Q1. Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow:
India is a highly populated country, and as the population grows, food demand increases. To meet this demand, efforts like the Green Revolution (which increased grain production) and the White Revolution (which increased milk production) have played crucial roles. However, excessive use of natural resources for food production can lead to environmental damage.To ensure food security, it is essential not only to increase food production but also to provide people with access to food. Sustainable agricultural practices like mixed farming, intercropping, and integrated farming help maintain soil fertility while increasing crop yields.
i. What was the primary goal of the Green Revolution? (1 mark)
ii. Why is increasing food production alone not enough to solve hunger and malnutrition? (2 mark)
iii. How does mixed farming help in sustainable agriculture? (1 mark)
Ans:
i. The Green Revolution aimed to increase food-grain production using high-yield varieties, fertilizers, and irrigation.
ii. Increasing food production alone is not enough because people also need access to food. Poverty and economic barriers prevent many from buying food, leading to hunger despite sufficient production.
iii. Mixed farming integrates crop cultivation with livestock farming, ensuring better resource utilization, maintaining soil fertility, and providing an alternative income source to farmers.
Q2. Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow:
To improve crop yields, scientists develop new crop varieties through hybridization and genetic modification. Hybridization involves crossing genetically different plants to combine desirable traits like disease resistance, high yield, and improved quality.For example, wheat varieties with high protein content, pulses with better nutritional value, and oilseeds with higher oil yield have been developed. Crop variety improvement also focuses on creating drought-resistant and pest-resistant crops.
i. What is hybridization? (1 mark)
ii. Why is it important to develop disease-resistant crop varieties? (2 mark)
iii. Why do farmers prefer short-duration crop varieties? (1mark)
Ans:
i. Hybridization is the process of crossing genetically dissimilar plants to produce improved crop varieties with desirable characteristics.
ii. Disease-resistant crops reduce crop loss, minimize pesticide use, and increase yield stability, ensuring better food production and farmer profits.
iii. Short-duration crops mature faster, allowing farmers to grow multiple crops per year, increasing productivity and profits.
Q3: Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow:
Like humans, plants need nutrients for growth, obtained from air, water, and soil. Essential nutrients are classified as macronutrients (needed in large amounts, e.g., nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium) and micronutrients (needed in small amounts, e.g., iron, zinc, copper).
Farmers use manure and fertilizers to replenish soil nutrients. While fertilizers provide specific nutrients, excessive use can harm soil fertility and cause water pollution. Organic farming methods like composting and vermi-composting help maintain soil health sustainably.
i. What are macronutrients? (1 mark)
ii. Why is excessive use of chemical fertilizers harmful? (2 mark)
iii. How does vermi-composting benefit soil fertility? (1 mark)
Ans:
i. Macronutrients are nutrients required by plants in large quantities, such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.
ii. Excessive fertilizer use can reduce soil fertility, kill beneficial microbes, and cause water pollution when washed into rivers and lakes.
iii. Vermi-composting improves soil structure, increases organic content, and provides slow-release nutrients, enhancing soil fertility.
Q4: Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow:
Farmers face challenges like weeds, insect pests, and plant diseases, which can reduce crop yields.
Weeds compete with crops for nutrients, space, and sunlight.
Insect pests damage crops by cutting stems, sucking plant sap, or boring into fruits.
Plant diseases caused by bacteria, fungi, and viruses reduce crop quality and yield.
To protect crops, farmers use chemical pesticides, but excessive use harms soil, water, and biodiversity. Alternative methods like crop rotation, intercropping, and biological control help manage pests naturally.
i. Name any two types of crop diseases. (1 mark)
ii. Why is excessive pesticide use harmful? (2 mark)
iii. How does intercropping help in pest control? (1 mark)
Ans:
i. Two types of crop diseases are fungal diseases (rust in wheat) and bacterial diseases (blight in rice).
ii. Excessive pesticide use kills beneficial insects, leads to pesticide resistance in pests, and contaminates soil and water, causing environmental harm.
iii. Intercropping prevents pests from spreading because different crops attract different pests, reducing the impact on a single crop.
Q5: Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow:
Animal husbandry involves the scientific management of livestock for milk, meat, and eggs. Cattle farming is classified into milch animals (for milk production) and draught animals (for labor). Proper feeding, shelter, and disease prevention improve productivity.
Similarly, poultry farming provides eggs (layers) and meat (broilers). Good housing, vaccination, and balanced feed ensure high yields. Fisheries and bee-keeping also contribute to food production, providing fish and honey, respectively.
i. What are milch animals? (1 mark)
ii. How does poultry farming contribute to food security? (2 mark)
iii. Why is vaccination important in livestock farming? (1 mark)
Ans:
i. Milch animals are dairy animals raised for milk production, such as cows and buffaloes.
ii. Poultry farming provides eggs and chicken meat, which are rich protein sources and affordable for many people, helping to improve nutrition and food security.
iii. Vaccination prevents infectious diseases in animals, reducing mortality rates and economic losses for farmers.
