INTERNATIONAL INDIAN SCHOOL- DAMMAM
CLASS-10- GEOGRAPHY (2025-26)
CHAPTER 4 AGRICULTURE
1. Why is agriculture important for India?
• Agriculture provides employment to 2/3 of the population
• Agriculture is a primary activity, which produces most of the food that we
consume. It ensures a sufficient food supply for the nation’s large population.
• Agriculture provides raw materials to various agro-based industries. Eg, Edible
oil, sugar, cotton
• Various agricultural products are exported from the country, eg, Tea, coffee, spices
2. State the characteristics of Primitive Subsistence Farming.
Ans.
i. In Primitive Subsistence farming, farmers grow crops for self-consumption.
ii. It is practiced on small patches of land with the help of primitive tools like hoe,
dao and digging sticks.
iii. Only family/community labour is used for farming.
iv. This type of farming depends upon natural conditions such as monsoon, natural
fertility of the soil and other suitable conditions for the crops. It is also known as
slash and burn’ agriculture.
v. Land productivity in this type of agriculture is low as the farmer does not use
fertilisers or other modern inputs.
3. What do you mean by slash and burn or shifting agriculture?
Ans.
• In this type of farming farmers clear a patch of land and produce cereals and other
food crops to maintain their family.
• When the soil fertility decreases, the farmers shift and clear a fresh patch of land
for cultivation.
• This type of shifting allows nature to replenish the fertility of the soil through
natural processes.
• Land productivity in this type of agriculture is low, as the farmers do not use
fertilizers or other modern inputs
4. Mention different names by which slash and burn farming is known in India. Name the
states where this type of farming is practiced in India.
Ans.
Jhumming in north-eastern states like Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Nagaland;
Pamlou in Manipur, Dipa in Bastar district of Chattishgarh, and in Andaman and Nicobar
Islands.
5. Local name of Slash and burn agriculture or Primitive subsistence farming in following
countries :
Milpa : Mexico and Central America
Conuco : Venezuela
Roca : Brazil
Ladang : Indonesia
Ray : Vietnam
Masole : Central Africa
6. State the characteristics of Intensive Subsistence Farming.
Ans.
• Intensive subsistence farming is practiced in areas of high density of population
where pressure of population is high on agricultural land.
• It is labour-intensive farming,
• High doses of biochemical inputs and irrigation are used for obtaining higher
production.
• The land holdings are small due to the “rights of inheritance” thus putting enormous
pressure on agriculture as it is the main source of livelihood
• The farmers take maximum output from the limited land.
7. What do you mean by Commercial Farming?
Ans. The main characteristic of this type of farming is the use of higher doses of modern
inputs, e.g. high yielding variety (HYV) seeds, chemical fertilisers, insecticides and
pesticides in order to obtain higher productivity. The degree of commercialization of
agriculture varies from one region to another. Plantation is a type of commercial farming.
8. State the characteristics of Plantation Farming.
Ans.
i. Plantation farming is a type of commercial farming. In this type of farming, a
single crop is grown on a large area.
ii. Plantations cover large tracts of land, using capital intensive inputs, with the help
of migrant labourers.
iii. It requires well-developed network of transport and communication to connect the
plantation areas, processing industries and markets together.
iv. In India, tea, coffee, rubber, sugarcane, banana, etc. are important plantation
crops.
9. Explain the features of three cropping seasons in India.
Ans. The three cropping seasons in India are rabi, kharif and zaid.
Rabi crops: These 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.
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,
Uttar Pradesh are important for the production of wheat and other rabi crops.
Kharif crops: These crops are grown with the onset of monsoon and harvested in
September-October. Important crops grown during this season are rice (paddy), maize,
jowar bajra, tur (arhar), moong, urad, cotton, jute, groundnut and soyabean. Some of the
most important kharif regions are Assam, West Bengal, coastal regions of Orissa, the
Konkan coast, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
Zaid season: 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, and Sugarcane.
10. Write a short note about the major crops in India.
a. Rice:
i. Rice is the staple food crop of a majority of the people in India.
ii. India is the second largest producer of rice in the world after China.
iii. It is a kharif crop which requires high temperature, (above 25°C) and high humidity
with annual rainfall above 100 cm.
iv. In the areas of less rainfall, it grows with the help of irrigation. Rice is grown in the
plains of north and north-eastern India, coastal areas and the deltaic regions.
v. Development of dense network of canal irrigation and tubewells have made it
possible to grow rice in areas of less rainfall such as Punjab, Haryana and western
Uttar Pradesh and parts of Rajasthan.
b. Wheat:
i. Wheat is the second most important cereal crop. It is the main food crop, in north and
north-western part of the country.
ii. It is a rabi crop which requires a cool growing season and a bright sunshine at the
time of ripening.
iii. It requires 50 to 75 cm of annual rainfall evenly-distributed over the growing season.
iv. There are two important wheat-growing zones in the country – the Ganga-Satluj
plains in the northwest and black soil region of the Deccan.
v. The major wheat-producing states are Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar,
Rajasthan and parts of Madhya Pradesh.
c. Millets:
Ans. Jowar, bajra and ragi are the important millets grown in India. These are known as
coarse grains, they have very high nutritional value.
Jowar: is the third most important food crop with respect to area and
production. It is a rain-fed crop mostly grown in the moist areas which hardly needs
irrigation. Maharashtra is the largest producer of jowar followed by Karnataka, Andhra
Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
Bajra: grows well on sandy soils and shallow black soil. Rajasthan is the largest
producer of bajra followed by Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Haryana.
Ragi: is a crop of dry regions and grows well on red, black, sandy, loamy and shallow
black soils. Ragi is very rich in iron, calcium, other micro nutrients and roughage.
Karnataka is the largest producer of ragi followed by Tamil Nadu. Apart from these
states, Himachal Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Sikkim, Jharkhand and Arunachal Pradesh are
also important for the production of ragi.
d. Maize:
i. It is a crop which is used both as food and fodder.
ii. It is a kharif crop which requires temperature between 21°C to 27°
iii. It grows well in old alluvial soil. In some states like Bihar maize is grown in rabi
season also.
iv. Use of modern inputs such as HYV seeds, fertilisers and irrigation have
contributed to the increasing production of maize.
v. Major maize-producing states are Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Andhra
Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
e. Pulses:
i. India is the largest producer as well as the consumer of pulses in the world.
ii. These are the major source of protein in a vegetarian diet. Major pulses that are
grown in India are tur (arhar), urad, moong, masur, peas and gram.
iii. Pulses need less moisture and survive even in dry conditions.
iv. Being leguminous crops, all these crops except arhar help in restoring soil fertility
by fixing nitrogen from the air. Therefore, these are mostly grown in rotation with
other crops.
v. Major pulse producing states in India are Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh,
Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Karnataka.
f. Sugarcane:
i. It is a tropical as well as a subtropical crop. It grows well in hot and humid
climate.
ii. It require a temperature of 21°C to 27°C and an annual rainfall between 75cm.
and 100cm. Irrigation is required in the regions of low rainfall.
iii. It can be grown on a variety of soils and needs manual labour from sowing to
harvesting.
iv. India is the second largest producer of sugarcane only after Brazil. It is the main
source of sugar, gur (jaggary), khandsari and molasses.
v. The major sugarcane-producing states are Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra,
Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Punjab and Haryana.
g. Oil Seeds:
i. India is the largest producer of oilseeds in the world.
ii. Different oil seeds are grown covering approximately 12 per cent of the total
cropped area of the country.
iii. Main oil-seeds produced in India are groundnut, mustard, coconut, sesamum (til),
soyabean, castor seeds, cotton seeds, linseed, and sunflower.
iv. Most of these are edible and used as cooking mediums. However, some of these
are also used as raw material in the production of soap, cosmetics, and ointments.
Groundnut: It is a kharif crop and accounts for about half of the major oilseeds produced
in the country. Gujarat is the largest producer of groundnut, followed by Rajasthan and
Tamil Nadu in 2019-20
Linseed and mustard: These are rabi crops.
Sesamum is a kharif crop in north and rabi crop in south India.
Castor seed is grown both as rabi and kharif crop.
h. Tea:
i. The tea plant grows well in tropical and sub-tropical climates. It needs deep and
fertile well-drained soil, rich in humus and organic matter.
ii. 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.
iii. Tea is a labor-intensive industry. It requires abundant, cheap and skilled labour. Tea
is processed within the tea garden to restore its freshness.
iv. iv.Major tea-producing states are Assam, hills of Darjeeling, West Bengal, Tamil
Nadu and Kerala. Apart from these, Himachal Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Meghalaya,
Andhra Pradesh and Tripura are also tea-producing states in the country.
v. v.India is the leading producer as well as exporter of tea in the world.
i. Coffee: India produces about four per cent of the world’s coffee production. Indian
coffee is known in the world for its good quality. The Arabica variety initially brought
from Yemen is produced in the country. Intially its cultivation was introduced on the
Baba Budan Hills and even today its cultivation is confined to the Nilgiri in Karnataka,
Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
Non-Food Crops
1. Rubber:
a. It is an equatorial crop, but under special conditions, it is also grown in tropical and sub-
tropical areas.
b. It requires moist and humid climate with rainfall of more than 200 cm.
c. Temperature above 25°C.
d. Rubber is an important industrial raw material.
e. It is mainly grown in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andaman and Nicobar islands
and Garo hills of Meghalaya.
f. India ranks fifth among the world’s natural rubber producers.
2. Fibre Crops: Cotton, jute, hemp and natural silk are the four major fibre crops grown in
India. The first three are derived from the crops grown in the soil, the latter is obtained from
cocoons of the silkworms fed on green leaves specially mulberry. Rearing of silk worms for
the production of silk fibre is known as Sericulture.
i. Cotton:
a. India is believed to be the original home of the cotton plant. Cotton is one of the main raw
materials for cotton textile industry.
b. Cotton grows well in drier parts of the black cotton soil of the Deccan plateau.
c. It requires high temperature, light rainfall or irrigation, 210 frost-free days and bright
sunshine for its growth.
d. It is a kharif crop and requires 6 to 8 months to mature.
e. Major cotton-producing states are – Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka,
Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.
ii. Jute:
a. It is known as the golden fibre.
b. Jute grows well on well-drained fertile soils in the flood plains where soils are renewed
every year.
c. High temperature is required during the time of growth.
d. West Bengal, Bihar, Assam, Orissa and Meghalaya are the major jute producing states.
e. It is used in making gunny bags, mats, ropes, yarn, carpets
f. Due to its high cost, it is losing market to synthetic fibres and packing materials,
particularly the nylon.
11. Mention important technological and institutional reforms introduced in India after
independence in 1960s and 1970s.
Ans. After independence following technological and institutional reforms were introduced but
all these failed to strengthen our agriculture.
i. Collective farming was introduced, land holdings were consolidated,
Co-operative movement were started in Indian agriculture, Zamindari system was
abolished, and ‘Land reform’ was introduced in First Five Year Plan.
ii. The Green Revolution and related technologies were introduced such as use of HYV
of seed, fertilizers, modern machinery and inputs.White Revolution (Operation Flood)
was introduced to increase milk production.
iii. Provision for crop insurance, 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.
iv. Kissan Credit Card (KCC), Personal Accident Insurance Scheme (PAIS) are some
other schemes introduced by the Government of India for the benefit of the farmers.
v. Special weather bulletins and agricultural programmes for farmers were introduced
on the radio and television.
vi. The government also announces minimum support price, remunerative and
procurement prices for important crops to check the exploitation of farmers by
speculators and middlemen.
12. What is Bhoodan – Gramdan movement and Blood less Revolution in the field of
agriculture?
Ans. At Pochampalli in Andhra Pradesh, Vinobha Bhave assured the people to talk to the
government about the land demanded by the farmers. At that time, Sir Ram Chandra Reddy
offered 80 acres of land to be distributed among 80 landless villagers. This act was known as
‘Bhoodan’.
Some zamindars, owners of many villages, offered to distribute some villages among the
landless. It was known as Gramdan.
This Bhoodan-Gramdan movement initiated by Vinobha Bhave is also known as the Blood-less
Revolution.
13. Name one important beverage crop and specify the geographical conditions required
for its growth.
Tea .
• 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.
14. Name one staple crop of India and the regions where it is produced.
• Rice:
Rice is grown in the plains of north and north-eastern India, coastal areas and the
deltaic regions. Development of dense network of canal irrigation and tubewells have
made it possible to grow rice in areas of less rainfall such as Punjab, Haryana and
western UttarPradesh and parts of Rajasthan.
15. The land under cultivation has got reduced day by day. Can you imagine its
consequences?
Ans. The land under cultivation has got reduced day by day which lead to the following
consequences.
• Decline in the production of food grains which led to food shortages.
• High prices of food grains in the market increases poverty in our country.
• Contribution of agriculture to GDP has reduced.
• Farmers and landless labourers started to migrate in cities.
• Unemployment among the rural population and dwindling of village economy were
the other ill-effects.
16. Why is tea a labour-intensive crop?
Tea cultivation requires abundant, cheap and skilled labour. The processing has to be
done within the tea gardens. Thus, it is a labour-intensive crop.
17. Name the areas ideal for coffee cultivation in India.
The Baba Budan Hills and the Nilgiri in Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
18. What are millets and its importance?
● Jowar, Bajra, and Ragi are Millets. Millets have very high nutritional value. For example,
Ragi is very rich in iron, calcium, roughage, etc. They are also known as coarse grains.
19. What is horticulture?
• Cultivation of fruits and vegetables is called horticulture.
• India is a producer of tropical and temperate fruits.
• Mango, banana, grapes, pineapple, apple, apricots, walnut, pears, oranges, lichi, and
guava are some of the fruits produced in India that have great demand all over the world.
• India produces 13% of the world’s vegetables.
* India is an important producer of pea, cauliflower, onion, cabbage, tomato, brinjal &
potato.
20. Which are the four major fibre crops in India?
Cotton, Jute, hemp, and Silk are the four important fibre crops of India.
21 . What is sericulture?
Rearing silkworms for the production of silk fibre is called sericulture.
22. Why are pulses grown in rotation with other crops?
● Pulses need less moisture and survive even in dry conditions.
● Pulses are leguminous crops and help in restoring soil fertility by fixing nitrogen from the
air. Therefore, these are mostly grown in rotation with other crops.
23. Which crop is a commercial crop in Punjab & Haryana but in Odisha it is a subsistence
crop?
Rice
24. Name the two most important cereal crops grown in India.
Rice and wheat
25. Name two beverage crops.
Tea and coffee
26 Which crop is called golden fibre?
Jute
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