NCERT Summary: Agriculture | Geography (Prelims) by Valor Academy - UPSC PDF Download

Introduction

• Primary Activities involve extraction and production of natural resources such as agriculture, fishing, and gathering.
• Secondary Activities revolve around processing these resources like manufacturing steel, baking bread, and weaving cloth.
• Tertiary Activities provide support through services like transport, trade, banking, insurance, and advertising.

Agriculture

• Agriculture is a primary activity encompassing the growth of crops, fruits, vegetables, flowers, and livestock rearing.
• Approximately half of the global population is engaged in agricultural activities, with two-thirds of India's population reliant on agriculture.
• Favorable soil quality and climate are crucial for successful agricultural practices, with arable land being the area where crops are cultivated.

Farm System

Key inputs in agriculture include seeds, fertilizers, machinery, and labor.

Operations like plowing, sowing, irrigation, weeding, and harvesting are essential.

Outputs from the system comprise crops, wool, dairy, and poultry products.

Types of Farming

Farming is broadly categorized into two types based on geographical conditions, demand for produce, labor, and technological level:

• Subsistence Farming: This form of farming is practiced to fulfill the needs of the farmer's family directly.
• Commercial Farming: Commercial farming is undertaken primarily for sale in the market rather than for personal consumption.

Types of Subsistence Farming

• Intensive Subsistence Farming

  • In intensive subsistence farming, farmers work on small plots of land using basic tools and relying heavily on labor.
  • This type of farming is common in regions with a high number of sunny days and fertile soil, allowing for multiple crops to be grown annually.
  • Main crops cultivated include rice, wheat, maize, pulses, and oilseeds.
  • Primarily found in densely populated areas of monsoon regions in South, Southeast, and East Asia.

• Primitive Subsistence Farming

  • Primitive subsistence farming comprises shifting cultivation and nomadic herding.
  • Shifting Cultivation:
    • Practiced in heavily forested regions like the Amazon basin, tropical Africa, parts of Southeast Asia, and Northeast India.
    • Technique involves clearing land by burning trees, mixing ashes with soil for cultivation, and moving to new plots as soil fertility diminishes.
    • Also known as 'slash and burn' agriculture.
  • Nomadic Herding:
    • Common in semi-arid and arid regions such as the Sahara, Central Asia, Rajasthan, and Jammu and Kashmir.
    • Herders move with their animals in search of fodder and water along specific routes.
    • Sheep, camel, yak, and goats are commonly reared for various products such as milk, meat, wool, hides, etc.

Commercial Farming

• In commercial farming, both crops and animals are raised for sale in the market.
• It involves large-scale cultivation and significant capital investment.
• Mechanization plays a crucial role in commercial farming operations.

Types of Commercial Farming

• Commercial Grain Farming
  • This type focuses on growing crops for commercial purposes like wheat and maize.
  • Commonly found in temperate grasslands of North America, Europe, and Asia.
  • Due to severe winters, only one crop can be grown each season.
• Mixed Farming
  • Combines crop cultivation with livestock rearing.
  • Practiced in regions like Europe, eastern USA, Argentina, etc.
• Plantation Agriculture
  • Involves growing a single crop like tea, coffee, sugarcane, etc.
  • Requires substantial labor and capital investment.
  • Common in tropical regions and involves processing of produce.

Major Crops

• Rice is a staple food in tropical and sub-tropical regions.
• It thrives in high temperatures, humidity, and adequate rainfall.
• Best suited for alluvial clayey soil that retains water.
• Leading producers include China, India, Japan, Sri Lanka, and Egypt.

Wheat:

• Wheat thrives in moderate temperatures and requires adequate rainfall during the growing season, along with bright sunshine at harvest time.
• It is best suited for well-drained loamy soil.
• Major wheat-producing countries include USA, Canada, Argentina, Russia, Ukraine, Australia, and India where it is primarily grown in winter.

Millets:

• Millets, also known as coarse grains, can grow on less fertile and sandy soils.
• These hardy crops require low rainfall, moderate to high temperatures, and sufficient rainfall.
• In India, Jowar, Bajra, and Ragi are commonly cultivated, while other countries like Nigeria, China, and Niger also grow millets.

Maize:

• Maize thrives in regions with moderate temperatures, adequate rainfall, and plenty of sunshine.
• It prefers well-drained fertile soils for optimal growth.
• Major maize-producing countries include North America, Brazil, China, Russia, Canada, India, and Mexico.

Cotton:

• Cotton cultivation requires high temperatures, light rainfall, at least 210 frost-free days, and bright sunshine.
• It grows best in black and alluvial soils.
• Leading cotton producers are China, the USA, India, Pakistan, Brazil, and Egypt, with cotton being a vital raw material for the textile industry.

Jute:

• Jute, known as the 'Golden Fibre,' thrives in alluvial soil and requires high temperatures, heavy rainfall, and a humid climate.
• This crop is mainly grown in tropical regions, with India and Bangladesh being the primary producers.

Coffee:

• Coffee plants require a warm and wet climate, as well as well-drained loamy soil.
• They are best suited for growth on hill slopes.
• Major coffee-producing countries include Brazil, Colombia, and India.

Agricultural Development

• Definition: Agricultural development involves actions taken to boost farm production to cater to the increasing needs of the growing population.

• Strategies for Agricultural Development:
  • Increase in cultivated land area
  • Diversification by growing multiple crops
  • Enhancement of irrigation systems
  • Utilization of fertilizers and high-yielding seed varieties
• Objective: The primary goal of agricultural development is to enhance food security for the population.

A Farm in India

• A small-scale farm operation in India characterized by the following practices:
• Utilization of high-yielding variety (HYV) seeds obtained from markets
• Seeking advice from peers, elders, or governmental sources
• Employing tractors or bullock carts for land preparation
• Engaging tube wells for irrigation
• Rearing livestock for supplementary income
• Involvement of all family members in farm activities
• Dependency on bank credit for purchasing seeds and equipment
• Lack of proper storage facilities leading to untimely sales
• Government initiatives to enhance storage infrastructure in recent times