4

Agriculture
INTRODUCTION
" The main occupation of India is agriculture.
About 2/3rd of our population is directly or indirectly depends upon it for its
We not only produce food grains but also cash crops that are livelihood. CODE-LIVI

needed for industries as raw

materials.
" India exports crops like tea, coffee, spices, oil seeds,
coconuts, etc. and earn huge foreign
exchange.
IN-TEXT QUESTION (Page No. 30)
Can you name some industries based on
agricultural raw material?
Food and Beverage Industry: This industry is centered around the
production and processing of food and
beverages using agricultural raw materials such as fruits, vegetables, grains, meat, and dairy
products.
" Textile Industry: Cotton, wool, silk, and other fibers produced from
plants or animals are used as raw materials
in the textile industry.
Biofuel Industry: Agricultural crops such as corn, soybeans, and sugarcane can be used as
raw materials to
produce biofuels such as ethanol and biodiesel.

TYPES OF FARMING
Agriculture has been a long-standing economic activity in India.
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Over timne, cultivation methods have changed significantly based on physical environment,
technology, and socio-cultural practices.
Farming practices can range from subsistence to commercial types.
Currently, in different parts of India, various farming systems are practised.
Primitive Subsistence Farming
" One of these farming systems is Primitive Subsistence Farming, which is still practised in
a few pockets of India.
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. Primitive subsistence agriculture involves small patches of land and primitive tools like
hoe, dao, and digging sticks, along with family or community labour.
" This type of farming depends on the monsoon, natural soil fertility, and other environmental
conditions suitable for the crops grown.
" It is a form of 'slash and burn' agriculture where farmers clear a patch of land and produce
cereals and other food crops to sustain their family.
. When the soil fertilitydecreases, farmers shift and clear a fresh patch of land for cultivation.
" This shifting allows nature to replenish the fertility of the soil through natural processes.
" Land productivity in this type of agriculture is low, as farmers do not use fertilisers or
other modern inputs.
" It is known by different names in different parts of the country.
Geography Class X G-S1
 Could yoou provide examples of similar
For instance, types of farming practices?
jhumming
Pamlou is practiscd is practised in northeastern states such as Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram.
in Manipur, and
Jhumming
Dipa in Bastar district of Chhattishgarh, and in Andaman and
Nicobar lsNalandgal
. Jhumming is a form of agriculture that involves 'slash and burn'
farming techniques.
2. This type of
farming is known as 'Milpa' in Mexico and Central America, 'Conuco'
Venezucla, 'Roca' in Brazil. "Masole' in Central Africa, Ladang' in IndoneSia, and 'Ray' inin
Vietnam.
3. In India,
jhumming is known by various names such as 'Bewar' or 'Dahiya' in
Pradesh, Podu' or 'Penda' in Andhra Pradesh. 'Pama Dabi' or 'Koman' or Madhya
'Bringa' in Odisha,
Kumari in Westem Ghats. Valre' or Waltre' in South-eastern Rajasthan, 'Khil' in the
Himalayan belt, and 'Kuruwa' in Jharkhand.
4. Jhumming is particularly prevalent in the
northeastern region of India.
DRD Rinjha resides with her family on the periphery of Diphu inAssam, in a
pleasure in observing her family members clear. slash, and burn a piecesmall village. She takes
of land for farming.
Occasionally, she assists them in irrigating the fields by channeling water from the nearby
CODE-Dy3N through a bamboo canal. Though
Rinjha cherishes her surroundings and desires to stay springthere,
she is unaware of the soil's diminishing fertility and her
land in the upcoming season. family's need to locate new piece of
a

Can you enlist some crops which are grown

Can you name the type of farming in such farming?
Rinjha's family is engaged in? Ans. In such farming, farmers generally
Ans. Rinjha's family is practising "slash grow crops like maize, rice, millets,
and burn" agriculture, also known and other food crops that can sustain
as "jhumming" in the northeastern their families. They usually cultivate
region of India. crops that require little input and are
naturally suited to the environment,
such as root vegetables, legumes, and
tubers.

Intensive Subsistence Farming

The practice of this type of farming is prevalent in areas with high
land.
population density on
. It involves the extensive use of labour and high
quantities of biochemical inputs and CODEa
irigation to achieve agreater yield.
Commercial Farming
. This type of farming uses higher doses of modern inputs like HYV seeds,
chemical
DDE-SA4
fertilisers, insecticides and pesticides to obtain higher productivity.
. The degree of commercialisation of agriculture varies from region to region. For
instance,
rice is a commercial crop in Haryana and Punjab, but in Odisha, it is a subsistence crop.

Plantation Farming
" Plantation is a typeof commercial farmning that involves growing a single crop on a large
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area, using capital-intensive inputs and migrant labourers.
 Plantations cover large tracts of land and all the produce is used as raw material in respective
industries.
" Tea, coffee, rubber, sugarcane, banana, etc. are important plantation crops in India.
Tea in Assam and North Bengal coffee in Kamataka are some of the significant plantation
crops grown in these states.
and
Since the production is mainly for market. a well-developed network of transportplays
markets
communication connecting the plantation areas, processing industries, and
a crucial role in the development of plantations.
(Page No. 31)
IN-TEXT QUESTION
provide subsistence
you give some more examples of crops which may be commercial in one region and may
Can
in another region?
commercial crop in states like Puniab. Harvana and Uttar Pradesh, where it is grown
" Wheat: Wheat is a major countries. However. in states like Kerala and Tamil
Nadu, wheat
extensively and exported to other states as well as
states.
is not commonly grown and is mainly imported from other regions. However,
is a commercial crop in many parts of India, especially in the northern and central consumption.
Maize: Maize it is mainly grown as a subsistence crop for local
like West Bengal and Odisha.
in some castern states
CROPPING PATTERN
physical diversity
India has diverse agricultural practices and cropping patterns due to its
"
and cultural plurality. are
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types of crops, such as food crops, fibre crops, fruits, vegetables, and spices,
" Different
grown in India.
seasons: Rabi, Kharif, and Zaid.
" India has three cropping in summer from
sown in winter from October to December and harvested
Rabi crops are gram, and mustard.
June. Examples of rabi crops include wheat, barley, peas,
April to such as Punjab, Haryana, Himachal
and north-western parts of India
States from the north Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh are important
for the
Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir,
crops.
production of wheat and other rabi country and
grown with the onset of monsoon in different parts of the
Kharif crops are maize, jowar,
harvested in September-October. Examples of kharif crops include paddy,
are
tur (arhar), moong, urad, cotton, jute, groundnut, and soybean. Bengal, coastal
bajra, rice-growing regions in India are Assam, West
Some of the most important Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and
Maharashtra.
Andhra Pradesh,
regions of Odisha, summer months in between the
rabi and kharif
season during the
Zaid season is a short
this season are watermelon, muskmelon, cucumber.
during
seasons. Some crops produced
vegetables, and fodder crops.
grow.
Sugarcane takes almost a year to

Major Crops and non-food crops in different regions, depending on soil,

food
. India grows a variety of CODE-EaPD

climate, and cultivation practices. rice, wheat, millets, pulses, tea, coffee,
sugarcane,
India include
" Major crops grown in
oilseeds, cotton, and jute.
crop in India and the country is the second-largest producer
food
" Rice : Rice is the staple China. It is a kharif crop that requires high temperature, high
world after and
of rice in the
above 100 cm. It is grown in the plains of north
humidity, and annual rainfall deltaic regions. Canal irrigation
and tubewells have
northeastern India, coastal areas, and
areas with less rainfall.
made it possible to grow rice in
G-53
Geography Class X
 India and the main foood
second most important cereal crop in crop
Wheat: Wheat is the of the country. It is a rabi crop that requires a cool
regions
in the north and northwest between 50to 75 cm. 1he major
wheat-producins
growing season and annual rainfall Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, and
Rajasthan.
Haryana, Uttar Pradesh,
CODE-GMsS states are Punjab, and ragi
number of inferior grains. Jowar, bajra
Millets: The term 'millets' refers to a
nillets.
which serve as food grains are called as grains but with
millets grown in India, known as coarse
Jowar, bajra, and ragi are important area and
nutritional value. Jowar is the third most important food crop with respect to CODE
high
areas that hardly necds irgation. The major
production, a rain-fed crop mostly grown in moist Andhra Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh.
Jowar-producing states are Maharashtra, Karnataka,
and is akharif crop that requires
Maize: Maize is a crop used both as food and fodder
grows well in old alluvial soil. Major maize
a temperature between 21°C to 27°C and Pradesh, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh,
producing states are Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar
CODE-Rbhs and Telangana.
92 96°E
68°E 72° 76° 80°

36°N 36°N
INDI A
WHEAT
PAKIsTAN
32° 32°

CHINA
(TIBE T)
28°

NEPAL BHUTAN 3.

BANGLADES 24°
Tropic of Cancer

MYANMAR
20 20°

ARABIAN
SEA RENGAL

16°

MAJOR AREA

MINOR AREA

120
12°

ANDAMAN& NICOBARISLANDS
LAKSHADWEEP (NDIA)
(INDIA) 200 600 kai
-- g°N
INDIAN
SRI OCEA N
72°E 76° LANKA 84° 88° 92°E
CODE

India: Distribution of wheat

 6E 729 76P 80P 849 88° 96°E

F36N
36°N
INDIA
RICE

PAKISTAN
-32° 320

CHINA
(TIBET)

NEPAL BHUTAN3

CBANGLADES^ 24°
IITropicofCancer

MYANMAR
-20° 20

BAY OF
ARABIAN BENGAL
SEA

E16
MAJOR AREA

MINOR AREA

12°
-129

ANDAMAN &NICOBAR ISLANDS

(INDIA)
LAKSHADHEEP 600 km
DA) 8N
SRI OCEA N
1NDIAN 88° 92°E
76° LANKA 84
72°E
India: Distribution of rice

Pulses world.
the largest producer and consumer of pulses in the in
" India is both
source of protein in a vegetarian diet. The major pulses grown
" Pulses are a significant
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moong, masur, peas, and gram.

India are tur (arhar), urad, dry conditions. As leguminous
crops, all of
moisture and can grow in
" Pulses require less
soil fertility by fixing nitrogen from the air. Therefore, they
them except arhar help restore
rotation with other crops. Maharashtra.
are usually grown in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan,
states in India are
The major pulse-producing
Karnataka.
Uttar Pradesh, and
Grains
Food Crops other than
climates.
Sugarcane
subtropical crop that grows well in hot and humid
" Atropical and lowrainfall.
between 75cm and 100cm and irrigation in regions of
CODE-fuy " Needs an annual rainfall
G-55
Geography Class X
 " Can be grown on various soils and requires manual labour from sowing to harvesting,
and is a major
sugarcane after Brazil
" India is the
second-largest producer
khandsari, and
of
molasses. SOurce
of
" Major gur
sugarcane-producing
(jaggery), states in India include Uttar Pradesh. Maharashtra, Karnataka,
sugar,
Telangana, Bihar, Punjab, and Haryana.
Pradesh,
Tamil Nadu. Andhra
OilSeeds
second-largest producer of groundnut in
the world and third-largest producer
" India is the
Canada and China.
of rapeseed after area in India.
cover approximately 12% of the total cropped
" Different oil seeds groundnut, mustard, coconut, sesamum
(6 NON-F
produced in India include " Ru
Main oil seeds
seeds, linseed, and sunflower.
soybean, castor seeds, cotton
SU

about half of the major oilseeds produced

Groundnut is a kharif crop and accounts for
groundnut, followed by Rajasthan and Tamil
in India. Gujarat is the largest producer of
Nadu.
India and rabi
and sesamum is a kharif crop in north
" Linseed and mustard are rabi crops,
and kharif crop.
crop in south India. Castor seed is grown as both rabi
Tea
and fertile well
Tea cultivation is an example of plantation agriculture and requires deep
drained soil rich in humus and organic matter.
CODE-AHG Tea bushes require warm and moist frost-free climate throughout the year and frequent
evenly distributed showers.
India was the second-largest producer of tea after China in 2018, and major tea-producing
states include Assam, hills of Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri districts in West Bengal, Tamil
Nadu, Kerala, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Meghalaya, Andhra Pradesh, and Tripura.
Coffee
Indian cofiee is known for its good quality, particularly the Arabica variety initially brought
from Yemen.
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" Cultivation of coffee is confined to the Nilgiri in Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu.
Horticulture Crops
India was the second-largest producer of fruits and vegetables in the world after China in CODE-wNn
2018.
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India is a producer of tropical as well as temperate fruits, such as mangoes, oranges,
bananas, lichi, guava, pincapples, grapes, apples, pears, apricots, and walnuts.
" Major fruit-producing states in India include Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana,
Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Nagpur, Cherrapunjee (Meghalaya), Kerala, Mizoram, and
Tamil Nadu.

Apricots, apple and pomegranate

 Cultivation of vegetables - Peas, cauliflower, tomato and brinjal
NON-FOOD CROPS
" Rubber is mainly grown in equatorial regions, but it can also be grown in tropical and
Sub-trop1cal areas under special conditions. It requires a moist and humid climate with CODE-JDr7
over 200 cm of rainfall and temperatures above 25°C.
" Rubber 1s an important raw material for industry and is grown in Kerala, Tamil Nadu,
Karnataka, Andaman and Nicobar Islands. and Garo Hills of Meghalaya.
" India grows four major fiber crops: cotton, jute. hemp, and natural silk. Cotton, Jute, and
hemp are derived from crops grown in soil. while silk is obtained from silkworm cocoons
fed on mulberry leaves. Rearing silkworms for silk fiber production is called sericulture.
Cotton 1s believed to have originated in India and is a primary raw material for the cotton
textile industry. In 2017, India was the second-largest producer of cotton after China. Cotton
grows well in dry parts of the black cotton soil of the Deccan plateau and requires
high
temperatures, light rainfall or irrigation, 210frost-free days, and bright sunshine for growth.
states in India
It is a kharif crop and takes 6-8 months to mature. Major cotton-producing
Telangana, Tamil
are Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh,
Nadu, Punjab, Haryana, and Utar Pradesh.
well-drained fertile soils in floodplains
" Jute is known as the golden fiber and grows well on
temperatures during growth. West
where the soil is renewed every year. It requires high
jute-producing states in India.
Bengal, Bihar, Assam, Odisha, and Meghalaya are the major and other artifacts. Due to its
carpets,
Jute is used to make gunny bags, mats, ropes, yarn, materials, particularly
packing
high cost, jute is losing market share to synthetic fibers and
nylon.
TECHNOLOGICAL AND INSTITUTIONAL REFORMS
India for thousands of years.
" Agriculture has been practised in
However, sustained use of land without compatible techno-institutional changes has hindered
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agricultural development.
development of sources of irrigation, most farmers in large parts of the country
" Despite the fertility for their agriculture.
stilldepend on monsoon and natural
this poses a serious challenge.
" With a growing population, India's population and needs serious
livelihood for over 60% of
" Agriculture provides reforms.
technical and institutional
about institutional reforms in the country, priority was given to collectivisation,
bring
" To abolition of zamindari after independence.
consolidation of holdings, cooperation, and
Year Plan of India focused on land reform to consolidate fragmented land
" The First Five inheritance.
holdings caused by the right of or lukewarm.
Although laws for land reforms were enacted, implementation was lacking
" reforms in the 1960s and 1970s, including
of India introduced agricultural
" The Government White Revolution (Operation Flood), to improve
Indian
the Green Revolution and the
 selected areas.
developnent in few
led to
concentration of
development program was initiated Vinoba Bhave
strategies comprehensive land (landlords) ofE
However, these 1990s, a known as Gra
1980s and reforms. establishment os
Therefore, in the
institutional and technical disease, and " However, ma
that included fire, and of interest
drought, flood, cyclone, providing loans at lower rates the fear of th
against banks
Crop insurance cooperative societies, and Personal The Bhoodar
banks,
Grameen
important steps in this
direction.
Kissan Credit Card (KCC) and Revolution.
were schemes like
government also introduced of farmers. television
O The Scheme (PAIS) for the benefit introduced on radio and
Insurance were
Accident agricultural programs Multiple choic
Special weather bulletins and procurement
" remunerative, and 1. Which one
to help farmers. minimum support price, speculators and a large are:
government also announces exploitation of farmers by
O The crops to prevent the (a) Shiftin
prices for important (c) Hortic
middlemen. Ans. (b) Planta
(Page No.3
Farmers' Portal web 2. Which on
Activity agricultural schemes, etc. from
horticulture, on the portal. (a) Rice
Collect information about agriculture, about the benefits of the information available (c) Mille
in/FarmerHome.aspx. Discuss
https://farmer. gov. Ans. (b) Gran
providino. CODE-kngh
Sample Answer: in/FarmerHome.aspx is a government initiative aimed at 3. Which
https://farmer. gov. sectors. lhe portal contains a wealh
The Farmers' Portal website to agriculture, horticulture, and allied
government schemes, weathel (a) Puls
one-stop-shop for all infomation related information on crops, farming praciices, (c) Mil
farming, including
of infomation related to Ans. (a) Pul
forecasts, and market prices. information related
benefits to farmers. Firstly, farmers can access important productivity. Second
The portal provides a range of crop yields and Answer tl
management, which can help them improve their related to famine
farming practices and crop
up-to-date information on government schemes and initiatives advantag
1. Name
the portal provides farmers with loans, and insurance schemes. This information can help farmers take growt
including information on subsidies, Ans. Tea is
benefits provided by the government.
of govermment schemes and avail the prices, which can help them plan thet with
to weather forecasts and market
The portal also provides farmers with access use the portal to buy and sell agricultural produce,
which ca 2. Nam
farming activities more effectively. Farmers can also
Ans. The
help them get better prices for their crops. includng
Portal website also has a range of interactiye features,
In addition to providing information, the Farmers' connect with other farmers and experts in the field s
discussion forums and chat rooms, which can help farmers
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agriculture.
range of informau
Overall, the Farmers' Portal website is a valuable resource for farmers, providing them with a 3. En
oue
and services that can help them improve their farming practices, access government schemes, and connect witn far
farmers and experts. Ans. Va
in
BHOODAN-GRAMDAN
" Vinoba Bhave was declared as Mahatma Gandhi's spiritual heir and was aliso a prominent
satyagrahi vwho supported Gandhi's concept of gram swarajya.
" After Gandhi's death, Vinoba Bhave undertook a padyatra to spread Gandhi's message
throughout India.
" During a lecture in Pochampalli, Andhra Pradesh, some poor landless villagers asked Answ
1.
Vinoba Bhave for land to improve their economic status. While he couldn't promise then
Ans.
land immediately, he assured them that he would speak to the Government of India
aboul
providing them with land if they agreed to cooperative farming.
Shri Ram Chandra Reddy stood up and offered 80 acres of
land to be distributed among
80 landless villagers. This act was known as Geography Class
'Bhoodan.'
 " Vinoba Bhave continued to travel and spread his ideas
(landlords) offeredto distribute some of their
throughout India. Some zamindars
known as Gramndan. villages among the landless, which was
" However, many landowners chose to provide some of their
the fear of the land land to poor farmers due tÛ
ceiling act.
" The Bhoodan-Gramdan movement
initiated by VinobaBhave is also known as the Bloodless
Revolution.

TEXTBOOK EXERCISES
Multiple choice questions
1. 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 CODE-rPÌB
(c) Horticulture (d) Intensive Agriculture
Ans. (b) Plantation Agriculture
2. Which one of the following is a rabi crop?
(a) Rice (b) Gram
(c) Millets (d) Cotton
Ans. (b) Gram
3. Which one of the following is a leguminous crop?
(a) Pulses (b) Jawar
(c) Millets (d) Sesamum
Ans. (a) Pulses CODE-Yej2

Answer the following questions in 30 words.

its
1. Name one important beverage crop and specify the geographical conditions required for
growth.
geographical conditions
Ans. Tea is an important beverage crop. It requires tropical or subtropical
with well-distributed rainfall, high humidity, and cool temperatures for its growth.
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regions where it is produced.

2. Name one staple crop of India and the
grown in the following regions:
Ans. The most important staple crop is Rice. It is
" Plains of North
" North East India
areas.
" Eastern and Western Coastal
Godavari, Ganga, Kaveri, etc.
" It is produced in Deltaic regions of Mahanadi, of
programmes introduced by the government in the interest
3. Enlist the various institutional reform
farmers.
introduced by the government in the interest of farmers
Ans. Various institutional reform programmes system.
includes the Minimum Support Price (MSP)
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National Agriculture Market (e-NAM), Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) for
.
crop insurance. soil
Card (KCC) for easy access to credit, and Soil Health Card (SHC) for
" Kisan Credit