rajasthan
25 - 30° C 45 cm
soil (U.P. Maharashtra, Gujrat,
Bajra Haryana)
Warm and dry climate
Red Karnataka
20 - 30° C 60 – 80 cm
Black (Tamil Nadu, Himachal
Grows in the dry region. Sandy Pradesh, Jammu and
Ragi Has high nutritional value being rich Loamy Kashmir, Arunachal
in iron and calcium and Shallow black Pradesh)
micronutrients
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Class 10 Geography Chapter: Agriculture | Ajeet Sir
Maize:
It is both, food as well as fodder crop.
It provides starch and glucose for industrial purpose.
It is sown as Kharif and in some parts sown as Rabi crop.
Use of modern technology, HYV seeds, fertilizers, irrigation facilities
Temperature: 21° C - 27° C
Rainfall: 50 – 100 cm
Soil: old alluvial soil
Growing states: Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh. Bihar, Telangana, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh
Leading producers: Andhra Pradesh (India) The USA (World)
Varieties: Ganga, Dhawal
Pulses (Kharif crop)
India is the largest producer as well as consumer of pulses.
Major source of protein in vegetarian diet in India.
It is leguminous crop and therefore sown mostly in rotation with other crops.
Climate: cool, dry, cleaner and frost-free climate
Temperature: 20 – 13°C
Rainfall: 50 – 100 cm
Soil type: Well-drained aerated soil, soil health is improved by fixing atmospheric nitrogen in soil.
Example of Pulses: Arahar, urad, moong
Producing regions: Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Karnataka
Leading Producers: Madhya Pradesh (World)
Sugarcane (Cash Crop)
It is grown for commercial and industrial purposes
It is a labour-intensive crop
Sugarcane Products: Jaggery (gur), khandsari, molasses
Climate: Hot, wet-tropical regions, High-solar radiation
Temperature: 21° to 27°C
Rainfall: 75 – 100 %, needs irrigation in case of low rainfall
Soil type: well-drained soil
Producing regions: Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Punjab, Haryana
Leading Producers: Uttar Pradesh (India) Brazil (World)
Tea
Queen of beverages
Introduced in India by the British in 1823
Labour intensive and needs abundant cheap and skilled labours.
Tea is processed within the tea garden
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Class 10 Geography Chapter: Agriculture | Ajeet Sir
Climate: Tropical and subtropical, warm, moist and frost-free days
Temperature: 20°C to 30° C is the ideal temperature
Rainfall: 150 – 300 cm, evenly distributed showers throughout the year. No waterlogging
Soil type: Deep fertile and well-drained soil, loamy soil acidic in nature, rich in humus and organic matter
Major regions of production: Darjeeling, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala
Leading producer: Assam (India) China (World)
Coffee
Indian varieties are known all over the world for their good quality products
Varieties Produced: Robusta, Arabica (brought in India from Yemen)
Temperature: 16°C to 28°C
Rainfall: 150 – 250 cm
Soil type: Well-drained forest and loamy soil
Major regions of production: Baba Budan hills and Nigiri hills in Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu
Leading Producers: Karnataka (India) Brazil (World)
Major Non-Food Crops with Geographical Conditions
Rubber:
It is obtained from the latex of rubber plant.
Varieties: wild rubber, synthetic (70 – 80% of total use by people), plantation rubber
Uses: auto tyres and tubes, footers, sports goods, mattresses etc.
Climate: Equatorial, tropical and sub-tropical regions
Temperature: High at 25 to 35°C
Rainfall: Annual rainfall above 200cm throughout the growing period.
Soil type: Loamy soil
Major Producing Regions: Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andaman Nicobar Islands, Garo hills in Meghalaya
Highest Producer: Kerala (India) Thailand (World) India ranks 4th in the world
Cotton (Fibre Crop)
It is also called universal fibre owing to its worldwide use
India is its original home
It is a raw material for cotton textiles industries
It is a labour-intensive crop
Different categories: Long staple, short-staple, mediums staple
Climate: It is a Kharif crop and needs 210 frost-free days and bright sunshine.
Temperature: Hight at 20°C to 30°C
Soil type: Black soil
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Class 10 Geography Chapter: Agriculture | Ajeet Sir
Maturing time: 6 to 8 months
Producing regions: Maharashtra, Gujrat, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Haryana, Punjab
Highest Producers: Gujrat (India) China (World) India is the 2nd largest producer of cotton.
Jute: (Fibre Crop)
It is also called ‘Golden Fibre’
Uses: Gunny bags, mats, ropes, yarn, artefacts
It is losing market as it is costly and also facing competition from synthetic fibres
Temperature: 20 to 30 °C
Rainfall: Plenty of rainfall (150-20 cm)
Soil type: Well-drained fertile soil renewed every year, sandy and loamy soil
Maturing time: 8 – 10 months
Growing regions: Flood-plains, Ganga-Brahmaputra delta region, W. Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, Meghalaya
Highest Producers: W. Bengal (World)
Highest Exporter: Bangladesh in the world.
Oil Seeds:
Covers approximately 12 per cent of the total cropped area of the country
Uses: edible oil for cooking. Raw material to produce soaps, cosmetics, ointments, paints etc. Oil cake is used as
fertilizer and to feed cattle with fodder.
Crop Season
Groundnut
accounts for about half of the major oilseeds produced in the country) Kharif
Gujrat leads followed by Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu
Lin seed Rabi
Mustard Rabi
Sesamum Kharif in North and Rabi in South
Castor both as rabi and Kharif
Horticulture (cultivation of fruits and vegetables)
Crop Growing regions
Mango India is the leading Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh
producer both and West Bengal
Orange tropical and Nagpur and Cherrapunjee (Meghalaya)
temperate fruits as
Banana well as vegetables Kerala, Mizoram, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu
Pineapple like pea, Meghalaya
Grapes cauliflower, onion, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Maharashtra
cabbage, tomato,
lichi and guava brinjal and potato. Uttar Pradesh and Bihar
Apple, pears, apricots and walnuts Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh
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Class 10 Geography Chapter: Agriculture | Ajeet Sir
Technological and Institutional Reforms
Agriculture has been the main mainstay of most of the people in India. Lack of incorporating techno-institutional
changes in the sustained use of land has affected the growth of agricultural development. Indian agricultural is still
more dependent on rain and natural fertility of the soil. Various technical and institutional reforms need to be
introduced and implemented to make Indian agriculture the support of 60% of the farmer population in India. Some
of such reforms are discussed below.
Institutional Reforms
Collectivisation and consolidation of landholdings.
Abolition of zamindari system
Land Reforms was the main focus of the First Five Year Plan.
Agrarian Reforms
India govt introduced agricultural reforms to improve Indian agriculture in the 1960s and 1970s
The Green Revolution based on package technology and the White Revolution (Operation Flood) were the
strategies adopted to improve agricultural productivity and milk production.
A comprehensive land development programme was initiated in the 1980s and 1980s.
Gramin banks and cooperative societies were established to extend loan facilities to farmers at lower
interest rates.
Schemes for farmers
Kisan Credit Card (KCC)
Personal Accident Insurance Schemes (PAIS)
Crop insurance against drought, flood, cyclone, fire and disease
Subsidy on purchase of seeds, fertilisers etc.
Announcement of minimum support prices (MSP) to procure agricultural products directly from farmers to
check exploitation of farmers by middlemen and speculators.
Use of media like DD Kisan Channel and weather bulletins on radio
Gramin Banks and cooperative societies provide loans to farmers at lower rates of interest.
Contribution of Agriculture to the Indian economy
Agriculture is the backbone of the Indian economy as most of the people, around 52% (years 2010-110), are
engaged in the agriculture sector for their sustenance.
The matter of concern is that the share of agriculture has been on the decline since 1951. This decline affects
other sectors of the economy and ultimately its effect is felt by society. Share of the three sectors is as -
Agriculture: 17.9%, Industrial sector: 24.2%, Services sector: 57.9%
Government took some corrective measures to modernise agriculture. Some of them are listed below.
o Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) was established in
o Agricultural universities were set up.
o Veterinary services and animal breeding centres were opened.
o The government gave priority to promoting horticulture development, research and development in
the field of meteorology and weather forecast etc
o Efforts to improve rural infrastructure was also considered important.
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Class 10 Geography Chapter: Agriculture | Ajeet Sir
Some reasons behind the decelerating growth of Indian Agriculture (low employment in agriculture)
Indian farmers are facing competition from developed countries in the international market
Government is reducing investment in agriculture sector especially in irrigation, power, rural roads,
mechanisation etc
Government is also reducing subsidies on agricultural inputs like fertilisers.
Reduction in import duties on agriculture products.
Farmers are losing interest in investment in the agriculture sector.
Impact of globalisation on Indian agriculture
International trade is an important factor in globalisation and India was part of it during colonisation. Indian
spices were exported to the world and are still an important part of Indian export items.
The British showed interest in the cotton belt of India and cotton was exported as raw material to England to
feed the cotton industries there in cities like Manchester and Liverpool. Indigo was also in demand in England
and the farmers were forced to grow indigo in place of food crops.
After 1909, the Indian farmers have been facing competition in the international market from developed
countries who provide heavy subsidy to farmers.
Today Indian agriculture is at the cross roads
Proper thrust should be given to improve the condition of the marginal and small farmers.
Green Revolution increased production but at the same time, the heavy doses of fertilisers, pesticides and
chemicals have degraded land and affected biodiversity.
The keyword today is ‘gene revolution’ which is based on genetic engineering that helps in inventing HYV
seeds.
Environment friendly organic farming should be adopted to avoid use of chemical elements that affect
environment and degrade land.
Some economists do not see future for farmers in traditional farming on small land holdings. Rural
population is about 833 million (2011 census) and available agricultural land is about 250 million that
amounts to half a hectare per person. Farmers should diversify the cropping pattern.
Diversified farming should be adopted. Pattern of cropping should move toward growing high-value crops
like fruits, medicinal herbs, flowers vegetables, bio-diesel crops like jatropha and jojoba. Such crops increase
income as well as reduce environment degradation. The diverse climate of India permits the growth of wide
variety of high-value crops.
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Class 10 Geography Chapter: Agriculture | Ajeet Sir
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