Class X - Agriculture

Class X - Agriculture

NCERT EXERCISE

1. Multiple choice questions.
(i) Which one of the following describes a system of agriculture where a single
crop is grown on a large area?
(a) Shifting Agriculture
(b) Plantation Agriculture
(c) Horticulture
(d) Intensive Agriculture

Ans. (b) Plantation Agriculture

(ii) Which one of the following is a rabi crop?
(a) Rice (c) Millets
(b) Gram (d) Cotton

Ans. (b) Gram

(iii) Which one of the following is a leguminous crop?
(a) Pulses (c) Millets
(b) Jawar (d) Sesamum

Ans. (a) Pulses

(iv) Which one of the following is announced by the government in support of a crop?
(a) Maximum support price
(b) Minimum support price
(c) Moderate support price
(d) Influential support price

Ans. (b) Minimum Support Price

Q.2 Answer the following questions in 30 words. 

(i) Name one important beverage crop and specify the geographical conditions required for its growth.

Ans: Tea; The tea plant grows well in tropical and sub-tropical climates endowed with deep and fertile well-drained soil, rich in humus and organic matter. Tea bushes require warm and moist frost-free climate all through the year. Frequent showers evenly distributed over the year ensure continuous growth of tender leaves.

(ii) Name one staple crop of India and the regions where it is produced

Ans: Rice; Rice is grown in the plains of north and north-eastern India, coastal areas and the deltaic regions.

(iii) Enlist the various institutional reform programmes introduced by the government in the interest of farmers.

Ans: Collectivisation, consolidation of holdings, cooperation and abolition of zamindari, etc. were given priority to bring about institutional reforms in the country after Independence. ‘Land reform’ was the main focus of our First Five Year Plan. The right of inheritance had already lead to fragmentation of land holdings necessitating consolidation of holdings. The Government of India embarked upon introducing agricultural reforms to improve Indian agriculture in the 1960s and 1970s. The Green Revolution based on the use of package technology and the White Revolution (Operation Flood) were some of the strategies initiated to improve the lot of Indian agriculture.Provision for crop insurance against drought, flood, cyclone, fire and disease, establishment of Grameen banks, cooperative societies and banks for providing loan facilities to the farmers at lower rates of interest were some important steps in this direction. Kissan Credit Card (KCC), Personal Accident Insurance Scheme (PAIS) are some other schemes introduced by the Government of India for the benefit of the farmers.

(iv) The land under cultivation has got reduced day by day. Can you imagine its consequences?

Ans: There has been a gradual shift from cultivation of food crops to cultivation of fruits, vegetables, oil-seeds and industrial crops. This has led to the reduction in net sown area under cereals and pulses. With the growing population of India, the declining food production puts a big question mark over the country’s future food security. The competition for land between non-agricultural uses such as housing etc. and agriculture has resulted in reduction in the net sown area. The productivity of land has started showing a declining trend. Fertilisers, pesticides and insecticides, which once showed dramatic results, are now being held responsible for degrading the soils. Periodic scarcity of water has led to reduction in area under irrigation. Inefficient water management has led to water logging and salinity.

Q.3 Answer the following questions in 120 words. 

(i) Suggest the initiative taken by the government to ensure the increase in agricultural production.

Ans: Use of higher doses of modern inputs, e.g. high yielding variety (HYV) seeds, chemical fertilisers, insecticides and pesticides in order to obtain higher productivity. Kissan Credit Card (KCC), Personal Accident Insurance Scheme (PAIS) are some other schemes introduced by the Government of India for the benefit of the farmers.

(ii) How did the partition of the country in 1947 affect the jute industry?

Ans: Jute grows in high temperature and humid region. With the partition of India in 1947 the humid region of Bangladesh got separated resulting in a decline of jute industry.

(iii) Describe the impact of globalisation on Indian agriculture.

Ans: Under globalisation, particularly after 1990, the farmers in India have been exposed

to new challenges. Despite being an important producer of rice, cotton, rubber, tea, coffee, jute and spices our agricultural products are not able to compete with the developed countries because of the highly subsidised agriculture in those countries.During the British period cotton belts of India attracted the British and ultimately

cotton was exported to Britain as a raw material for their textile industries. Cotton textile

industry in Manchester and Liverpool flourished due to the availability of good quality cotton from India.

(iv) Describe the geographical conditions required for the growth of rice.

Ans: It is a kharif crop which requires high temperature, (above 25°C) and high humidity

with annual rainfall above 100 cm. In the areas of less rainfall, it grows with the help of irrigation. Rice is grown in the plains of north and north-eastern India, coastal areas and the deltaic regions.