Chapter 3: Agriculture
What is Agriculture?
The word agriculture is derived from the Latin words 'ager' or 'agri' meaning soil and 'cultura' meaning cultivation. Agriculture is the science and art of cultivation on the soil, raising crops and rearing livestock. It is a primary activity, which includes growing crops, fruits, vegetables, flowers and rearing of livestock. 50% of persons in the world are engaged in agricultural activity.
Types of Farming
Farming can be classified into two main types depending upon the geographical conditions, demand of produce, labour and level of technology.
- Subsistence Farming: This type of farming is practised to meet the needs of the farmer’s family. It can be further classified as:
- Intensive Subsistence Farming: The farmer cultivates a small plot of land using simple tools and more labour.
- Primitive Subsistence Farming: Includes shifting cultivation and nomadic herding.
- Commercial Farming: In commercial farming, crops are grown and animals are reared for sale in the market. The area cultivated and the amount of capital used is large. It includes commercial grain farming, mixed farming and plantation agriculture.
Major Crops
A variety of crops are grown to meet the requirement of the growing population. Major food crops are wheat, rice, maize and millets. Jute and cotton are fibre crops. Important beverage crops are tea and coffee.
Agricultural Development
Agricultural Development refers to efforts made to increase farm production in order to meet the growing demand of increasing population. This can be achieved in many ways such as increasing the cropped area, the number of crops grown, improving irrigation facilities, use of fertilisers and high yielding variety of seeds. Mechanisation of agriculture is also another aspect of agricultural development.
Exercise Questions and Answers
1. Answer the following questions.
(i) What is agriculture?
(ii) Name the factors influencing agriculture.
(iii) What is shifting cultivation? What are its disadvantages?
(iv) What is plantation agriculture?
(v) Name the fibre crops and name the climatic conditions required for their growth.
(i) What is agriculture?
Agriculture is a primary activity that includes the science and art of cultivating the soil, growing crops (like fruits, vegetables, flowers), and rearing livestock.
(ii) Name the factors influencing agriculture.
Factors influencing agriculture include favourable topography of soil, suitable climate, availability of water, and socio-economic factors like labour, level of technology, and demand for produce.
(iii) What is shifting cultivation? What are its disadvantages?
Shifting cultivation is a type of farming where a plot of land is cleared by cutting and burning trees. The ashes are then mixed with the soil and crops are grown. After the soil loses its fertility, the land is abandoned and the farmer moves to a new plot. Its main disadvantage is that it leads to deforestation and soil erosion.
(iv) What is plantation agriculture?
Plantation agriculture is a type of commercial farming where a single crop, such as tea, coffee, sugarcane, rubber, or banana, is grown on a large scale. It requires a large amount of labour and capital.
(v) Name the fibre crops and name the climatic conditions required for their growth.
The two main fibre crops are cotton and jute.
• Cotton: Requires high temperature, light rainfall, 210 frost-free days, and bright sunshine for its growth.
• Jute: Requires high temperature, heavy rainfall, and a humid climate. It grows well on alluvial soil.
2. Tick the correct answer.
(i) Horticulture means (a) growing of fruits and vegetables (b) primitive farming (c) growing of wheat
(ii) Golden fibre refers to (a) Tea (b) Cotton (c) Jute
(iii) Leading producers of coffee (a) Brazil (b) India (c) Russia
Answers:
(i) (a) growing of fruits and vegetables
(ii) (c) Jute
(iii) (a) Brazil
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