Answer The Following Question.
(i) What is agriculture?
Ans : Agriculture is a primary activity that involves growing crops, vegetables, fruits, and flowers, as well as rearing livestock. It is connected to the extraction and production of natural resources.
(ii) Name the factors influencing agriculture.
Ans : The factors that influence agriculture include soil, climate, topography, and population.
(iii) What is shifting cultivation? What are its disadvantages?
Ans : Shifting cultivation, also known as slash-and-burn cultivation, is a farming method where a plot of land is cleared by cutting down trees and burning them. The ash is mixed with the soil, and crops are grown. Once the soil’s fertility decreases, the land is abandoned, and the farmer moves to a new plot.
Disadvantages:
Leads to deforestation
Causes loss of soil fertility
Results in soil erosion
The burning of trees causes air pollution
Insufficient crop production for a large population
(iv) What is plantation agriculture?
Ans : Plantation agriculture is a type of commercial farming where single crops like tea, coffee, sugarcane, rubber, cotton, and others are grown on large estates. It requires substantial labor and capital investment. The crops are often processed either on the farm or in nearby factories. Transport infrastructure is vital for such farming. Major plantation crops include rubber in Malaysia, coffee in Brazil, and tea in India and Sri Lanka.
(v) Name the fibre crops and name the climatic conditions required for their growth.
Ans : The two main fibre crops are jute and cotton.
Jute: Requires high temperature, heavy rainfall, and high humidity.
Cotton: Requires high temperature, light rainfall, and bright sunshine.
2. Tick the correct answer.
(i) Horticulture means
(a) Growing of fruits and vegetables
(b) Primitive farming
(c) Growing of wheat
Ans : (a) Growing of fruits and vegetables
(ii) Golden fibre refers to
(a) Tea
(b) Cotton
(c) Jute
Ans : (c) Jute
(iii) Leading producers of coffee
(a) Brazil
(b) India
(c) Russia
Ans : (a) Brazil
3. Give reasons.
(i) In India, agriculture is a primary activity.
Ans : Agriculture is a primary activity in India because it is directly linked to the natural resources, and a large portion of the population, especially in rural areas, relies on agriculture for their livelihood. India has fertile land, and the majority of the population is still engaged in farming for food and income.
(ii) Different crops are grown in different regions.
Ans : Different crops are grown in different regions due to variations in climate, soil type, topography, rainfall, and technology. These factors determine which crops are most suitable to be grown in a specific region.
4. Distinguish between the following.
(i) Primary activities and tertiary activities
Ans :
Primary activities are concerned with the extraction and production of natural resources, such as farming, fishing, and mining.
Tertiary activities provide support to primary and secondary activities, such as transportation, banking, and tourism.
(ii) Subsistence farming and intensive farming
Ans :
Subsistence farming involves growing crops primarily for the consumption of the farmer and his family. It involves low technology and household labor to produce enough for personal use.
Intensive farming refers to high-efficiency farming on small plots of land with more labor and improved techniques, resulting in higher yields. It is practiced in densely populated areas, especially in monsoon regions, where crops like rice, wheat, and oilseeds are grown.