Class 10 Geography Chapter 4 Agriculture Notes

Class 10 Geography Chapter 4 Agriculture Notes

Agriculture and Industries in India

• India’s Agricultural Significance:
  • Agriculturally important country.
  • Two-thirds of population engaged in agriculture.
  • Primary activity, major food production source.
• Food Production and Raw Materials:
  • Produces most consumed food.
  • Source of raw material for industries.
• Industries Based on Agricultural Raw Materials:
  • Textile Industry:
    • Cotton for clothing and fabrics.
  • Food Processing Industry:
    • Fruits, vegetables for processing.
  • Paper Industry:
    • Timber from trees for paper production.
  • Sugar Industry:
    • Sugarcane for sugar production.
  • Biofuel Industry:
    • Crops for biofuel extraction.
• Agricultural Exports:
  • Tea, Coffee, Spices:
    • Exported agricultural products.
  • Boosts economy through international trade.

Evolution of Farming in India

• Historical Significance of Agriculture:
  • Age-old economic activity in India.
  • Evolved with changing factors.
• Factors Influencing Cultivation Methods:
  • Physical Environment:
    • Terrain, climate shape farming methods.
  • Technological Know-how:
    • Advances impact efficiency.
  • Socio-Cultural Practices:
    • Traditions influence farming practices.
• Diversity in Farming Types:
  • Subsistence Farming:
    • For personal consumption, small scale.
  • Commercial Farming:
    • For profit, larger scale.
• Present Farming Systems in India:
  • Intensive Farming:
    • High input, high output.
  • Extensive Farming:
    • Large land area, lower inputs.
  • Plantation Farming:
    • Cash crops like tea, coffee.
  • Mixed and Multiple Cropping:
    • Diverse crops for stability.
  • Organic Farming:
    • Environmentally friendly practices.

Primitive Subsistence Agriculture in India

• Definition and Characteristics:
  • Practiced in limited regions of India.
  • Relies on small patches of land.
  • Uses primitive tools (hoe, dao, digging sticks).
  • Involves family and community labor.
  • Depends on monsoon and natural soil fertility.
• “Slash and Burn” Agriculture:
  • Clearing land for cultivation.
  • Growing cereals and food crops.
  • Sustainability for family subsistence.
• Shifting Cultivation:
  • Farmers move when soil fertility drops.
  • Clear new patches for cultivation.
  • Natural processes restore soil fertility.
• Low Productivity and Traditional Methods:
  • Low land productivity.
  • No modern inputs or fertilizers.
  • Reliance on natural processes.
• Regional Names and Practices:
  • Known by different names across India.
  • Reflects regional variations.

Cultural Variations of “Slash and Burn” Agriculture

• Global Names for “Slash and Burn” Agriculture:
  • Milpa: Mexico, Central America.
  • Conuco: Venezuela.
  • Roca: Brazil.
  • Masole: Central Africa.
  • Ladang: Indonesia.
  • Ray: Vietnam.
• Regional Names in India:
  • Bewar, Dahiya: Madhya Pradesh.
  • Podu, Penda: Andhra Pradesh.
  • Pama Dabi, Koman, Bringa: Odisha.
  • Kumari: Western Ghats.
  • Valre, Waltre: South-eastern Rajasthan.
  • Khil: Himalayan belt.
  • Kuruwa: Jharkhand.
  • Jhumming: North-eastern region.
• Personal Story of Rinjha:
  • Lives in Diphu, Assam.
  • Observes family practicing “slash and burn” farming.
  • Assists in irrigation using bamboo canal.
  • Cherishes surroundings but unaware of soil fertility decline.
• Challenges and Sustainability:
  • Soil fertility decline over time.
  • Need for new patches of land.
  • Sustainability concerns due to traditional methods.

Intensive Farming and Land Pressure

• Intensive Farming in Populated Areas:
  • Practiced in densely populated regions.
  • Focus on maximizing land productivity.
  • High use of labor, inputs, and irrigation.
• Biochemical Inputs and Irrigation:
  • Use of fertilizers, pesticides, modern techniques.
  • Aims to increase production yields.
• Challenges with Land Inheritance:
  • Division of land among generations.
  • Leads to smaller, uneconomical land holdings.
  • Farmers strive to maximize output on limited land.
• Pressure on Agricultural Land:
  • Limited alternative livelihood sources.
  • High demand for agricultural produce.
  • Land becomes a valuable and pressured resource.
• Sustainability Concerns:
  • Environmental impact due to intensive inputs.
  • Soil degradation, water depletion.

Intensive and Commercial Farming Methods

• Characteristics of Intensive Farming:
  • Relies on modern inputs for higher yields.
  • High yielding variety (HYV) seeds, fertilizers, pesticides.
  • Aims for increased productivity.
• Degree of Commercialization Varies:
  • Varies regionally.
  • Example: Rice – commercial in Haryana and Punjab, subsistence in Odisha.
• Plantation Farming:
  • Focuses on single crops on large areas.
  • Agriculture and industry interface.
  • Capital-intensive, uses migrant labor.
  • Produce serves as raw material for industries.
• Important Plantation Crops in India:
  • Tea, Coffee, Rubber, Sugarcane, Banana.
  • Tea in Assam, North Bengal; Coffee in Karnataka.
• Role of Transport and Communication:
  • Well-developed network connecting plantations, industries, markets.
  • Key role in plantation development.

Agricultural Diversity and Cropping Seasons in India

• Diverse Agricultural Practices:
  • Reflects India’s physical diversity and cultural richness.
  • Variety of crops grown – food, fiber, spices, fruits.
  • Cropping patterns vary across regions.
• Cropping Seasons in India:
  • Rabi Season (Winter):
    • Sown: October to December.
    • Harvested: April to June.
    • Crops: Wheat, barley, peas, gram, mustard.
    • Dominant in northern and north-western states.
  • Green Revolution Impact:
    • Punjab, Haryana, western UP, parts of Rajasthan.
    • Contributed to rabi crop success.
  • Kharif Season (Monsoon):
    • Sown: With monsoon onset.
    • Harvested: September-October.
    • Crops: Paddy, maize, jowar, bajra, tur, cotton, etc.
    • Significant rice-growing regions across India.
  • Zaid Season (Summer):
    • Between rabi and kharif.
    • Crops: Watermelon, muskmelon, cucumber, vegetables, fodder.
• Special Mention: Sugarcane:
  • Takes about a year to grow.
  • Significant agricultural product.

Crop Diversity and Major Crops in India

• Crop Variety based on Soil and Climate:
  • Diverse crops grown due to varying conditions.
  • Major crops include rice, wheat, millets, pulses, tea, coffee, sugarcane, oilseeds, cotton, jute, etc.
• Rice – Staple Food Crop:
  • Second-largest rice producer globally (after China).
  • Kharif crop requiring high temperature, humidity, and rainfall.
  • Grown in plains of north, north-east, coastal, and deltaic regions.
  • Canal irrigation, tubewells expand cultivation to less rainy areas.
• Wheat – Key Cereal Crop:
  • Important rabi crop in north and north-west.
  • Requires cool growing season, bright sunshine at ripening.
  • Grown in Ganga-Satluj plains, black soil Deccan region.
  • Significant in Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan.
• Millets – Nutrient-Rich Grains:
  • Jowar, bajra, ragi are important millets.
  • High nutritional value, rich in micro-nutrients.
  • Jowar – rain-fed, grown in moist areas.
  • Bajra – sandy soils, shallow black soil.
  • Ragi – dry regions, various soil types.
• Maize – Food and Fodder Crop:
  • Kharif crop with wide usage as food and fodder.
  • Grows in temperature range 21°C to 27°C.
  • HYV seeds, fertilizers, irrigation boost production.
  • Key states: Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana.
• Pulses – Protein Source:
  • India’s largest producer and consumer of pulses.
  • Major source of protein in vegetarian diet.
  • Tur, urad, moong, masur, peas, gram grown.
  • Pulses restore soil fertility due to nitrogen fixation.
  • Major states: Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka.

Diversity of Crops: Food, Fiber, and Non-Food

• Sugarcane – Sweet Crop of Warm Regions:
  • Tropical and subtropical crop.
  • Thrives in hot, humid climates (21°C – 27°C).
  • Second-largest producer globally after Brazil.
  • Source of sugar, gur, khandsari, molasses.
  • Key states: Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Bihar, Punjab, Haryana.
• Oilseeds – Essential Cooking Ingredients:
  • Groundnut, mustard, coconut, sesame, soybean, castor, cotton, linseed, sunflower.
  • Edible and industrial usage.
  • Groundnut major kharif crop; Gujarat, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu leaders.
  • Linseed, mustard rabi crops.
  • Sesame kharif in north, rabi in south.
  • Castor in both rabi and kharif seasons.
• Tea and Coffee – Beverage Crops:
  • Tea: Tropical and sub-tropical climates.
  • High rainfall, warm climate, labor-intensive.
  • Major states: Assam, Darjeeling, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Meghalaya, Andhra Pradesh, Tripura.
  • Coffee: Arabica variety, Nilgiri region.
• Horticulture Crops – Fruit and Vegetable Diversity:
  • India second-largest producer of fruits and vegetables.
  • Wide range of tropical and temperate fruits.
  • Mangoes, oranges, bananas, lichi, guava, pineapples, grapes, apples, pears, apricots, walnuts, etc.
• Rubber – Equatorial and Tropical Crop:
  • Requires moist, humid climate with high rainfall.
  • Key states: Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andaman and Nicobar, Meghalaya.
• Fiber Crops – Cotton and Jute:
  • Cotton: Main material for textile industry.
  • Thrives in dry areas, Deccan plateau.
  • High temperature, light rainfall or irrigation.
  • Major states: Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh.
  • Jute: Known as golden fiber.
  • Flood plains, well-drained fertile soils.
  • West Bengal, Bihar, Assam, Odisha, Meghalaya.
  • Used in various products.

Agricultural Reforms and Challenges in India

• Historical Agricultural Practices:
  • Agriculture practiced for thousands of years.
  • Sustained practices without compatible changes hindered development.
  • Dependence on monsoon and natural fertility poses challenges.
• Need for Technical and Institutional Reforms:
  • Majority of population reliant on agriculture.
  • Challenges posed by growing population.
  • Collectivization, consolidation of holdings, cooperative reforms introduced.
• Land Reforms and Institutional Changes:
  • Focus on land reform during First Five Year Plan.
  • Fragmentation of land holdings necessitated consolidation.
  • Laws enacted, implementation varied.
• Green Revolution and White Revolution:
  • 1960s and 1970s: Initiatives for agricultural improvement.
  • Green Revolution based on package technology.
  • White Revolution (Operation Flood) for dairy development.
  • Led to concentrated development in select areas.
• Comprehensive Land Development Program:
  • 1980s and 1990s: Institutional and technical reforms.
  • Crop insurance, Grameen banks, cooperative societies.
  • Kisan Credit Card (KCC), Personal Accident Insurance Scheme (PAIS) introduced.
  • Weather bulletins and agricultural programs on radio and television.
• Government Initiatives for Farmers:
  • Minimum support price, remunerative prices.
  • Procurement prices to counter exploitation by speculators.
  • Steps to ensure fair income for farmers.

Vinoba Bhave and the Bhoodan-Gramdan Movement

• Vinoba Bhave: Gandhi’s Spiritual Heir:
  • Mahatma Gandhi’s chosen successor.
  • Active in Satyagraha and advocate of gram swarajya (village self-rule).
  • Carried forward Gandhiji’s ideals after his martyrdom.
• Padyatra for Spreading Gandhi’s Message:
  • Undertook padyatra (foot march) across India.
  • Aimed to spread Gandhiji’s teachings.
• Landless Villagers’ Demand and Bhoodan:
  • Pochampalli, Andhra Pradesh: Landless villagers demanded land for economic well-being.
  • Vinoba couldn’t promise immediate land but suggested cooperative farming.
  • Shri Ram Chandra Reddy offered 80 acres of land for 80 landless villagers.
• Bhoodan and Gramdan Movement:
  • Bhoodan: Act of donating land to the landless.
  • Gramdan: Zamindars donating villages to the landless.
  • Fear of land ceiling act led some landowners to donate land.
  • Blood-less Revolution: Peaceful movement to redistribute land.
• Impact and Legacy:
  • Bhoodan-Gramdan movement spread nationwide.
  • Benefitted landless and poor farmers.
  • Addressed land inequality issues.
  • Vinoba Bhave’s efforts continued Gandhiji’s philosophy.