Chapter 4 Agriculture Solutions
Question - 1 : - What is agriculture?
Answer - 1 : - The word agriculture is derived from the Latin words agri—meaning soil—and culture—meaning cultivation or tilling of soil. It is defined as the science and art of cultivation of soil, raising crops and rearing livestock.
Question - 2 : - Name the factors influencing agriculture.
Answer - 2 : - The factors influencing agriculture are favourable topography of soil and climate.
Question - 3 : - What is shifting cultivation? What are its disadvantages?
Answer - 3 : -
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.
(a) Leads to deforestation
(b) Soil becomes susceptible to erosion due to deforestation
(c) Soil loses its fertility due to the erosion of the top soil
Question - 4 : - What is plantation agriculture?
Answer - 4 : - 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.
Question - 5 : - Name the fibre crops and name the climatic conditions required for their growth.
Answer - 5 : -
otton and jute are the fibre crops.
Climatic conditions required for the growth of cotton:
(a) High temperature
(b) Light rainfall
(c) 210 frost-free days
(d) Bright sunshine
Climatic conditions required for the growth of jute:
(a) High temperature
(b) Heavy rainfall
(c) Humid climate
Question - 6 : - 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 producer of coffee
(a) Brazil
(b) India
(c) Russia
Answer - 6 : -
(i) (a) Growing of fruits and vegetables
(ii) (c) Jute
(iii) (a) Brazil
Question - 7 : - Give reasons.
(i) In India agriculture is a primary activity.
(ii) Different crops are grown in different regions.
Answer - 7 : -
(i) Two-third of India’s population is dependent upon agriculture. Hence, in India, agriculture is a primary activity.
(ii) The type of crops grown is dependent upon the type of soil and the type of climate of a region. Different regions have different soil types and climatic conditions. This is why a crop may have favourable factors of growth in one region and adverse factors of growth in another. The demand for the produce, labour and level of technology are also some factors that decide the type of crops grown in a particular region.