Class 10 Notes

Class 10 Social Science Notes Chapter 4 (Agriculture) – Contempory India Book

Philoid

Philoid

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Contempory India
Alright class, let's delve into Chapter 4, 'Agriculture', from your Contemporary India textbook. This is a crucial chapter, not just for your exams but also for understanding the backbone of the Indian economy. Pay close attention as we cover the key aspects relevant for competitive government exams as well.

Chapter 4: Agriculture - Detailed Notes

1. Introduction: Importance of Agriculture in India

  • India is an agriculturally important country.
  • Two-thirds of its population is engaged in agricultural activities.
  • Agriculture is a primary activity which produces most of the food we consume and raw materials for various industries (e.g., cotton for textile, sugarcane for sugar).
  • Some agricultural products like tea, coffee, and spices are also exported.

2. Types of Farming

  • a) Primitive Subsistence Farming:

    • Practiced on small patches of land using primitive tools (hoe, dao, digging sticks) and family/community labour.
    • Depends heavily on monsoon, natural soil fertility, and suitability of other environmental conditions.
    • Known as "slash and burn" agriculture or "Shifting Cultivation". Farmers clear a patch of land, produce cereals/food crops to sustain their family. When soil fertility decreases, they shift and clear a fresh patch.
    • Allows nature to replenish soil fertility; land productivity is low.
    • Local Names: Jhumming (NE states like Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland), Pamlou (Manipur), Dipa (Bastar district of Chhattisgarh, Andaman & Nicobar Islands), 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).
    • International Names: Milpa (Mexico & Central America), Conuco (Venezuela), Roca (Brazil), Masole (Central Africa), Ladang (Indonesia), Ray (Vietnam).

  • b) Intensive Subsistence Farming:

    • Practiced in areas of high population pressure on land.
    • It is labour-intensive farming.
    • High doses of biochemical inputs (fertilizers, pesticides) and irrigation are used for higher production.
    • Major problem: "Right of inheritance" leads to land fragmentation (division of land among successive generations), making holdings uneconomical. Farmers try to maximize output from limited land.

  • c) Commercial Farming:

    • Main characteristic: Use of higher doses of modern inputs – High Yielding Variety (HYV) seeds, chemical fertilisers, insecticides, and pesticides to obtain higher productivity.
    • Degree of commercialisation varies from region to region (e.g., Rice is commercial in Haryana/Punjab but subsistence in Odisha).
    • Plantation is a type of commercial farming:
      • Single crop grown on a large area.
      • Interface of agriculture and industry.
      • Uses capital-intensive inputs, often with migrant labour.
      • Produce is used as raw material in respective industries (e.g., Tea, Coffee, Rubber, Sugarcane, Banana).
      • Requires well-developed network of transport, communication, processing industries, and markets.

3. Cropping Patterns
India has three cropping seasons:

  • a) Rabi:

    • Sown: Winter (October to December)
    • Harvested: Summer (April to June)
    • Key Crops: Wheat, barley, peas, gram, mustard.
    • Key States: Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh.
    • Availability of precipitation during winter months due to western temperate cyclones helps. Success of the Green Revolution in Punjab, Haryana, western UP, parts of Rajasthan also important factor.

  • b) Kharif:

    • Sown: Onset of monsoon (June-July)
    • Harvested: September-October
    • Key Crops: Paddy (Rice), maize, jowar, bajra, tur (arhar), moong, urad, cotton, jute, groundnut, soyabean.
    • Key States/Regions: Assam, West Bengal, coastal regions of Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Maharashtra (Konkan coast), Uttar Pradesh, Bihar.
    • In states like Assam, West Bengal, and Odisha, three crops of paddy are grown in a year: Aus, Aman, and Boro.

  • c) Zaid:

    • Short season between Rabi and Kharif (March to June).
    • Key Crops: Watermelon, muskmelon, cucumber, vegetables, fodder crops. Sugarcane takes almost a year to grow.

4. Major Crops

  • a) Food Crops (Grains):

    • Rice:
      • Staple food crop for a majority of Indians. India is the 2nd largest producer after China.
      • Kharif crop.
      • Conditions: High temperature (above 25°C), high humidity, annual rainfall above 100 cm. Can grow with irrigation in low rainfall areas.
      • Major States: West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu. Grows in plains of north/north-eastern India, coastal areas, deltaic regions.
    • Wheat:
      • 2nd most important cereal crop; main food crop in North and North-Western India.
      • Rabi crop.
      • Conditions: Cool growing season, bright sunshine at ripening. Rainfall: 50-75 cm annually, evenly distributed. Irrigation needed in low rainfall areas.
      • Major Zones: Ganga-Satluj plains (NW) & Black soil region (Deccan).
      • Major States: Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar.
    • Millets (Coarse Grains): High nutritional value.
      • Jowar: 3rd most important food crop (area & production). Rain-fed, needs little irrigation. Major States: Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh.
      • Bajra: Grows well on sandy soils and shallow black soil. Major States: Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Haryana.
      • Ragi: Crop of dry regions; grows on red, black, sandy, loamy, shallow black soils. Rich in iron, calcium, other micronutrients, roughage. Major States: Karnataka (largest producer), Tamil Nadu, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Jharkhand, Arunachal Pradesh.
    • Maize:
      • Used as both food and fodder.
      • Kharif crop (though grows as Rabi in some states like Bihar).
      • Conditions: Temperature 21°C to 27°C, grows well in old alluvial soil.
      • Use of modern inputs (HYV seeds, fertilisers, irrigation) increased production.
      • Major States: Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh.
    • Pulses:
      • India is the largest producer and consumer of pulses globally.
      • Major source of protein in a vegetarian diet.
      • Major pulses: Tur (arhar), urad, moong, masur, peas, gram.
      • Leguminous crops: Help restore soil fertility by fixing nitrogen from the air (except Arhar). Often grown in rotation.
      • Need less moisture, survive even in dry conditions.
      • Major States: Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Karnataka.

  • b) Food Crops (Other than Grains):

    • Sugarcane:
      • Tropical and subtropical crop.
      • Conditions: Hot, humid climate (21°C to 27°C), annual rainfall 75-100 cm. Needs manual labour.
      • Source of sugar, gur (jaggery), khandsari, molasses. India is the 2nd largest producer after Brazil.
      • Major States: Uttar Pradesh (largest), Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Bihar, Punjab, Haryana.
    • Oil Seeds: India is the largest producer of oilseeds (in 2018 data, check latest). Different oilseeds cover approx. 12% of total cropped area.
      • Main oilseeds: Groundnut (Kharif, half of major oilseeds production; Major states: Gujarat, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu), Mustard (Rabi), Coconut, Sesamum (til - Kharif in north, Rabi in south), Soyabean, Castor seeds (Rabi & Kharif), Cotton seeds, Linseed (Rabi), Sunflower.
      • Most are edible (cooking medium); some used as raw material for soap, cosmetics, ointments.
    • Tea:
      • Example of plantation agriculture. Beverage crop introduced by the British.
      • Grows well in tropical/subtropical climates, deep fertile well-drained soil (rich in humus/organic matter).
      • Conditions: Warm, moist, frost-free climate throughout the year. Frequent showers ensure continuous growth of tender leaves.
      • Labour-intensive industry (abundant, cheap, skilled labour needed). Processed within tea gardens.
      • Major States: Assam, hills of Darjeeling & Jalpaiguri (West Bengal), Tamil Nadu, Kerala. Also Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Meghalaya, Andhra Pradesh, Tripura. India is a leading producer and exporter.
    • Coffee:
      • India produces about 3.5% of world's coffee (2018 data).
      • Indian coffee (Arabica variety, initially from Yemen) is known for its good quality.
      • Cultivation introduced on Baba Budan Hills (Karnataka).
      • Major States: Confined to Nilgiris in Karnataka (leading producer), Kerala, Tamil Nadu.
    • Horticulture Crops: Fruits and Vegetables.
      • India is a large producer of tropical and temperate fruits.
      • Mangoes (Maharashtra, AP, Telangana, UP, WB), Oranges (Nagpur, Cherrapunjee), Bananas (Kerala, Mizoram, Maharashtra, TN), Lichi/Guava (UP, Bihar), Pineapples (Meghalaya), Grapes (AP, Telangana, Maharashtra), Apples/Pears/Apricots/Walnuts (J&K, Himachal).
      • India produces about 13% of the world's vegetables. Important producer of pea, cauliflower, onion, cabbage, tomato, brinjal, potato.

  • c) Non-Food Crops:

    • Rubber:
      • Equatorial crop, but also grown in tropical/subtropical areas under special conditions.
      • Conditions: Moist, humid climate, rainfall > 200 cm, temperature > 25°C.
      • Important industrial raw material.
      • Major States: Kerala (leading producer), Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andaman & Nicobar islands, Garo hills (Meghalaya).
    • Fibre Crops:
      • Cotton: India believed to be original home. Raw material for cotton textile industry. India is 2nd largest producer (after China, 2017 data).
        • Kharif crop. Requires 6-8 months to mature.
        • Conditions: High temperature, light rainfall/irrigation, 210 frost-free days, bright sunshine. Grows best on black cotton soil (Deccan plateau).
        • Major States: Maharashtra, Gujarat (leading), Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh.
      • Jute: Known as the "Golden Fibre".
        • Conditions: Grows well on well-drained fertile soils in flood plains (renewed every year), high temperature required during growth.
        • Uses: Gunny bags, mats, ropes, yarn, carpets, artefacts. Losing market to synthetic fibres & packing materials (esp. nylon) due to high cost.
        • Major States: West Bengal (leading), Bihar, Assam, Odisha, Meghalaya.
      • Silk: Obtained from cocoons of silkworms fed on green leaves (esp. mulberry). Rearing of silkworms for silk production is Sericulture. India is a major silk producer.

5. Technological and Institutional Reforms

  • Need: Agriculture practiced for thousands of years; sustained use of land without compatible techno-institutional changes hindered development. Despite irrigation development, most farmers still depend on monsoon and natural fertility. Agriculture needs serious technical and institutional reforms for growing population.

  • Post-Independence Reforms:

    • Institutional: Collectivisation, consolidation of land holdings, cooperation, abolition of zamindari system were given priority. Land reform was the main focus of the First Five Year Plan.
    • Right of inheritance fragmented land holdings, necessitating consolidation.
    • Laws of land reforms enacted but implementation was lukewarm.

  • 1960s-1970s:

    • Green Revolution: Based on package technology (HYV seeds, fertilisers, pesticides, irrigation). Concentrated benefits in few states initially (Punjab, Haryana, W-UP).
    • White Revolution (Operation Flood): Strategy to increase milk production.

  • 1980s-1990s: Comprehensive land development programme initiated.

    • Included both institutional and technical reforms.
    • Institutional: Provision for crop insurance (against drought, flood, cyclone, fire, disease), establishment of Grameen Banks, cooperative societies, banks for providing loans at lower rates.
    • Kisan Credit Card (KCC) scheme introduced for easy access to credit.
    • Personal Accident Insurance Scheme (PAIS) for KCC holders.
    • Technical: Special weather bulletins and agricultural programmes on Radio/TV.

  • Government Initiatives:

    • Announcement of Minimum Support Price (MSP), remunerative and procurement prices to check exploitation by speculators/middlemen.
    • Food Corporation of India (FCI): Procures food grains at MSP and maintains buffer stocks.
    • Public Distribution System (PDS): Distributes food grains at subsidised prices.

  • Bhoodan-Gramdan Movement:

    • Initiated by Vinoba Bhave (spiritual heir of Mahatma Gandhi).
    • Started when he was delivering lecture at Pochampalli (Andhra Pradesh), some poor landless villagers demanded land. Shri Ram Chandra Reddy offered 80 acres to be distributed among 80 landless villagers - known as 'Bhoodan' (Gift of Land).
    • Later, he travelled introducing his ideas widely. Some zamindars offered to distribute villages among landless - known as 'Gramdan' (Gift of Village).
    • Some land-owners chose to provide some part of their land due to fear of land ceiling act.
    • Known as the Blood-less Revolution.

6. Contribution of Agriculture to National Economy, Employment & Output

  • Agriculture has been the backbone of the Indian economy.
  • Share in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has registered a declining trend from 1951 onwards (due to faster growth in secondary/tertiary sectors).
  • Share in providing Employment and livelihood remains high (around 50% of the population in 2010-11, check latest data for exams).
  • Decline in agriculture's share in GDP is a matter of serious concern because:
    • Leads to decline in other spheres of economy having wider implications for society.
  • Government Efforts: Establishing Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), agricultural universities, veterinary services, animal breeding centres, horticulture development, R&D in meteorology and weather forecast. Priority to improving rural infrastructure.
  • Challenges: Indian farmers face challenges from international competition. Reduction in public investment in agriculture (esp. irrigation, power, rural roads, market, mechanisation). Reduction of subsidies on fertilisers increased cost of production. Reduction in import duties exposed farmers to competition. Farmers withdrawing investment from agriculture causing downfall in employment.

7. Food Security

  • Definition: Food security means food is available (production/imports), accessible (within reach of every person), and affordable (individual has money to buy sufficient, safe, nutritious food) to all people at all times.
  • Need: Essential for the country, especially poorer sections. Remote areas prone to disasters also need special focus.
  • Components of India's Food Security System:
    • Buffer Stock: Stock of food grains (wheat & rice) procured by the government through Food Corporation of India (FCI). FCI purchases at pre-announced Minimum Support Price (MSP). This provides incentives to farmers.
    • Public Distribution System (PDS): Programme providing food grains and essential commodities at subsidised prices in rural/urban areas. Food procured by FCI is distributed through government regulated ration shops. Now categorised into Below Poverty Line (BPL) and Above Poverty Line (APL) families with different price scales.
  • Challenges: PDS faces criticism (granaries overflowing, rotting grains, rats feeding, high buffer stock carrying costs, environmental degradation from intensive cultivation in MSP states like Punjab/Haryana, leakage/corruption). Free power/water led to over-irrigation, aquifer depletion, land degradation. Shift from coarse grains/pulses to rice/wheat (due to MSP focus) also impacts nutrition and environment.

8. Impact of Globalisation on Agriculture

  • Globalisation is not a new phenomenon; existed during colonisation (e.g., Indian spices exported, British forced farmers to grow Indigo/Cotton for their industries).
  • Post-1990 Liberalisation: Indian farmers exposed to new challenges. Despite being major producer (rice, cotton, rubber, tea, coffee, jute, spices), our products struggle to compete with developed countries due to high agricultural subsidies in those countries.
  • Need for Improvement:
    • Make Indian agriculture successful and profitable by focusing on improving conditions of small/marginal farmers.
    • Gene Revolution: Genetic engineering to create HYV seeds resistant to pests/diseases.
    • Organic Farming: Advocated today as it's practiced without factory-made chemicals (fertilisers/pesticides), hence environmentally friendly.
    • Diversification: Indian farmers should diversify cropping pattern from cereals to high-value crops (fruits, medicinal herbs, flowers, vegetables, bio-diesel crops like Jatropha/Jojoba). This needs less irrigation than rice/sugarcane. India's diverse climate can be harnessed.

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

  1. Which type of farming is also known as 'slash-and-burn' agriculture?
    a) Intensive Subsistence Farming
    b) Commercial Farming
    c) Primitive Subsistence Farming
    d) Plantation Agriculture

  2. Wheat is primarily grown during which cropping season in India?
    a) Kharif
    b) Rabi
    c) Zaid
    d) Throughout the year

  3. Which of the following is NOT a Kharif crop?
    a) Paddy (Rice)
    b) Maize
    c) Cotton
    d) Mustard

  4. Which soil type is most suitable for growing cotton?
    a) Alluvial soil
    b) Red soil
    c) Laterite soil
    d) Black soil

  5. The 'White Revolution' or 'Operation Flood' is associated with the increase in production of:
    a) Wheat
    b) Milk
    c) Fish
    d) Oilseeds

  6. Which institution is primarily responsible for procuring food grains at Minimum Support Price (MSP) and maintaining buffer stocks in India?
    a) NABARD
    b) Food Corporation of India (FCI)
    c) Ministry of Agriculture
    d) NITI Aayog

  7. The 'Bhoodan-Gramdan' movement, advocating voluntary land donation, was initiated by:
    a) Mahatma Gandhi
    b) Jawaharlal Nehru
    c) Vinoba Bhave
    d) Sardar Patel

  8. Which of the following is an example of a Plantation Crop?
    a) Wheat
    b) Rice
    c) Tea
    d) Gram

  9. Which state is the leading producer of Jute in India?
    a) Assam
    b) Bihar
    c) West Bengal
    d) Odisha

  10. Which factor poses a major challenge to Indian agriculture under globalisation?
    a) Lack of diverse climate
    b) Competition from countries with highly subsidised agriculture
    c) Low domestic demand for agricultural products
    d) Absence of technological advancements in India

Answer Key for MCQs:

  1. c) Primitive Subsistence Farming
  2. b) Rabi
  3. d) Mustard
  4. d) Black soil
  5. b) Milk
  6. b) Food Corporation of India (FCI)
  7. c) Vinoba Bhave
  8. c) Tea
  9. c) West Bengal
  10. b) Competition from countries with highly subsidised agriculture

Make sure you revise these notes thoroughly. Understanding the geographical conditions for crops, the different farming types, and the reforms undertaken is very important. All the best with your preparation!

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