Agriculture

1. What do you mean by agriculture? Give an overview of the factors affecting agriculture.

Answer: Agriculture is the production of crops and animal husbandry.

 Agriculture depends on many natural and socio-economic factors. Natural factors include soil, slope, climate, water, etc. Socio-economic factors include the economic status of the people, education, urbanization, industrialization, transportation system, markets, etc. These conditions are not the same everywhere in the world and agriculture is not done the same everywhere. Agricultural crops, agricultural methods and agricultural objectives vary from place to place and from time to time.

2. Explain why agriculture is not the same everywhere in the world.

Answer: Agriculture depends on many natural and socio-economic factors. Natural factors include soil, slope, climate, water, etc. Socio-economic factors include the economic status of the people, education, urbanization, industrialization, transportation system, markets, etc. These conditions are not the same everywhere in the world and agriculture is not done the same everywhere. For example, limited agricultural cars can be operated in a mountainous area. This means that there are many obstacles to farming in adverse environments. On the other hand, it is easier to cultivate naturally in a plain area. Therefore, various types of agriculture can be carried out in such areas. 

3. Classify agriculture into different classes and give an overview of the basis of classification.

Answer: Agriculture practiced by humans in the world can be divided into various types. Various characteristics of agriculture such as sustainability, agricultural practices, objectives of agriculture, size of agricultural area, investment of capital etc. can be the basis for dividing agricultural classes.

The main agricultural categories are divided as follows: 

1. There are two types of agriculture based on the sustainability of the agricultural field—

(a) Sustainable Agriculture (b) Thai Solni Agriculture or Jhum Agriculture 

2. Agriculture can be divided into two other types based on the size of the farm-

(a) Large or extensive agriculture (b) Small or intensive agriculture 

3. Economically, agriculture can be of two other types –

(a) Commercial agriculture  (b) Self-reliant agriculture 

4. The Agriculture can be of two types according to soil quality, climate and agricultural practices –

(a) Dry farming (b) Wet agriculture

In addition, other crops are grown in different parts of the world depending on the location. They are: 

(a) Plantation Agriculture (b) Collective farming (c) Horticulture (d) Market agriculture 

4. The What is sustainable agriculture? Briefly discuss its characteristics.

Answer: People usually settle permanently in plain areas and cultivate their fields permanently. Such agriculture is called permanent agriculture in a place.

The characteristics of sustainable agriculture are: 

1) In plain areas, people cultivate agricultural land for years (farmers use ploughs, tractors, irrigation, fertilizers, etc. in agriculture. 

2) Sustainable agriculture is practiced in most parts of the world.

3) Sustainable agriculture has higher production.

4) Livestock is also practiced in areas where permanent agriculture is practiced.

5. Give a brief overview of replacement agriculture (Jhum agriculture). Analyze how this agriculture damages the environment.

Answer: Residents of tropical highlands cultivate temporarily on the slopes of the mountains and clear the forests on the slopes of the mountains and cultivate the same land temporarily for 2-3 years. Then they leave the place and cultivate it elsewhere in the same way. Such cultivation is called replacement cultivation or Jhum cultivation. Such cultivation is found in almost all the hilly regions of India. Such cultivation is practiced by tribal people in the mountainous areas of Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Meghalaya and Assam in the North East.

 Jhum cultivation causes significant damage to the environment. They are:
 Forests are cleared on the hillsides to cultivate Jhum. This destroys forest resources and affects the climate of the surrounding areas. Wild animals and birds living in the area are homeless. Such unscientific agriculture on mountain slopes can destroy soil quality and cause natural disasters like landslides.

6. Present a comparative picture of extensive agriculture and small scale agriculture.

Answer: Extensive agriculture

 Countries in the world that have more agricultural land than population practice extensive agriculture. Such agriculture is carried out with the help of modern machinery on large agricultural land. It is common to grow only a specific crop on large agricultural land. Most of the crops produced under extensive agriculture go to international markets. Such agriculture is more common in countries like the United States, Canada and Australia. 

Small or intensive agriculture

 Small scale agriculture is dominant in the densely populated countries of the world. In countries with high populations such as India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Myanmar and Japan, the amount of agricultural land is relatively small. Only a limited amount of land is cultivated. In these countries, each farming family has the opportunity to cultivate only a very small amount of land. Therefore, farmers have to cultivate the same land two or three times at different times of the year to support their families. Such cultivation is more labor intensive. Most of the production is used to meet the farmers' own needs.

7. What is meant by plantation agriculture? Discuss its characteristics.

Answer: The amount of farmers' land is slowly decreasing for various reasons, but the number of people who eat it is always increasing. Therefore, there is a need for technologies that can produce more on less land. Europeans introduced this agriculture in their colonies in the tropics. Over time, this agriculture gained popularity worldwide. The main characteristics of this agriculture are: 

1) Investment of large capital, 

2) Application of modern technology,

3) Production of a particular crop in large gardens, 

4) Linking the production system to the market through construction of roads and factories.

5. Crops obtained by plantation agriculture are tea, coffee, rubber, coca etc.

8. Give an overview of the relationship between urbanization and market-oriented agriculture.

Answer: In the contemporary world, with the increase in economic exchange between countries, the role of the market has increased in all areas. Vegetables, fruits etc. are in high demand especially in urban and industrial centers as people with high purchasing power live there. To meet this demand, horticultural crops such as vegetables are grown intensively around cities and industries at all times of the year. Suburban areas have good transport facilities and the products can be easily supplied to the urban markets. Such facilities led to the development of market-oriented agriculture, especially around large cities.

9. What is the environment required for paddy cultivation? Briefly describe its geographical distribution.

Answer: Rice Rice is a major food crop. About half of the world's population uses it as a staple food. Rice is grown in regions of the world that experience a monsoon climate. In general, riverine plains, coastal areas and bay islands are particularly suitable for paddy cultivation. Paddy is also grown well in some remote areas.

 Rice cultivation requires a climate with high temperature and rainfall. The
temperature should be between 25°C and 35°C. Annual rainfall should be between 100-200 cm. The major producing countries under the monsoon climate are China, India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Japan and the Philippines. In addition, rice is grown to some extent in the United States, Brazil, Egypt, etc. China is the largest producer of rice in Asia. Rice is grown well in the Ganga–Bahmaputra river valleys of India. Paddy is grown to some extent in the mountainous areas of the North East.

10. Give a description of wheat cultivation.

Answer: Wheat is the staple food of most people in the world. It is also more widely cultivated geographically. Loamy and sandy soils in the plains are particularly suitable for wheat cultivation. This cultivation requires 50 to 100 cm of annual rainfall. Temperate regions are suitable for wheat cultivation. In winter areas, the area should be rain free for at least three months of the year. Nowadays, wheat is also grown by irrigation on site due to low rainfall. The Ganges River Valley of India is famous for this cultivation. It is grown in China, USA, India, Russia, Canada, Australia, France, Germany and other countries. 

11. Write about the importance and geographical distribution of cotton cultivation.

Answer: Cotton is a very important fiber crop. Its use is far-reaching. Cotton fabrics are in demand among people all over the world. Cotton is one of the ingredients of seasonal clothing. The weaving industries depend mainly on the production of cotton.

In terms of geographical distribution, cotton cultivation is generally limited to the area between 30°S and 45°N latitudes. The major cotton producing countries are the United States, China, Pakistan, Russia, Egypt and Brazil. Cotton is grown in a large area of ​​the United States, including the Mississippi and Tennessee river valleys. Similarly, the Huangho and Yangtze valleys in northern China and the Nile River valley in Egypt are famous for cotton cultivation. The black lava soils of the southern plateaus of India are particularly suitable for cotton cultivation. Similarly, cotton is grown to some extent in the Meghalaya Plateau in the northeast.
 
12. What kind of environment is required for tea cultivation? Give an overview of the geographical distribution of this crop.

Answer: Tea trees need a warm climate and rainy environment. Sloping hilly red soils without waterlogging are especially suitable for tea cultivation. 

 Tea is a major plantation crop in the monsoon climate region of Asia. China, India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Japan are the world's major tea producing countries. Tea is also grown to some extent in Kenya, Uganda and Mozambique in Africa. The Brahmaputra and Barak valleys of India are famous for tea. Tea is also grown in the mountainous regions of Darjeeling in West Bengal and Kerala. Currently, tea cultivation has started in some new areas of the country in view of the demand for tea in the world market.


Editing By:- Lipi Medhi