NCERT Questions & Answers + Important Extra Questions
NCERT Textbook Questions
Q1. 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
(ii) Which one of the following is a rabi crop?
(a) Rice (b) Millets (c) Gram (d) Wheat
Note: Both gram and wheat are rabi crops. The NCERT answer is wheat.
(iii) Which one of the following is a leguminous crop?
(a) Pulses (b) Millets (c) 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 (MSP) (c) Moderate Support Price (d) Influential Support Price
Q2. Answer the following questions in about 30 words
(i) Name one important beverage crop and specify the geographical conditions required for its growth.
Ans. Tea is an important beverage crop. Geographical conditions: (i) Temperature: 20-30°C (warm, humid climate). (ii) Rainfall: 150-300 cm of well-distributed rainfall throughout the year. (iii) Soil: Deep, fertile, well-drained loamy soil (hill slopes are ideal as they prevent waterlogging). (iv) Labour: Cheap and abundant skilled labour for plucking. Major producers: Assam, West Bengal (Darjeeling), Tamil Nadu (Nilgiris), Kerala, Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh.
(ii) Name one staple crop of India and the conditions required for its growth.
Ans. Rice is the staple food crop of India. Conditions: (i) Temperature: High temperature (above 25°C). (ii) Rainfall: High rainfall (above 100 cm annually) or adequate irrigation. (iii) Soil: Deep, clayey, loamy soil that retains water. (iv) It grows best in river deltas, flood plains, and coastal regions. Major producers: West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Bihar.
(iii) Enlist the various institutional reform programmes introduced by the government in the interest of farmers.
Ans. (i) Minimum Support Price (MSP) — guaranteed minimum price for crops. (ii) Crop insurance schemes (Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana). (iii) Kisan Credit Card (KCC) for easy farm loans. (iv) Cooperative farming and cooperative marketing societies. (v) Land reforms — abolition of zamindari, ceiling on landholdings. (vi) Establishment of Grameen banks, NABARD, and Regional Rural Banks for rural credit. (vii) Special weather bulletins and crop insurance for farmers. (viii) e-NAM (National Agriculture Market) — online trading platform. (ix) Soil Health Card Scheme — to provide crop-wise recommendations for nutrients.
(iv) The Why is agriculture important for the Indian economy?
Answer
Agriculture is crucial for the Indian economy because: (i) About two-thirds of India's population depends on agriculture for livelihood. (ii) It contributes about 14-15% of India's GDP. (iii) It is the primary source of food for the country. (iv) It provides raw materials to agro-based industries (cotton, jute, sugarcane, tea). (v) Agricultural products constitute a significant share of India's exports (tea, spices, rice, cotton).
Q3. Answer the following questions in about 120 words
(i) Describe the impact of globalisation on Indian agriculture.
Ans. Globalisation has had both positive and negative impacts on Indian agriculture:
Positive impacts: (i) Access to international markets — Indian farmers can now export crops like basmati rice, spices, tea, and organic produce. (ii) Introduction of modern technology and practices — better seeds, equipment, and farming techniques. (iii) Foreign investment in food processing and agribusiness. (iv) Diversification from traditional crops to high-value crops (flowers, fruits, organic farming) for export.
Negative impacts: (i) Competition from cheap imports — Indian farmers struggle to compete with subsidised agricultural products from developed countries. (ii) Decline of traditional crops — shift to cash crops leaves food security vulnerable. (iii) Farmer distress — increasing input costs (seeds, fertilisers, pesticides from MNCs) without proportionate increase in crop prices. (iv) Debt and farmer suicides — small farmers unable to compete or repay loans. (v) Loss of biodiversity — replacement of indigenous crop varieties with hybrid/GM seeds controlled by large corporations. (vi) Environmental degradation — excessive use of chemicals for export-quality production.
(ii) Describe the geographical conditions required for the growth of sugarcane.
Ans. Sugarcane is a tropical crop that requires specific conditions:
(i) Temperature: Hot and humid climate with temperatures between 21°C to 27°C. Frost is harmful.
(ii) Rainfall: 75 cm to 100 cm of annual rainfall. Irrigation is needed in areas of low rainfall.
(iii) Soil: Deep, rich, well-drained loamy soil. Both alluvial and black soil are suitable.
(iv) Growing period: Long growing season of 12 to 18 months.
(v) Labour: Cheap and abundant manual labour is required for cutting and transporting cane.
Major producing states: Uttar Pradesh (largest producer — about 50% of India's production), Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Punjab, Haryana, and Gujarat. India is the second largest producer of sugarcane in the world after Brazil.
Important Extra Questions
Distinguish between Kharif and Rabi crops with examples.
Answer
Kharif Crops: (i) Sown at the beginning of the monsoon season (June-July). (ii) Harvested in September-October. (iii) Require warm and wet conditions. (iv) Examples: Rice, maize, jowar, bajra, cotton, jute, groundnut, soybean, sugarcane, turmeric.
Rabi Crops: (i) Sown in the winter season (October-November). (ii) Harvested in March-April. (iii) Require cool climate during growing and warm climate during ripening. (iv) Examples: Wheat, barley, gram (chickpea), mustard, peas, linseed.
Apart from these, there are Zaid crops grown between kharif and rabi seasons (March to June): watermelon, muskmelon, cucumber, vegetables.
What is the Green Revolution? Discuss its impact on Indian agriculture.
Answer
The Green Revolution (1960s-70s) was a technological breakthrough in agriculture involving introduction of High Yielding Variety (HYV) seeds, chemical fertilisers, pesticides, and modern irrigation.
Positive impact: (i) Dramatic increase in food grain production — India became self-sufficient in food. (ii) Wheat and rice production increased enormously. (iii) Created buffer stocks for food security. (iv) Reduced dependence on food imports.
Negative impact: (i) Regional inequality — benefits concentrated in Punjab, Haryana, and western UP; eastern and central India were left behind. (ii) Environmental damage — excessive use of chemicals led to soil degradation, water pollution, and loss of soil fertility. (iii) Depletion of groundwater due to tube wells for irrigation. (iv) Loss of biodiversity — traditional crop varieties were replaced by monoculture of HYV seeds. (v) Rich farmers benefited more — small and marginal farmers couldn't afford new inputs.
What are the types of farming practised in India?
Answer
(i) Subsistence farming: (a) Primitive subsistence farming — shifting cultivation (Jhum, Podu) using slash-and-burn technique. Practised by tribals in NE India, Odisha, Chhattisgarh. (b) Intensive subsistence farming — small plots, high labour input, growing rice/wheat for family consumption. Common across India.
(ii) Commercial farming: Crops grown for sale in market. Uses modern inputs — HYV seeds, fertilisers, pesticides, machinery. Examples: wheat and rice farming in Punjab-Haryana, sugarcane in UP.
(iii) Plantation farming: Single crop grown on large estates using capital-intensive techniques. Products go to industry. Examples: tea (Assam, Darjeeling), coffee (Karnataka), rubber (Kerala), sugarcane, banana.