JAC Class 10 Social Science Notes Geography Chapter 4 Agriculture

JAC Class 10 Social Science Important Questions Geography Chapter 4 Agriculture

September 10, 2024September 9, 2024 by Prasanna

JAC Board Class 10th Social Science Important Questions Geography Chapter 4 Agriculture

Multiple Choice Questions

Question 1.
What proportion of the Indian population is engaged in agriculture?
(a) One-third
(b) Two-fourths
(c) Three-fourths
(d) Two-thirds
Answer:
(d) Two-thirds

Question 2.
Which of the following is a plantation crop?
(a) Rice
(b) Bajra
(c) Rubber
(d) Wheat
Answer:
(c) Rubber

Question 3.
Which of this is a zaid season crop?
(a) Maize
(b) Cucumber
(c) Groundnut
(d) Peas
Answer:
(b) Cucumber

Question 4.
Which country is the second largest producer of rice in the world after China? *
(a) India
(b) Japan
(c) Philippines
(d) Pakistan
Answer:
(a) India

5. Which crop is used both as food and fodder?
(a) Wheat
(b) Cotton
(c) Rice
(d) Maize
Answer:
(d) Maize

Question 6.
Which crop is a kharif crop in the north and rabi crop in south India?
(a) Wheat
(b) Sesamum
(c) Tea
(d) Cotton
Answer:
(b) Sesamum

Question 7.
What is the rearing of silkworms known as?
(a) Pisciculture
(b) Agriculture
(c) Sericulture
(d) Horticulture
Answer:
(c) Sericulture

Question 8.
Which was one of the strategies initiated to improve the lot of Indian agriculture?
(a) Revolution 2020
(b) White Revolution
(c) Operation Desert Storm
(d) Operation Blue Star
Answer:
(b) White Revolution

Question 9.
Which is one of the schemes introduced by the Government of India for the benefit of the farmers?
(a) Agenda 21
(b) Agglomeration economies
(c) Personal Accident Insurance Scheme (PAIS)
(d) Golden Question uadrilateral Super Highways
Answer:
(c) Personal Accident Insurance Scheme (PAIS)

Question 10.
Which movement was initiated by Vinoba Bhave?
(a) Operation Flood
(b) Bhoodan-Gramdan
(c) Green Revolution
(d) Tehri Dam Andolan
Answer:
(b) Bhoodan-Gramdan

Very Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1.
Why is the land productivity low in primitive subsistence farming?
Answer:
The land productivity is low in primitive subsistence farming because the farmer does not use fertilisers or other modem inputs.

Question 2.
Where is primitive subsistence farming practised?
Answer:
Primitive subsistence farming is practised in north-eastern states, such as Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Manipur; Bastar district of Chhattisgarh; Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Western Ghats, south-eastern Rajasthan, Himalayan belt and in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Question 3.
In which area is intensive subsistence farming practised?
Answer:
Intensive subsistence farming is practised in the areas of high population.

Question 4.
Mention the climatic factor which helps in the success of rabi crops.
Answer:
The western temperate cyclones bring precipitation during winter months, which helps in the success of rabi crops.

Question 5.
Name the three crops of paddy grown in a year and in which states of India are they grown?
Answer:
Aus, Aman and Bow are three crops of paddy grown in a year. They are grown in Assam, West Bengal and Odisha.

Question 6.
How has it become possible to grow rice in the areas of less rainfall?
Answer:
It has become possible to grow rice in the areas of less rainfall, such as Punjab, Haryana, western Uttar Pradesh and parts of Rajasthan with the development of dense network of canal irrigation and tube wells.

Question 7.
What type of soil is required for growing bajra?
Answer:
Bajra grows well on sandy soils and shallow black soil.

Question 8.
Name the major maize-producing states.
Answer:
The major maize-producing states are Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.

Question 9.
Why is tea processed within the tea garden?
Answer:
Tea is processed within the tea garden to restore its freshness.

Question 10.
Where is rubber grown?
Answer:
Rubber is mainly grown in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Garo Hills of Meghalaya, and Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1.
Describe ‘slash and burn’ agriculture.
Answer:
In ‘slash and bum’ agriculture, a farmer clears’a patch of land and grows cereals and other food crops to sustain his family. When the fertility of the soil decreases, the farmer shifts to another area and clears a fresh patch of land. This shifting allows the nature to replenish the soil through natural processes. Primitive tools are used, and family or community labours are involved. Farmers depend on monsoon, natural fertility of the soil and other environmental conditions required for the crops to be grown. The productivity is low, fertilisers or other modem inputs are not used.

Question 2.
What are the various terms used for ‘slash and burn’ agriculture in various parts of the country and the world?
Answer:
It is known as Jhumming in the north¬eastern states like Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Nagaland; Pamlou in Manipur, Dipa in Bastar district of Chhattisgarh and Andaman and Nicobar Islands. It is known as Dahiya or Bewar in Madhya Pradesh, Podu or Penda in Andhra Pradesh; Pama Dabi, Koman or Bringa in Odisha, Kumari in Western Ghats, Valre or Waltre in South-eastern Rajasthan, Khil in the Himalayan belt and Kuruwa in Jharkhand.

Question 3.
What is intensive subsistence farming? Why there is immense pressure on agricultural land in this type of farming?
Answer:
Intensive subsistence farming is labour-intensive farming. High doses of biochemical inputs and irrigation are used to obtain higher production. This type of farming is practised in the areas of high population. The ‘right of inheritance’ has led to division of land among successive generations, which has rendered land-holding size uneconomical. However, the farmers continue to extract maximum output from the limited land in the absence of alternative source of livelihood. Therefore, there is a tremendous pressure on agricultural land in this type of farming.

Question 4.
Discuss the characteristics of commercial farming.
Answer:
Commercial farming includes the use of higher doses of modem inputs, e.g., high yielding variety (HYV) seeds, chemical fertilisers, insecticides and pesticides in order to obtain higher productivity. The degree of commercialisation of agriculture varies from one region to another. For example, rice is a commercial crop in Haryana and Punjab, but in Odisha, it is a subsistence crop. Plantation is also a type of commercial farming.

Question 5.
What are the features of plantation agriculture?
Answer:
Plantation is a type of commercial farming. In this type of farming, a single crop is grown on a large area. It has an interface of agriculture and industry. Plantations cover large tracts of land, using capital-intensive inputs, with the help of migrant labourers. All the produce is used as raw material in respective industries. As the production is only for the market, a well-developed network of transport and communication connecting the plantation areas, processing industries and markets plays an important role in the development of plantations.

Question 6.
Give the geographical conditions required for the growth of rice. In which states is rice grown?
Answer:
Rice is a kharif crop. It grows in high temperature, above 25°C and high humidity with annual rainfall above 100 cm. 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. Development of dense network of canal irrigation and tube wells has iffade it possible to grow rice in the areas of less rainfall, such as Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh and parts of Rajasthan.

Question 7.
Why are pulses grown in rotation with other crops? What is the rank of India in the world in pulse production and name the various pulses and states growing them.
Answer:
Except arhar, all pulses are leguminous crops. They help in restoring soil fertility by fixing nitrogen from the air. These pulses are grown in rotation with other crops. India is the largest producer as well as consumer of pulses in the world. These are the major sources of protein in a vegetarian diet. Major pulses grown in India are tur, urad, moong, masur, peas and gram. Major pulse producing states of India are Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Karnataka.

Question 8.
What type of soil and climatic conditions are required for growing rubber? Where is it grown and discuss its use.
Answer:
Rubber requires moist and humid climate with rainfall more than 200 cm and temperature above 25°C. It is mainly grown in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Garo hills of Meghalaya. Rubber has various uses. It is an important industrial raw material. It is used for making cycle tyres and tubes, auto tyres and tubes, camel back, footwears, belts and hoses, latex foam, dipped goods, and other products.

Question 9.
Specify the geographical conditions required for the growth of cotton. In which states is cotton grown?
Answer:
Cotton is a kharif crop and requires 6 to 8 months to grow. It needs high temperature, light rainfall, 210 frost-free days and bright sunshine for its growth. Cotton grows well in drier parts of the black cotton soil of the Deccan plateau. Major cotton producing states are Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh.

Question 10.
Write a short note on fibre crops.
Answer:
Four major fibre crops grown in India are cotton, jute, hemp and natural silk. While cotton, jute and hemp are crops grown in the soil, silk is obtained from cocoons of silkworms fed on green leaves, especially mulberry. Rearing of silkworms for the production of silk fibre is known as sericulture.

Long Answer Type Questions

Question 1.
Distinguish between rabi, kharif and zaid cropping seasons.

Rabi crops	Kharif crops	Zaid crops
(i) These are sown in winter from October to December.	(iii) These are sown with the onset of monsoon in different parts of the country.	(ii) In between the rabi and kharif seasons, there is a short season during summer months, known as the zaid season.
(ii) Wheat, barley, peas, gram, mustard are rabi crops.	(ii) Paddy, maize, jowar, bajra, tur, moong, urad, cotton, jute, groundnut, soyabean are kharif crops.	(ii) Watermelon, muskmelon, cucumber, vegetables and fodder crops are zaid crops. Sugarcane takes a year to grow.
(iii) These are harvested in summer from April to June.	(iii) These are harvested in September-October.

Question 2.
Write the conditions required for growing sugarcane. What are the uses of sugarcane? Name the sugarcane producing states.
Answer:
Sugarcane is a tropical as well as a subtropical crop. ,

It grows well in hot and humid climate with a temperature of 21°C to 27°C and an annual rainfall between 75 cm and 100 cm.
Irrigation is required in regions of low rainfall. ‘
It can grdw on a variety of soil.
It needs manual labour from sowing to harvesting. It is-the main source of sugar, gur (jaggery), khandsari and molasses. The major sugarcane producing states are Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Punjab, and Haryana.

Question 3.
Name the different types of oilseeds grown in India and its uses. Identify the kharif and rabi oilseeds.
Answer:
Different types of oilseeds are grown covering approximately 12 per cent of the total cropped area of the country. Major oilseeds produced in India are groundnut, mustard, and coconut, sesame (til), soyabean, castor seeds, cotton seeds, linseed and sunflower seeds. Most of the oilseeds are edible and used as cooking mediums.

Some of them are also used as raw material in the production of soap, cosmetics and ointments. Groundnut is a kharif crop. Linseed and mustard are rabi crops. Sesame is a kharif crop in north and rabi crop in south India. Castor seed is grown both as rabi and kharif crop.

Question 4.
Mention the geographical conditions favourable for tea cultivation. Name the states where tea plantations are found.
Answer:
Tea grows well in tropical and subtropical climates.

Tea requires 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.
It is processed within the tea garden to restore its freshness. Major tea producing states are Assam, hills of Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri districts of West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Apart from these, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Meghalaya, Andhra Pradesh and Tripura also produce tea.

Question 5.
Describe the technological and institutional reforms in agriculture in India after Independence.
Answer:
Agriculture which provides livelihood for more than 60 per cent of its population needed some serious technical and institutional reforms. Government introduced the reforms in the J 960s and 1970s.

Collectivisation, consolidation of holdings, cooperation and abolition of zamindari, etc. were given priority to bring institutional reforms in the country after independence.
Land teform was the main focus of the First Five-Year Plan.
Green Revolution based on the use of package technology and White Revolution (Operation Flood) were some of the strategies initiated to improve Indian agriculture.
In the 1980s and 1990s, a comprehensive land development programme was initiated, which included both institutional and technical reforms.
Steps like provision for crop insurance against drought, flood, cyclone, fire and disease, establishment of Grameert banks, cooperative societies and loan facilities for farmers by banks at low interest rates were taken.
Kisan Credit Card (KCC) and Personal Accident Insurance Scheme (PAIS) were schemes introduced by the Government of India for the benefit of the farmers.
Special weather bulletins and agricultural programmes were broadcasted on television and radio.
The government has also announced minimum support price, remunerative and procurement prices for important crops to check the exploitation of farmers by speculators and middlemen.

Question 6.
Discuss the Bhoodan-Gramdan movement initiated by Vinoba Bhave.
Answer:
Vinoba Bhave was one of the votaries of Gandhi’s concept of gram swarajya. In Andhra Pradesh, few landless villagers demanded land for their economic well-being. Vinoba Bhave assured that he would talk to the Government of India regarding provision of land if they undertook cooperative farming. Shri Ram Charan Reddy offered 80 acres of land to be distributed among the landless villagers. This was known as Bhoodan. Some zamindars offered to distribute villages among the landless. This was known as Gramdan. Many landowners, in fear of land ceiling act, chose to provide some part of their land to the poor farmers. This was known as Bhoodan-Gramdan movement or Blood-less Revolution.

Activity Based Questions

Question 1.
On a political map of India, mark the cotton, jute and rubber producing regions.
Answer:
Jute, cotton and rubber producing regions

Question 2.
On a political map of India, mark the tea and coffee producing regions of India.
Answer:
Tea and coffee producing regionsg.

Question 3.
On a political map of India, mark the sugarcane producing regions of India.
Answer:
Sugarcane producing regions

Question 4.
Study the picture carefully and answer the following questions:

(a) Who introduced tea plantation in India?
(b) What type of labour is required for this industry or plantation?
(c) What is the rank of India in tea production in the world?
Answer:
(a) Tea cultivation was introduced in India by the British.
(b) Abundant, cheap and skilled labour is required for this industry.
(c) As per 2015-16 records, India was the second largest producer of tea after China.

Question 5.
Study the pictures carefully and answer the following questions:

(a) What is the rank of India in fruits and vegetables production in the world?
(b) Where are apples, pears, apricots and walnuts grown?
(c) Name the vegetables grown in India.
Answer:
(a) India ranks second in fruits and vegetables production in the world, after China.
(b) Apples, pears, apricots and walnuts are grown in Jammu and Kashmir, and Himachal Pradesh.
(c) India is an important producer of pea, cauliflower, onion, cabbage, tomato, brinjal and potato.

JAC Class 10 Social Science Important Questions

JAC Class 10 Social Science Solutions Geography Chapter 4 Agriculture

September 10, 2024September 9, 2024 by Prasanna

JAC Board Class 10th Social Science Solutions Geography Chapter 4 Agriculture

JAC Class 10th Geography Agriculture InText Questions and Answers

Page 34

Question 1.
Can you name some industries based on agricultural raw material?
Answer:
Few industries based on agricultural raw materials are the oilseed industry, jute and cotton industry, woollen and textile industry, paper industry and food processing units.

Question 2.
Can you name some such types of farmings?
Answer:
Jhumming: The ‘slash and burn’ agriculture is known as ‘Milpa’ in Mexico and Central America, ‘Conuco’ in Venzuela, ‘Roca’ in Brazil, ‘Masole’ in Central Africa, ‘Ladang’ in Indonesia, ‘Ray’ in Vietnam. In India, this primitive form of cultivation is called ‘Bewar’ or ‘Dahiya’ in Madhya Pradesh, ‘Podu’ or ‘Penda’ in Andhra Pradesh, ‘Pama Dabi’ or ‘Roman’ or Bringa’ in Odisha, ‘Kumari’ in Western Ghats, ‘Valre’ or ‘Waltre’ in South-eastern Rajasthan, ‘Khil’ in the Himalayan belt, ‘Kuruwa’ in Jharkhand, and ‘Jhumming’ in the Northeastern region.

Poge 35

Question 3.
Rinjha lived with her family in a small village at the outskirts of Diphu in Assam. She enjoys watching her family members clearing, slashing and burning a patch of land for cultivation. She often helps them in irrigating the fields with water running through a bamboo canal from the nearby spring.

She loves the surroundings and wants to stay here as long as she can, but this little girl has no idea about the declining fertility of the soil and her family’s search for fresh a patch of land in the next season. Can you name the type of farming Rinjha’s family is engaged in?
Answer:
Rinjha’s family is engaged in ‘slash and bum’ or jhumming agriculture.

Question 4.
Can you enlist some crops which are grown in such farming?
Answer:
Crops such as jowar, millet, cassava, com, beans, etc. are grown.

Question 5.
Can you name some of the states of India where intensive subsistence farming is practised?
Answer:
Intensive subsistence farming is practised in Punjab, some parts of Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Haryana.

Question 6.
Can you give some more examples of crops which may be commercial in one region and may provide subsistence in another region?
Answer:
While wheat is grown on a large scale as a commercial crop in Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, it is grown as a subsistence crop in eastern states like Bihar and West Bengal.

Page 42

Question 7.
List the items w hich are made of rubber and are used by us.
Answer:
Rubber is an important industrial raw material. It is used for a variety of purposes

Page 45

Question 8.
Can you name any gene-modified seed used vastly in India?
Answer:
Cotton is the only gene-modified see vastly used in India

Question 9.
Change in cropping patterns, for example, from cereals to high-value crops will mean that India will have to import food. During 1960s this would have been seen as a disaster. But if India imports cereals while exporting high-value commodities, it will be following successful economies like Italy, Israel and Chile. These countries export farm products (fruits, olives, especially seeds and wine) and import cereals. Are we ready to take this risk? Debate the issue.
Answer:
Self-help.
Hints:

India can take this risk with the assistance from the government.
Some government-owned land or cooperatives can be involved in the beginning for trial.
If the crop production is successful and there is a good sale, then gradually the cropping pattern can be changed.
Farmers need to be educated on the techniques of cultivating high-value crops

JAC Class 10th Geography Agriculture Textbook Questions and Answers

Question 1.
Choose the right answer from the four alternatives given below.
(i) Which one of the following describes a system of agriculture where a single crop is grown on a large area?
(a) Shifting agriculture
(b) Plantation agriculture
(c) Horticulture
(d) Intensive agriculture
Answer:
(b) Plantation agriculture

(ii) Which one of the following is a rabi crop?
(a) Rice
(b) Gram
(c) Millets
(d) Cotton
Answer:
(b) Gram

(iii) Which one of the following is a leguminous crop?
(a) Pulses
(b) Jowar
(c) Millets
(d) Sesamum
Answer:
(a) Pulses

Question 2.
Answer the following questions in 30 words.
(a) Name one important beverage crop and specify the geographical conditions required for its growth.

(b) Naitte one staple crop of India and the regions where it is produced.

(d) The land under cultivation has got reduced day by day. Can you imagine its consequences?
Answer:
(a) Tea is an important beverage crop. It grows well in tropical and sub-tropical climates having 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. It is processed within the tea garden to restore its freshness.

(b) Rice is a staple crop of a majority of the people in India. It 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 tube wells has made it possible to grow rice in the areas of less rainfall, such as Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh and parts of Rajasthan.

(c) The Government of India introduced several institutional reforms for the benefit of the farmers and agriculture of India. Land reform was the main focus of our first five year plan. Collectivisation, consolidation of land holdings, cooperation and abolition of zamindari, etc. were given priority to bring institutional reforms in the country after Independence. 1980s and 1990s a land development programme was initiated, which included both institutional and technical reforms.

(d) The competition for land between non- agricultural uses such as housing, etc. and agriculture has led to reduction in net sown area. This will lead to shortage of food. Food is a basic need and every citizen of the country should have access to food which provides minimum nutritional balance. There will be a huge pressure on the country’s future food security.

Question 3.
Answer the following questions in about 120 words:
(a) Suggest the initiative taken by the government to ensure the increase in agricultural production.
(b) Describe the impact of globalisation on Indian agriculture.
(c) Describe the geographical conditions required for the growth of rice.
Answer:
(a) Various initiatives taken by the government to ensure the increase in agricultural production are:

Collectivisation, consolidation of holdings, cooperation and abolition of Zamindari, etc., were given priority to bring about institutional reforms in the country after independence.
Laftd Reform was the main focus of our ‘First Five Year Plan’.
The Green Revolution was based on the use of package technology and the White Revolution were some of the strategies initiated to improve the Indian agriculture.
provision for crop insurance against drought, floods, diseases, etc.
Grameen Banks, Kissan Credit Card and Personal Accident Insurance Scheme are some of the reforms by the Indian Government for the benefit of the farmers.

(b) Globalisation has been existent since the time of colonisation of India. After the 1990s, the Indian farmers have been exposed to new challenges as they are not able to compete with the developed countries because of the highly subsidised agriculture in those countries.

A fewveconomists think that Indian farmers have a bleak future if they keep growing foodgrains on small landholdings for ever increasing population. Despite being an important producer of rice, cottbn, rubber, tea, coffee, jute and spices, the agricultural products are unable to face the stiff competition.

Overuse of chemicals, dying aquifers and vanishing diversity has led to land degradation. It is said that Green Revolution is responsible for it.Farmers should adopt to genetic engineering, which is recognised as a powerful supplement in inventing new hybrid varieties of seeds. Organic farming has become popular. Indian farmers should diversify their cropping pattern from cereals to high-value crops. This will increase income and reduce environmental degradation simultaneously.

(c) Rice is a kharif crop. It requires high temperature, above 25°C and high humidity with annual rainfall above 100 cm. In the areas of less rainfall, it grows with the help of irrigation. Rice grows well in the plains of north and north¬eastern India, coastal areas and the deltaic regions. Development of dense network of canal irrigation and tube wells has made it possible to grow rice in the areas of less rainfall, such as, Punjab, Haryana, and western Uttar Pradesh and parts of Rajasthan.

NCERT ‘Project’ Work

Question 1.
Group discussion on the necessity of literacy among farmers.
Answer:
Self-help Hints:

Literacy is a must for development and progress of a country.
Farmers of a country need proper guidance to understand the quality of their land, what is required to keep their land fertile. To know and understand this, they need to be literate.
They need to know how to run and maintain all the farming machines and implements.
To understand what nutrients, fertilisers and pesticides are required for their soil.
To read and understand the terms and conditions of loans taken from various sources.

Question 2.
On an outline map of India show major wheat and rice producing states.

NCERT Activity

Solve the puzzle by following your search horizontally and vertically to find the hidden answers.

Question 1.
The two staple food crops of India.
Answer:
Rice and wheat

Question 2.
This is the summer cropping season of India.
Answer:
Kharif

Question 3.
Pulses like arhar, moong, gram, urad contain
Answer:
Protein

Question 4.
It is a coarse grain.
Answer:
Jo war

Question 5.
The two important beverages in India are…….
Answer:
Tea, Coffee

Question 6.
One of the four major fibres grown on black soils.
Answer:
Cotton

JAC Class 10 Social Science Solutions

JAC Class 10 Social Science Notes Geography Chapter 4 Agriculture

September 9, 2024September 6, 2024 by Bhagya

JAC Board Class 10 Social Science Notes Geography Chapter 4 Agriculture

→ Two-thirds of the population of India are engaged in agricultural activities.

Agriculture is a primary activity, which produces most of the food that we consume.
It produces foodgrains and raw material for various industries.
Few agricultural products like tea, coffee, spices, etc. are exported.

→ Types of Farming

Cultivation methods have changed significantly depending upon the characteristics of physical environment, technological know-how and socio-cultural practices.
The types of farming are primitive subsistence farming, intensive subsistence farming and commercial farming.
Primitive subsistence agriculture is a ‘slash and bum’ agriculture. When the fertility decreases, the farmers shift and clear a fresh patch of land for cultivation.
Practised on small patches of land, with primitive tools and family or community labourers. ‘This type of farming depends upon monsoon, natural fertility of the soil.
Intensive subsistence farming is practised in the. are.as of high population pressure on land. It is a labour-intensive farming with high dose of biochemical inputs and irrigation to obtain higher production. The size of land holding is uneconomical but the farmers continue to take the maximum output from the limited land.
Commercial farming involves the use of higher doses of modem inputs, like high yielding variety (HYV) seeds, chemical fertilisers, insecticides and pesticides in order to obtain higher productivity. The degree of commercialisation varies from one region to another. Plantation agriculture is a type of commercial farming where a single crop is grown on a large area. It has an interface of agriculture and industry.

→ Cropping Pattern

The three cropping seasons of India are – rabi, kharif and zaid.
Rabi crops are sown in winter from October to December and harvested in summer from April to June. Wheat, barley, peas, gram and mustard are some rabi crops. Wheat and other rabi crops are grown in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh. Availability of precipitation from western temperate cyclone helps in the success of these crops. Green Revolution has been an important factor in the growth of the rabi crops in the states of Punjab, Haryana, western Uttar Pradesh and parts of Rajasthan.
Kharif crops are grown with the onset of monsoon and harvested in September- October. Important crops are paddy, maize, jowar, bajra, tur, moong, urad, cotton, jute, groundnut and soyabean. Important rice growing states are Assam, West Bengal, coastal regions of Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Maharashtra, Konkan coast, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
Zaid season is a short season between the rabi and kharif seasons. Some of the crops grown in this season are watermelon, muskmelon, cucumber, vegetables, sugarcane and fodder crops.

→ Major Crops:

Major crops grown are rice, wheat, millets, pulse, tea, coffee, sugarcane, oil seeds, cotton and jute, etc.
Rice is a staple crop of majority of people of India. India is the second largest producer of rice after China. It requires high temperature, high humidity and annual rainfall of above 100 cm. In areas of less rainfall, irrigation is required. It is grown in the plains of north and north-eastern India, coastal and deltaic regions. Development of dense canal irrigation and tube wells has enabled rice cultivation in areas of less rainfall.
Wheat is the second most important cereal crop. It requires a cool growing season, bright surlshine at the time of ripening, and 50 to 75 cm of annual rainfall equally distributed over the growing season. There are two important wheat growing zones. Major wheat producing states are Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan and parts of Madhya Pradesh.
Millets, also known as coarse grains, are of high nutritious value. Jowar, bajra and ragi are important millets grown in India.
Maize is used both as food and fodder. It is a kharif crop. It grows in old alluvial soil. In some states it is grown as rabi crop. Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh are major maize producing states.
Pulses: Iifdia is the largest producer as well as the consumer of pulses in the world. It is a major source of protein in vegetarian diet. Except for arhar, all pulses are leguminous crops and help restore soil fertility by fixing nitrogen. Therefore, they are grown in rotation with other crops. Major pulse producing states are Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Karnataka.

→ Food Crops other than Grains

Sugarcane is a tropical as well as subtropical crop. It grows well in hot and humid climate, and annual rainfall between 75 cm and 100 cm. It can grow on variety of soil. It requires manual labour from sowing to harvesting. India is the second largest producer of sugarcane after Brazil. The main sugarcane producing states are Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Punjab and Haryana.
Main oilseeds produced in India are groundnut, mustard, coconut, sesamum, soyabean, castor seeds, cotton seeds, linseed and sunflower seeds. Most of these are edible and used as cooking medium. Some of these are used as raw material in the production of soap, cosmetics and ointments.
Tea is a plantation agriculture. It was introduced by the British in India and is a popular beverage. It grows in tropical and sub-tropical climates. It is a labour-intensive industry. Major tea producing states are Assam, hills of Daijeeling and Jalpaiguri districts, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
Coffee is a plantation crop. The Arabica variety initially brought from Yemen is produced in the country. Its cultivation is confined to the Nilgiri in Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
India is the second largest producer of fruits and vegetables after China. India produces tropical as well as temperate fruits. Variety of fruits and vegetables is grown all over the country.

→ Non-Food Crops:

Rubber: It grows in tropical and sub-tropical areas. It requires moist and humid climate. It is an important industrial raw material. It mainly grows in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Garo hills of Meghalaya and Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Fibre crops: Cotton, jute, hemp and natural silk are fibre crops. Cotton, jute and hemp are grown on soil. Natural silk is obtained from cocoons of silkworms fed on mulberry leaves. Rearing of silkworms for the production of silk fibre is known as sericulture.
India is the second largest producer of cotton after China. Cotton grows well in black soil of the Deccan plateau. Major cotton producing states are Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.
Jute is known as the golden fibre. It grows well on the well-drained fertile soils in the flood plains where soils are renewed every year. It is grown in West Bengal, Bihar, Assam, Odisha and Meghalaya. It is used for making gunny bags, coir mats, ropes, yam, carpets and’artefacts. It is losing its market to synthetic fibres, especially the nylon because of its high cost.

→ Technological and Institutional Reforms

Sustained uses of land without compatible techno-institutional changes have hindered the pace of agricultural development.
Collectivisation, consolidation of land holdings, cooperation and abolition of zamindari, etc. were given priority to bring institutional reforms in the country after Independence.
Reforms were introduced by the Government of India in the 1960s and 1970s to improve Indian agriculture.
The Green Revolution, which was based on the use of package technology and the White Revolution (Operation Flood) were some of the strategies initiated to improve the lot of Indian -agriculture.
However the development was in the selected areas only.
Some important steps taken were provision for crop insurance against drought, flood, cyclone, fire, disease, establishment of Grameen banks, cooperative societies, etc.
Kissan Credit Card (KCC) and Personal Accident Insurance Scheme (PAIS), Minimum Support Price, special weather bulletins, etc. for farmers were introduced by the Government of India.
Bhoodan Gramdan or Bloodless Revolution by Vinoba Bhave was a successful movement.

→ Impact of Globalisation on Agriculture

Though globalisation has been in India since the British rule and even before, it affected the farmers after 1990 when they found it difficult to compete with the developed countries because of the highly subsidised agriculture in those countries.
Genetic engineering is recognised as a powerful supplement in inventing new hybrid varieties of seeds. Organic farming is in vogue and encouraged.
There should be a change in cropping pattern from cereals to high-value crops to increase earning from agriculture as the economists feel the future of Indian farmers will be bleak, if they continue with foodgrain production on small landholdings.