Class 10 Social Science Chapter 9 Agriculture (Geography)

Q1. Which of the following is a Rabi crop? [CBSE 2023] [1] (a) Rice (b) Wheat (c) Jowar (d) Cotton

Ans: (b) Wheat. Rabi crops are sown in winter (October-December) and harvested in summer (April-June). Other Rabi crops: barley, peas, gram, mustard.

Q2. Which of the following is the largest producer of rice in India? [CBSE 2022] [1] (a) Punjab (b) West Bengal (c) Uttar Pradesh (d) Bihar

Ans: (b) West Bengal. It is the largest rice-producing state due to alluvial soil, high rainfall, and warm climate suitable for paddy cultivation.

Q3. Green Revolution was most successful in the production of: [CBSE 2024] [1] (a) Pulses (b) Wheat and rice (c) Cotton (d) Oilseeds

Ans: (b) Wheat and rice. The Green Revolution (1960s-70s) introduced high-yielding variety seeds, chemical fertilizers, and irrigation, dramatically increasing wheat and rice output.

Q4. Which crop is known as the "golden fibre"? [CBSE 2021] [1] (a) Cotton (b) Silk (c) Jute (d) Hemp

Ans: (c) Jute. Known as the golden fibre due to its golden colour and economic value. Mainly grown in West Bengal, Bihar, Assam. Used for making bags, mats, and textiles.

Q5. Slash and burn agriculture is known as: [CBSE 2020] [1] (a) Intensive farming (b) Jhum/shifting cultivation (c) Plantation farming (d) Commercial farming

Ans: (b) Jhum or shifting cultivation. Forests are cleared by burning, crops are grown for 2-3 years, then farmers move to new area. Practised in NE India.

Q6. Which of the following is a plantation crop? [CBSE 2023] [1] (a) Wheat (b) Rice (c) Tea (d) Bajra

Ans: (c) Tea. Plantation crops are grown on large estates for commercial purposes. Others: coffee, rubber, sugarcane, banana, coconut. Requires large capital and labour.

Q7. The main focus of food security was which programme? [CBSE 2024] [1] (a) Green Revolution (b) White Revolution (c) Blue Revolution (d) Yellow Revolution

Ans: (a) Green Revolution. Introduced in 1960s, it used HYV seeds, fertilizers, and irrigation to boost foodgrain production, making India self-sufficient in wheat and rice.

Q8. Rubber is mainly grown in: [CBSE 2022] [1] (a) Assam (b) Kerala (c) West Bengal (d) Punjab

Ans: (b) Kerala. Rubber requires tropical climate with heavy rainfall, warm temperature, and well-drained soil. Kerala produces over 90% of India's natural rubber.

Q9. Which revolution is associated with milk production? [CBSE 2021] [1] (a) Green Revolution (b) White Revolution (c) Blue Revolution (d) Golden Revolution

Ans: (b) White Revolution (Operation Flood). Led by Dr. Verghese Kurien through Amul cooperative, it made India the world's largest milk producer.

Q10. Assertion (A): Indian agriculture is over-dependent on monsoons. Reason (R): Most of India's farmland lacks irrigation facilities. [CBSE 2024] [1] (a) Both true and (R) correctly explains (A) (b) Both true but (R) does not explain (A) (c) (A) is true but (R) is false (d) (A) is false

Ans: (a) Both true and (R) correctly explains (A). Only about 50% of farmland is irrigated. The rest depends entirely on monsoon rainfall, making agriculture risky.

Q16. "Agriculture has been the backbone of the Indian economy." Discuss the importance and challenges. [CBSE 2024]

Ans: Agriculture's significance and challenges: • Employment: About 42% of workforce depends on agriculture. In rural India, it is the primary and often only source of livelihood for most families. UNIQUE STUDY POINT BY SUMEET SAHU | Amitesh Nagar, Indore (M.P.) | www.uniquestudyonline.com Page 2 UNIQUE STUDY POINT BY SUMEET SAHU Class X | Social Science | Geography Ch.4 • Food Security: India produces over 300 million tonnes of foodgrains annually. Green Revolution made India self-sufficient. We are among the world's top producers of rice, wheat, and milk. • Industrial Linkage: Agriculture provides raw materials to industries - cotton to textiles, sugarcane to sugar, oilseeds to vegetable oil. Agro-industries create rural employment. • Challenge - Climate: Monsoon dependence, climate change, water scarcity, and soil degradation threaten food production. Farmers face uncertainty every season. • Challenge - Economic: Low prices, rising input costs, small landholdings, inadequate credit, and poor infrastructure keep farmers trapped in poverty despite hard work.

Q17. Explain the impact of globalisation on Indian agriculture. [CBSE 2023]

Ans: Globalisation has had mixed effects on Indian agriculture: • Export Opportunities: Indian farmers can now sell rice, spices, tea, coffee, fruits, and vegetables in global markets, earning better prices. • Technology Transfer: Modern farming techniques, hybrid seeds, drip irrigation, and cold storage technology from developed countries have improved productivity. • Competition: Cheap imports of palm oil, pulses, and other commodities hurt domestic farmers who cannot compete with subsidised foreign products. • Contract Farming: MNCs like PepsiCo, ITC enter agriculture through contract farming. This provides guaranteed prices but can also make farmers dependent on corporations. • Policy Need: Government must protect small farmers through MSP, trade barriers where needed, investment in infrastructure, and access to credit and technology.

Q18. Describe the different types of farming practised in India. [CBSE 2022]

Ans: India has diverse farming systems: • Subsistence Farming: Practised on small plots for family consumption. Uses traditional tools, family labour, and depends on monsoon. Common in most of India. • Intensive Subsistence: High use of labour per unit area. Small plots but very high output through multiple cropping. Common in rice-growing regions of eastern India. • Commercial Farming: Crops grown for sale. Uses modern inputs - HYV seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, machines. E.g., Punjab wheat, Maharashtra sugarcane, Gujarat cotton. • Plantation: Large estates growing single crop (tea, coffee, rubber). Requires heavy capital, technical know-how, and large labour force. Products mainly for export. • Shifting Cultivation: Forests cleared, crops grown for 2-3 years, then abandoned. Known as Jhum in NE India. Declining due to forest conservation policies.

Q19. Explain the geographical conditions and main producing areas for rice and wheat in India. [CBSE 2021]

Ans: Rice and wheat are India's most important food crops: • Rice - Climate: Requires high temperature (above 25C), high humidity, and annual rainfall above 100 cm. Grows well in alluvial soil of floodplains. • Rice - Areas: Major areas: West Bengal, UP, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Bihar. Plains of north and east India and coastal regions are ideal. • Wheat - Climate: Requires cool growing season (10-15C) and warm harvesting season. Moderate rainfall (50-75 cm). Well-drained fertile loamy soil. • Wheat - Areas: Indo-Gangetic plains: Punjab, Haryana, UP, MP, Rajasthan. Punjab-Haryana are the wheat bowl of India due to Green Revolution success. • Production: India is the world's 2nd largest producer of both rice and wheat. Together they provide food security for 1.4 billion people.

Q20. What was the Green Revolution? Discuss its impact on Indian agriculture. [CBSE 2020]

Ans: Green Revolution transformed Indian agriculture: • Introduction: Started in 1960s under M.S. Swaminathan. Introduced High Yielding Variety (HYV) seeds of wheat and rice with chemical fertilizers and pesticides. • Production Boost: Wheat production increased from 11 million tonnes (1960) to over 100 million tonnes. India became self-sufficient in foodgrains. • Regional Impact: Initially successful in Punjab, Haryana, and western UP. Later spread to other states. These states became India's "food bowl." • Negative Effects: Soil fertility declined due to chemical overuse. Groundwater depleted by tube wells. Biodiversity reduced as traditional varieties were abandoned. • Social Impact: Benefited large farmers more than small and marginal farmers. Created regional inequality. Rich farmers prospered while many small farmers remained poor. UNIQUE STUDY POINT BY SUMEET SAHU | Amitesh Nagar, Indore (M.P.) | www.uniquestudyonline.com Page 3 UNIQUE STUDY POINT BY SUMEET SAHU Class X | Social Science | Geography Ch.4