Chapter 3: Agriculture

Answer: Agriculture is a primary activity that includes growing crops, vegetables, fruits, flowers and rearing livestock. Agriculture is a primary activity, as it is connected with the extraction and production of natural resources.

(ii) Name the factors influencing agriculture.

Answer: The factors that influence agriculture include soil, climate, topography, population etc.

(iii) What is shifting cultivation? What are its disadvantages?

Answer: Shifting cultivation is also known as slash-and-burn cultivation. It is a type of farming activity which involves clearing a land plot by cutting down trees and burning them. The ashes are then mixed with the soil, and crops are grown. After the land has lost its fertility, it is abandoned. The farmers then move to a new place.

The disadvantages of shifting cultivation are as follows:

• Leads to deforestation
• Loss of fertility of a particular land
• Leads to soil erosion
• Burning of trees causes air pollution
• Insufficient cultivation of crops for a large population.

(iv) What is plantation agriculture?

Answer: Plantations are a type of commercial farming where single crops of tea, coffee, sugarcane, cashew, rubber, banana, cotton etc., are grown. Large amounts of labour and capital are required. The produce may be processed on the farm itself or in nearby factories. The development of a transport network is thus essential for such farming. Major plantations are found in the tropical regions of the world. Rubber in Malaysia, coffee in Brazil, and tea in India and Sri Lanka are some examples.

(v) Name the fibre crops and name the climatic conditions required for their growth.

Answer: Jute and Cotton are fibre crops. The climatic conditions necessary for the growth of jute are high temperature, heavy rainfall and high humidity. Similarly, for the growth of cotton, high temperature, light rainfall, and bright sunshine are required.

Answer: (a) Growing of fruits and vegetables

(ii) Golden fibre refers to

(a) tea

(b) cotton

(c) jute

Answer: (c) Jute

(iii) Leading producers of coffee

(a) Brazil

(b) India

(c) Russia

Answer: (a)Brazil

Answer: Agriculture is a primary activity because many regions in India have fertile land that is favourable for agriculture. Two-thirds of the Indian population still depend on agriculture. This is mainly because of the lack of literacy among the people. Hence, India, being a densely populated country, requires large-scale production of food to fulfil the needs of people.

(ii) Different crops are grown in different regions.

Answer: Different crops are grown in different regions because growing the crops depends on factors such as favourable topography of soil, the demand for produce, type of climate, amount of rainfall, technology and labour.

Answer: Primary activities are related to the production and extraction of natural resources, such as fishing, agriculture and mining, whereas tertiary activities are those that provide support to primary and secondary sectors in carrying out their activities like transportation, banking etc.

(ii) Subsistence farming and intensive farming.

Answer: Subsistence farming is a type of farming that the farmer practices to meet the needs of his family. The cultivation of crops is done for personal consumption. It involves low levels of technology and household labour to produce a small output. In intensive subsistence agriculture, the farmer cultivates a small plot of land using simple tools and more labour. Rice, wheat, maize, pulses and oilseeds are the crops grown in this type of farming. Intensive subsistence agriculture is prevalent in the thickly populated areas of the monsoon regions.