Chapter 12. Agriculture in India Textbook Solutions

NIOS Social Science Class 10 Chapter 12 Solutions

INTEXT QUESTIONS 12.1

1. Differentiate between intensive and extensive farming by giving two points of difference each.

Ans: The basic difference between these two types of farming is the amount of production per unit of land. The USA, Canada, and the former USSR are the major countries where extensive farming is practiced whereas Japan is the leading example of intensive farming.

2. Based on the salient features studied above, identify the one applicable in your area. (example : The farming is largely mechanized in harayana and well irrigated. So that there is less dependance on the monsoon.)

Ans: As per the learner’s experience.

INTEXT QUESTIONS 12.2

1. Explain any three geographical conditions required for the cultivation of cotton?

Ans:

(i) Uniformly high temperature varying between 21°C and 30°C
(ii) It grows mostly in areas with at least 210 frost-free days in a year
(iii) It requires a modest amount of rainfall of 50 to 100cm. However, cotton is successfully grown with the help of irrigation in the areas where rainfall is less than 50 cm
(iv) High amounts of rainfall in the beginning and sunny and dry weather at the time of ripening are very useful for a good crop
(v) Cotton cultivation is very closely related to Black soils. However, it also grows well in alluvial soils of the Satluj-Ganga plain and red and laterite soils of the peninsular region
(vi) As picking of cotton has not been mechanised till now, therefore a lot of cheap and efficient labour is required at the time of picking (Any three)

2. How will India clothe its billion + population if cotton crop fails for successive number of years?

Ans: As per the learners’ experience.

3. Why are commercial crops known as cash crops?

Ans: Commercial crops are known as cash crops because most of the produce is sold in the market for earning money.

INTEXT QUESTIONS 12.3

1. How would climate change affect agriculture in India? Explain any two situations.

Ans: Due to climatic change, temperature would increase by 2 to 3 degree Celsius, increase in sea level, more intense cyclones, unpredictable rainfall etc These changes would adversely affect the production of rice and wheat. Specifically, a rise in temperature in winter would affect production of wheat in north India.

Production of rice would be affected in coastal areas of India due to ingress of saline water and increase of frequency of cyclones.

TERMINAL EXERCISES

1. Explain any four salient features of Indian agriculture.

Ans:

(a) Subsistence Agriculture: Most parts of India have subsistence agriculture. This type of agriculture has been practised in India for several hundreds of years and still prevails in a larger part of India in spite of the large-scale change in agricultural practices after independence.
(b) Pressure of population on Agriculture: Despite increase in urbanization and industrialization, about 70% of the population is still directly or indirectly dependent on agriculture.
(c) Mechanization of farming: Green Revolution took place in India in the late sixties and early seventies. After more than forty years of Green Revolution and revolution in agricultural machinery and equipments, complete mechanization is still a distant dream
(d) Dependence upon monsoon: Since independence, there has been a rapid expansion of irrigation infrastructure. Despite the large-scale expansion, only about one third of the total cropped area is irrigated today. As a consequence, two thirds of cropped areas are still dependent upon monsoon. Monsoon in India is uncertain and unreliable due to change in climate.
(e) Variety of crops: India has diversity of topography, climate and soil. Since India has both tropical and temperate climate, crops of both climates are found in India. There are very few countries in the world that have a variety comparable to that of India.
(f) Predominance of food crops: Since Indian agriculture has to feed a large population, production of food crops is the priority of the farmers almost everywhere in the country. However, in recent years, there has been a decline in the share of land used for food crops due to various other commercially most advantageous uses of these land.
(g) Seasonal patterns: India has three distinct agricultural/cropping seasons. There are specific crops grown in these three seasons. For example rice is a kharif crop whereas wheat is a rabi crop.

2. Compare the geographical conditions required for the growth of rice and the growth of wheat cultivation.

Ans:

	Rice	Wheat
Temperature	Rice requires hot and humid conditions. The temperature should be 22°C to 32°C.	It requires a cool climate of 10°C to 15°C at the time of sowing and 21°C to 26°C at the time of ripening and harvesting.
Rainfall	150-300 cm is suitable	75-100 cm
Soil	Deep clayey and loamy soil	Well-drained fertile loamy and clayey loamy soil are suitable.

3. Identify and write any four similar geographical conditions required for both tea and coffee.

Ans: Hot temperature, rainfall of 150 cm or above, shade loving, and friable loamy soil.

4. Analyse any four major challenges confronted by Indian Agriculture.

Ans:

1. Stagnation in Production of Major Crops: Production of some of the major staple food crops like rice and wheat has been stagnating for quite some time. If this trend continues, there would be a huge gap between the demand of ever growing population and the production.
2. High cost of Farm Inputs: Farm inputs include fertilizer, insecticide, pesticides, HYV seeds, farm labour cost, etc. Such an increase puts low and medium-landholding farmers at a disadvantage.
3. Soil Exhaustion: The Green Revolution has also led to negative consequences, one of which is soil exhaustion. Soil exhaustion means loss of nutrients in the soil from farming the same crop over and over again. This usually happens in the rainforest.
4. Depletion of Fresh Groundwater: The second major negative consequence of the green revolution is the depletion of fresh groundwater. Most of the irrigation in dry areas of Punjab, Haryana and Western Uttar Pradesh was carried out by excessive use of groundwater. Today, the fresh groundwater situation in these states is alarming, which can lead to water famine.
5. Adverse impact of Global Climatic Change: Among various challenges, global climatic change, due to which temperature would increase from 2°C to 3°C, there would be an increase in sea level, more intense cyclones, unpredictable rainfall, etc. These changes would adversely affect the production of rice and wheat.
6. Impact of Globalisation could squeeze on farmers’ income and pose a threat to the viability of cultivation in India. This is due to the rising input costs and falling output prices. This reflects the combination of reduced subsidy and protection to farmers. Trade liberalization exposes these farmers to competition from highly subsidized production in the developed world.
7. Providing Food Security: Although India has become self-sufficient in goods, it has yet to ensure food security, which is dependent upon accessibility, affordability, and nutritional value of the food available. One of the biggest challenges facing India is providing Food Security to its population.
8. Farmer Suicide: Cash crop farmers seemed far more vulnerable to suicide than those growing food crops. Commercialization of the countryside, along with a massive decline in investment in agriculture, was the beginning of the decline. Withdrawal of bank credit at a time of soaring input prices and the crash in farm incomes compounded the problems. Shifting millions from food crop to cash crop cultivation had its own risks. Privatization of many resources has also compounded the problems.

5. Explain the concept of food security. How is it different from self-sufficiency in food?

Ans: Food security is the accessibility, affordability and nutritional value of the food available for the public. Food security offers easy access to quality food at an affordable rate. On the other hand, self-sufficiency is the ability of the nation to produce its own food grains sustainably. When a good chunk of cotton and wheat bowls went to Pakistan in the partition, the Green Revolution helped India become self-sufficient. Despite being self-sufficient, India has yet to provide food security to every citizen, although there is huge progress.