Class 8 Geography Chapter 1 Question Answers - Resources and Development

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• Agriculture
• Fishing
• Mining

Secondary Activities: These activities are concerned with the processing of natural resources into finished products. An example is:

• Manufacturing

Tertiary Activities: These activities do not fall into the primary or secondary categories and provide support to both. Examples include:

• Selling goods
• Advertising
• Banking

• Ploughing
• Sowing
• Irrigation
• Weeding
• Harvesting

As outputs of farming activities, a farmer produces crops, wool, dairy products, and poultry products.

Q3. Explain shifting cultivation.
Ans: Shifting cultivation is a form of primitive subsistence agriculture. In this method, a plot of land is cleared by the farmer through the felling of trees and burning them. The resulting ashes are mixed with the soil, enriching it, and crops are then grown. After a period, the land is abandoned, and the farmer relocates to a different area. This type of farming is prevalent in thickly forested regions such as the Amazon basin, tropical Africa, parts of Southeast Asia, and Northeast India. It is also known as “slash and burn” agriculture, due to the practice of cutting down and burning trees.

Q4. Enlist the climate conditions required for the proper cultivation of rice. Mention the main regions of its production.
Ans: Rice is a major food crop grown in tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world. Its cultivation requires high temperatures, high humidity, and adequate rainfall. Rice grows best in alluvial clayey soils, which have excellent water retention capacity. In favourable climatic conditions, it is possible to cultivate two to three crops in a year. The leading producers of rice globally are China and India.

Q5. What do you understand by agricultural development?
Ans: Agricultural development refers to efforts aimed at increasing production on farms to meet the ever-growing demand of the population. The activities involved in this development include:

• Increasing the cropped area
• Growing more crops
• Improving irrigation
• Using fertilisers
• Sowing high-yielding variety (HYV) seeds
• Promoting mechanisation

Mechanisation reduces the amount of manual labour required by farmers, as machines are used to enhance efficiency.

Q1. Describe subsistence farming and its types in detail.
Ans: Subsistence farming is primarily aimed at meeting the needs of the farmer’s family rather than for commercial purposes. This type of farming typically employs traditional methods, with minimal use of modern technology, relying heavily on household labour. There are two main types of subsistence farming:

• Intensive subsistence agriculture: In this method, farmers use simple tools and a large amount of labour to cultivate small plots of land. They often grow multiple crops annually, especially in favourable conditions. Rice is commonly the major crop cultivated. This form of agriculture is prevalent in densely populated areas of the monsoon regions of South, South-East, and East Asia.
• Shifting cultivation: This is a type of primitive subsistence agriculture where a plot of land is cleared by felling and burning trees. The ashes enrich the soil, allowing crops to be grown. After some time, the land is abandoned, and farmers relocate to a new area. This method is often found in the densely forested regions of the Amazon basin, Tropical Africa, parts of South-East Asia, and North-East India. It is also known as slash-and-burn agriculture.
• Nomadic herding: This practice involves herdsmen moving from place to place with their animals in search of fodder and water. Commonly reared animals include yaks, sheep, camels, and goats.

Q2. Describe commercial farming and its types in detail.
Ans: Commercial farming is the practice of cultivating crops primarily for selling in the market, rather than for personal consumption. This farming method typically involves large areas of land and significant capital investment, in contrast to subsistence farming, which focuses on growing food for the farmer's family. Commercial farming heavily relies on machinery to enhance productivity. There are several types of commercial farming:

• Commercial grain farming: This type involves the production of staple crops such as wheat and maize for sale. It is commonly found in the temperate grasslands of North America, Europe, and Asia.
• Mixed farming: In this approach, the land is used to grow both food and fodder crops while also rearing livestock. It is prevalent in regions like Europe, eastern USA, Argentina, southeastern Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.
• Plantation farming: This type focuses on the cultivation of a single crop, such as tea, coffee, sugarcane, cashew, rubber, banana, or cotton. It requires a large amount of labour and capital, and the produce is often processed on the farm or in nearby factories.

Overall, commercial farming plays a crucial role in the global food supply, contributing significantly to the economy by providing various products for the market.