Agriculture

The word 'agriculture' is made up of two words 'ager' (field) and 'culture' (art of cultivation). It is thus the science of cultivating land to grow crops and rear livestock such as sheep, goat, cows, buffaloes, ducks, chickens and also fish.

Agriculture changed the lifestyle of early humans in the following ways:

1. Early humans led a nomadic lifestyle by hunting and gathering food mostly in the forest. With time, they learnt to domesticate animals and grow crops. That is how they developed a settled lifestyle.
2. Primitive tools such as hoe and sickle were initially used. With the passage of time, the need to produce more for the growing population drove people to find out modern means of farming that used machines such as tractors and combined harvesters.
3. They learnt to make use of chemical fertilisers, pesticides, irrigation facilities and many other such useful inputs in agriculture that are required to reap a good harvest.

Climate, soil and topography are the main determining factors that influence the cultivation of crops.

1. Climate: Temperature and rainfall conditions influence the growth of crops.

   1. The hot and humid lands are suitable for the growth of crops such as cotton, sugar cane, jute and rice.
   2. Cooler and drier places are more suitable for growing wheat, corn and mustard.
   3. Very dry or very cold conditions are not suitable for the growth of crops.

2. Soil: Some soils such as alluvial soil of the river plains are extremely fertile. They are excellent for the growth of all types of crops.

   1. Soils rich in humus like the Chernozem of Russia are also extremely fertile.
   2. A crop may also be found to be extremely suitable for a particular type of soil. For example, cotton grows extremely well in the black soil of the Deccan Plateau in India while the terra roxa soil of Brazil is excellent for growing coffee. Laterite soils are ideal for growing tea.

3. Topography: Topography refers to the relief features.

   1. Levelled landscape always helps in ploughing, irrigating and harvesting crops. Thus, major farming areas are in the plains.
   2. On the other hand, crops such as tea and coffee grow better on hill slopes as they cannot withstand stagnant water.
   3. Crops such as rice and jute that require more water are ideally grown in the lowlands. Sometimes broad steps have to be cut on highlands such as mountain slopes, to get the flat terrain required for cultivation of these crops. This is known as terrace cultivation.

Sometimes broad steps have to be cut on highlands such as mountain slopes, to get the flat terrain required for cultivation of lowland crops. This is known as terrace cultivation. Lowland crops such as rice and jute that require more water can be grown on these terraces.

Four salient features of intensive subsistence farming are as follows:

1. This form of farming is practised widely in densely populated regions of the world. It is found in the monsoon regions of Asia such as India, China, Thailand, Bangladesh and Myanmar.
2. The size of the farms is small because the farms are usually divided into many parts to satisfy all the members of a large family.
3. The fields are cultivated throughout the year—through double cropping, multiple cropping and crop rotation—so that there is enough food for the large family.
4. Fields are mostly cultivated manually as they are too small for machines to operate. Moreover, labour is available in plenty and it is difficult for farmers to afford machines. Draft animals such as ox and mule are often used for ploughing the fields or transporting the harvest.

Primitive subsistence farming, also known as slash-and-burn farming, involves clearing a forest patch by cutting and burning trees. The ash fertilizes the soil, and crops like rice, millets, yam, and cassava are grown using simple tools, without irrigation or fertilizers. Once soil fertility declines, the land is abandoned, and a new patch is cleared.

It is not eco-friendly as it leads to deforestation and loss of biodiversity.

Two similarities between plantation farming and extensive commercial farming are as follows:

1. Only one type of crop is grown in big-sized fields.
2. The entire produce is sold either in the domestic or international market.

Mixed farming is a method of raising livestock (like cows, buffaloes, ducks, chickens, pigs, sheep and cattle) as well as crops on the same farm, simultaneously.

Two advantages of mixed farming are:

1. This type of farming not only gives additional income to the farmer but also provides alternative income in case of crop failure.
2. Mixed farming is economical as the crop waste serves as animal fodder while animal dung serves as manure to keep the soil fertile.

There are broadly two cropping seasons in India.

1. Kharif or summer crops are sown in June-July and harvested in October-November. Rice, sugar cane, cotton and jute are important kharif crops.

2. Rabi or winter crops are sown in October-November and harvested in March. Wheat, mustard and gram are notable rabi crops of India.

Green Revolution is a modern method of farming, which was born out of the need to solve the problem of poverty and hunger in the developing countries in the 1960s. An American scientist, Norman Ernest Borlaug, introduced this method of farming. It was first tried on wheat and later on rice.

The 'Green Revolution', which means largescale production of crops, was initially a successful way to increase food production to counter food shortages. It was, however, later found to have a few shortcomings in the form of contributing to ecological imbalance.

The bumper production of crop was possible because of the extensive use of the following:

1. High Yield Variety (HYV) seeds
2. Chemical fertilisers
3. Pesticides
4. Irrigation
5. Modern machinery

Three shortcomings of the Green Revolution are as follows:

1. Small farmers could not afford the expensive inputs. Use of machines led to severe unemployment.
2. Overuse of chemicals damaged the quality of the soil. Ground water reserves got depleted due to overuse for irrigational purposes.
3. There was increase in production of only specific food grains such as wheat and rice. Production of other crops remained unaffected.

Across
3 - LEGUMES

Down
1 - IRRIGATION
2 - HUMUS
4 - MANURE

One point of difference between Farming in plains and mountains:

One point of difference between Subsistence and Commercial farming:

One point of difference between Plantation and Intensive subsistence farming:

One point of difference between Traditional and Modern method of farming:

One point of difference between Kharif and Rabi crops:

alluvial

humus

black

Punjab

Intensive subsistence farming is done on small-sized farms because the farms are usually divided into many parts to satisfy all the members of a large family.

Levelled landscape always helps in ploughing, irrigating and harvesting crops, while also allowing for the use of machines. Thus, major farming areas are in the plains.

Modern methods of farming are not environment friendly as chemical fertilisers and pesticides are used in large quantities that cause environmental pollution.

rice and jute

extensive commercial farming

Farm products are raised for export to earn maximum for a living.

A-3, B-4, C-1, D-2

rice, wheat, millets, pulses

HYV seeds increased production

drip irrigation

Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).

Explanation — The farming practices introduced during the Green Revolution increased food production, but are not sustainable for the future, as the excessive use of chemicals fertilisers and pesticides damages the quality of the soil.

Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).

Explanation — Climate (temperature and rainfall conditions) directly affects the kind of crops that can be grown. Certain crops need warm climates ( like cotton, sugarcane, jute and rice), while others like wheat, corn and mustard grow in cooler climates. These climate zones correspond to tropical and temperate latitudes.

1. Levelled landscape always helps in ploughing, irrigating and harvesting crops. Crops such as rice and jute that require more water are ideally grown in the lowlands or plains.
2. Crops such as tea and coffee grow better on hill slopes as they cannot withstand stagnant water. The slopes help in proper drainage, preventing water from collecting around the plants.
3. Some crops, like tea and coffee, need to be grown on hill slopes because the natural drainage of sloped land prevents waterlogging, which these crops are sensitive to. This helps in healthy growth and better yield.

1. Picture 1: Intensive Farming
   Picture 2: Commercial Farming

2. Picture 1: Monsoon regions of Asia such as India, China, Thailand, Bangladesh and Myanmar
   Picture 2: South-east Asian, African and Latin American countries.

3. Picture 1 — Intensive Farming

   1. This form of farming is practised widely in densely populated regions of the world.
   2. The size of the farms is small because the farms are usually divided into many parts to satisfy all the members of a large family.
   3. The fields are cultivated throughout the year—through double cropping, multiple cropping and crop rotation—so that there is enough food for the large family.
   4. Fields are mostly cultivated manually as they are too small for machines to operate. Moreover, labour is available in plenty and it is difficult for farmers to afford machines. Draft animals such as ox and mule are often used for ploughing the fields or transporting the harvest.
   5. Food crops such as rice, pulses, wheat, millets and oilseeds are popularly grown.

   Picture 2 — Commercial Farming

   1. Single crop like tulips is grown on a large scale in big farms.
   2. The entire produce is sold in the market to earn profit.
   3. It is capital-intensive and aims at producing crops for export.
   4. Requires skilled labour force.
   5. Farming is highly mechanised based on the type of crop being cultivated.

Only rich farmers with large farms gained benefit, while small farmers could not afford the expensive inputs like HYV seeds and modern machinery.

There is a predominance of food crops in intensive subsistence farming because this type of farming aims to produce enough food for family consumption, not for the market. Since the landholding is small and the population is high in regions where it is practiced (like in parts of Asia), farmers focus on growing food crops such as rice, wheat, and pulses to ensure food security for themselves rather than growing cash crops for sale.

Plantation farming requires huge capital because:

1. Large-scale operations — It is carried out on large estates or plantations, which need significant investment in land and infrastructure.

2. Expensive inputs — High-cost machinery, fertilisers, pesticides, and irrigation systems are used.

3. Labour costs — It requires a large number of workers for various tasks like planting, maintaining, and harvesting.

4. Processing and transport — The produce (like tea, coffee, or rubber) often needs to be processed on-site and transported to distant markets or for export, which adds to the cost.

Thus, due to the scale, machinery, labour, and marketing needs, plantation farming requires huge capital.

1. Food crops are grown in maximum regions of the world, especially across North America, Europe, and Asia.

2. Cash crops are mostly grown in South America, western parts of Africa, south and south-east Asia.

3. Major river plains growing food crops include:

   1. The Ganga-Brahmaputra Plain (India and Bangladesh)
   2. The Huang He Plain (China)
   3. The Mississippi River Basin (USA)
   4. The Nile River Valley (Egypt)

4. Asia has the largest cropping area, particularly dense in food crops across India, China, and southeast Asia.

1. False
   Correct Statement — Animals play an important role in mixed farming.

2. False
   Correct Statement — Crops such as wheat and corn are grown as food crops.

3. True

4. False
   Correct Statement — Rice can be grown on hill slopes using terrace farming.