Class 10 Geography Chapter 4- Agriculture Notes

 

Class 10 Geography

Chapter 4- Agriculture

Notes

 

1. India - an agrarian nation

a)    Approximately two-thirds of its populace is involved in agricultural pursuits.

b)    Agriculture serves as a primary activity, yielding the majority of the nation's food and grains.

c)    It furnishes raw materials for various industries such as cotton textiles and sugar.

d)    Exportation of agricultural goods like tea, coffee, and spices contributes to foreign exchange earnings.

1. Primitive Subsistence Farming: This form of farming is practiced in limited regions of India on small land parcels using rudimentary tools and familial or communal labor. Farmers clear small patches of land to cultivate cereals and other sustenance crops for their families. As soil fertility diminishes, farmers shift and clear new land for cultivation, allowing natural processes to replenish soil fertility. Productivity is low due to minimal use of fertilizers or modern inputs.
2. Intensive Subsistence Farming: Found in densely populated areas, this labor-intensive farming method employs high doses of biochemical inputs and irrigation to achieve high yields per hectare. Small land holdings are utilized to their maximum potential through multiple cropping, where 2-3 crops are cultivated annually on the same land.
3. Commercial Agriculture: This form focuses on cultivating crops for commercial purposes, often on large tracts of land using modern machinery and technology. Modern agricultural inputs such as high-yielding variety (HYV) seeds, fertilizers, and irrigation are extensively used. The level of commercialization varies across regions, with crops like rice being commercially cultivated in Punjab but serving as subsistence crops in Odisha.
4. Characteristics of Plantation Agriculture: Plantation agriculture involves cultivating a single crop over large estates using capital-intensive methods. It typically employs migrant laborers and interfaces with both agriculture and industry. All produce is used as raw material in respective industries, emphasizing commercial agriculture.
5. Rabi, Kharif, and Zaid are the three cropping seasons:

• Rabi crops (Winter crops): Sown from October to December and harvested from April to June, including wheat, barley, mustard, peas, and gram.
• Kharif crops (Rainy season crops): Sown at the onset of monsoon (June-July) and harvested from September to October, including rice, maize, millets, and cotton.
• Zaid season: A short cropping season during summer months (March-April to June-July), featuring crops like watermelon, musk melon, and cucumber.
5. Rice, a crucial Kharif crop, holds significant importance in India, ranking second in production globally. Cultivation requires high temperatures above 25°C, high humidity, and annual rainfall of around 100 cm. Major rice cultivation regions include the plains of North and North-Eastern India, coastal areas, and deltaic regions.
6. Wheat, the second most important cereal crop, thrives in cool and moist conditions with bright sunshine during ripening. It requires 50 to 75 cm of evenly distributed rainfall over the growing season and loamy soil. Major wheat-growing zones include the Ganga-Sutlej plains in the North-West and the black soil region of the Deccan, with Punjab, Haryana, UP, Bihar, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh being prominent wheat-producing states.
7. Millets, known as coarse grains, hold high nutritional value and are crucial in the diets of impoverished populations. Examples include Ragi, Jowar, and Bajra, cultivated in various regions across India.
8. Maize, a versatile crop used for both food and fodder, requires a moderate temperature between 21°C to 27°C and moderate rainfall between 50-100 cm. It thrives in old alluvial soils and has seen increased production in India due to modern agricultural practices.
9. Sugarcane, a tropical and subtropical crop, is the second-largest producer in India after Brazil. It requires hot and humid conditions, annual rainfall between 75 cm and 100 cm, and can be grown on various soils. Major sugarcane-producing states include Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Punjab, and Haryana.
10. Oilseeds, comprising various edible seeds used in cooking and industrial applications, are a significant agricultural product in India, with major crops including Groundnut, Mustard, Coconut, Sesamum, Soyabean, Castor-seeds, Linseed, Sunflower, and Cotton-seeds.
11. Tea, thriving in tropical and subtropical climates, requires specific soil conditions, warm and moist climates, and abundant skilled labor. It is a labor-intensive industry primarily found in regions like Assam and Darjeeling.
12. Coffee, a prominent beverage crop in South India, is mainly produced in Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu, particularly in the Nilgiri hills.
13. Cotton, primarily cultivated in Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh, requires specific geographical conditions including high temperatures, light rainfall or irrigation, frost-free days, and black cotton soil.
14. Jute, known as the golden fiber, thrives in high-temperature conditions and well-drained fertile soils, primarily cultivated in West Bengal, Bihar, and Assam.
15. Rubber, produced in states like Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and the Andaman and Nicobar islands, requires hot and humid climates with significant rainfall.
16. Institutional reforms in agriculture Institutional reforms in Agriculture encompass a series of measures aimed at improving the efficiency and sustainability of agricultural practices:

a)    Land holdings are collectivized and consolidated to ensure their economic viability.

b)    The Green Revolution, employing package technology, and the White Revolution, focusing on enhancing milk production, are implemented.

c)    Cooperation with farmers is fostered while the Zamindari system is abolished.

d)    Crop insurance is provided to safeguard farmers against losses due to natural calamities such as droughts, floods, cyclones, fires, and diseases.

e)    Grameen Banks, Cooperative Societies, and Banks are established to facilitate financial support and cooperation among farmers.

f)     Initiatives like the Kissan Credit Card (KCC) and Personal Accident Insurance Scheme (PAIS) are introduced to provide financial assistance and protection to farmers.

g)    Specialized weather bulletins and agricultural programs are broadcasted on radio and TV to disseminate crucial information to farmers.Minimum support prices, remunerative prices, and procurement prices for crops are announced to prevent the exploitation of farmers.