AGRICULTURE

ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS :

Q.1: Name one important beverage crop and specify the geographical
conditions required for its growth.
ANS: Tea is an important beverage crop. Geographical conditions required for
its growth are:
a) Tea plant grows well in tropical and sub-tropical climate.
b) It require deep and fertile well-drained soil, rich in humus and organic
matter.
c) Tea plant require warm and moist frost-free climate all through the year.
d) Frequent showers evenly distributed over the year ensure continuous
growth of tender leaves
Q.2: Name one staple crop of India and the regions where it is produced.
ANS: Rice is the staple food crop of a majority of the people in India.
Regions where it is produced: Rice is grown in the plains of north and north-
eastern India, coastal areas and deltaic regions. Development of dense
network of canal irrigation and tubewells have made it possible to grow rice in
areas of less rain fall such as Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh and
parts of Rajasthan.
Q.3: Enlist the various institutional reform programmes introduced by the
government in the interests of farmers.
ANS: The government introduced various institutional and technical reforms
for the interest of farmers. They are:
a) Collectivization, consolidation of land holdings, cooperation and
abolition of zamindary system.
b) The government of India agricultural reforms to improve Indian
agriculture in 1960s and 1970s.
c) Green Revolution based on the use of package technology and the White
Revolution initiated to improve agriculture.
d) In the 1980s and 1990s, a comprehensive land development programme
was initiated.
e) Provision of crop insurance against drought, flood, cyclone, fire and
disease.
 f) Establishment of Grameen Banks, cooperative societies and banks for
providing loans at lower rates.
g) Kissan credit cards, personal accident insurance introduced by the
government for the benefits of the farmer,
h) Special weather bulletins and agricultural programmes for farmers were
introduced on the radio and television.
i) Government also announces minimum support price, remunerative and
procurement price for important crops to check the exploitation from
speculators and middlemen.
Q.4: Land under cultivation has got reduced day by day. Can you imagine its
consequences?
ANS: If the land under cultivation is reduced, the quantity of food grains
production would decrease which leads to shortage of food grains in the
country. This will leads to increase prices of food grains. Poor people cannot
buy. To increase the production farmers use chemicals, fertilizers etc., This will
leads to land degradation.
Q.5: Suggest some initiatives taken by the government to ensure the increase
in agricultural production.
ANS: The government if India made concrete efforts to modernize agriculture.
a) Establishment of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR),
agricultural universities, veterinary services and animal breeding centres,
horticulture development, research and development in the fields of
meteorology and weather forecast, etc. were given priority for
improving Indian agriculture.
b) Improving the rural infrastructure was considered essential for the
development of agriculture.
Q.6: Describe the Geographical conditions required for the growth of rice.
ANS: Rice is the staple food crop of majority of the people in India
a) Rice is a kharif crop.
b) It requires high temperature (above 25 degrees Celsius) and high
humidity with annual rainfall above 100 cm.
c) In the areas of less rainfall, it grows with the help of irrigation.
d) Rice grows well in the plains of north and north-eastern India, coastal
areas and the deltaic regions.