1. Answer the following questions.
(i) What is agriculture?
Answer
Agriculture is the primary activity which includes growing of crops, fruits,
vegetables, flowers and rearing of livestock. It is also known as farming.
(ii) Name the factors influencing agriculture.
Answer
Various factors influencing agriculture are - Favourable topography, Soil and
Climate.
(iii) What is shifting cultivation? What are its disadvantages?
Answer
Shifting cultivation or slash-and-burn cultivation is a type of farming activity
which involves clearing a plot of land by felling trees, burning the felled
trees, mixing the ashes with soil, and then growing crops like maize, yam,
potatoes and cassava on the cleared land. After the soil loses its fertility,
the land is abandoned and the cultivator moves on to a new plot.
This type of farming has the following disadvantages.
→ Deforestation
→ After some time the land loses its fertility.
→ Soil erosion.
→ Small patches of cultivation which is insufficient for feeding a large
population.
(iv) What is plantation agriculture?
Answer
Plantation agriculture is a type of commercial farming where a single crop of
tea, coffee, sugarcane, cashew, rubber, banana or cotton is grown. Large amount
of labour and capital is required in this type of farming. The produce is either
processed on the farm itself or in nearby factories. Major plantations are found
in the tropical regions of the world, like rubber in Malaysia, coffee in Brazil,
tea in India and Sri Lanka, etc.
(v) Name the fibre crops and name the climatic conditions required for their
growth.
Answer
Jute & cotton are known as fiber crops. The climatic conditions required for
their growth are:
→ Jute (Golden Fiber): High temperature more than 25°C, heavy rainfall, warm and
humid climate.
→ Cotton: High temperature around 30 - 40°C, low rainfall and most importantly
210 frost-free days and bright sunshine. Means lot of cloud-free sunny days is
essential for cotton growing.
2. Tick the correct answer.
(i) Horticulture means
(a) Growing of fruits and vegetables
(b) Primitive farming
(c) Growing of wheat
► (a) Growing of fruits and vegetables
(ii) Golden fibre refers to
(a) Tea
(b) Cotton
(c) Jute
► (c) Jute
(iii) Leading producer of coffee
(a) Brazil
(b) India
(c) Russia
► (a) Brazil
3. Give reasons.
(i) In India agriculture is a primary activity.
Answer
Two-third of India's population is dependent upon agriculture. Hence, in India,
agriculture is a primary activity.
(ii) Different crops are grown in different regions.
Answer
Different crops are grown in different regions because growing of crops depends
upon the geographical conditions, demand of produce, labour and level of
technology. Favourable topography of soil, climates also play an important role
in selection of crops to be grown in that area.
4. Distinguish between the following.
(i) Primary activities and tertiary activities
Primary activities - Tertiary activities
Connected with the extraction and production of natural resources.
Provide support to the primary and secondary sectors.
Example: Agriculture, fishing.
Example: Services such as banking and transport.
(ii) Subsistence farming and intensive farming
Subsistence farming - Intensive farming
Practised to meet the needs of the farmer’s family; involves the use of low
levels of technology and household labour for producing a small output.
A type of subsistence farming; involves the annual cultivation of a small plot
of land using simple tools and more labour.