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Class 12 Geography Chapter 15 Land Resource and Agriculture
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Land Resource and Agriculture
Chapter: 15
PART-2
GEOGRAPHY
TEXTUAL QUESTION & ANSWER
Q.1. Which one of the following is not a Land use category?
(a) Fallow land
(b) Net sown area
(c) Marginal land
(d) Cultivable wasteland
Ans :- (c) Marginal Land.
Q.2. Which one of the following is the main form of degradation in irrigated areas?
(a) Salinization of soils
(b) Gully Erosion
(c) Wind erosion
(d) Siltation of land
Ans :- (a) Salinization of soils.
Q.3. In which one of the following groups of countries Hyvs of wheat and rice were developed?
(a) Mexico and Philippines
(b) Mexico and Singapore
(c) Japan and Australia
(d) USA and Japan
Ans :- (c) Japan and Australia
Q.4. Which one of the following crops is not cultivated under dry land farming?
(a) Sugarcane
(b) Groundnut
(c) Ragi
(d) Jowar
Ans :- (a) Sugarcane.
VERY SHORT TYPE QUESTION & ANSWER
Q.5. How do you measure total cultivable land?
Ans :- Total cultivable land is measured in the following procedure :
Physical cultivable area + Area cultivated and harvested twice and thrice
= ………………………………………………………………………..
Total cultivable land.
Q.6. How would you distinguish between net sown area and gross cropped area?
Ans :- Net sown area : Net sown area is that area which is sown and harvested in a year.
Gross cropped area : Gross cropped area is that area which includes net sown area plus area sown and harvested twice or thrice in a year.
Q.7. Distinguish the dry land and wetland farming?
Ans :- Dry land farming :
(ii) Dryland farming (in India) is largely confined to the regions with annual rainfall less than 75 cm.
(ii) Dryland farming produces drought resistant crops.
(iii) In dryland farming produces crops like ragi, bajra, moong, gram and guar.
Wetland farming :
(i) Wetland farming in India) is done in such regions where rainfall is in excess of soil moisture requirement.
(ii) Wetland farming produces such crops which require abundant moisture.
(iii) Major crops in wetland farming are rice, jute and sugarcane
Q.8. Differentiated between barren and cultivable was telford.
Ans :- Barren and wasteland :
(i) Hilly terrain deserts, rocky lands we may termed as barren and wasteland.
(ii) Barren and wasteland cannot be brought under cultivation with the available technology.
Cultivable wasteland :
(i) Cultivable wastelands are land which are kept fallow for more than five years.
(ii) Cultivable wasteland can be brought under cultivation after improving it through reclamation practices.
Q.8. What are the major uses of land?
Ans :- People use land for various purposes, among them as a resource for production, residence and recreation.
Q.9. Distinguish the irrigated farming and rainfed farming.
Ans :- Distinction between irrigated farming and rainfed farming are :
| Irrigated Farming | Rainfed Farming | ||
| (i) | Irrigated farming is based on irrigation. | (i) | Rainfed farming is based on rains. |
| (ii) | Irrigation is of two types – for crops. (a) Protective irrigation aims at protection of crops from adverse effect of soil moisture deficiency • Its aims is to providesoil moisture to maxi mum possible area. (b) Productive irrigation means to provide sufficient soil moisture in the cropping season to get maximum production. | (ii) Irrigation is not generally required for crops. | |
| (iii) | Wheat and Rice are major crops based on irrigation. |
Q.9. Why is agricultural productivity low in dry regions?
Ans :- Because of lack of moisture in the land or soil, as the dry soil is less fertile, and also due to poor level of management.
Q.10. What do you mean by intensive Subsistence Farming?
Ans :- Subsistence agriculture is self-sufficiency farming in which the farmers focus on growing enough food to feed themselves and their families. The typical subsistence farm has a range of crops and animals needed by the family to feed and clothe themselves during the year.
Q.11. What is Intercultural?
Ans :- Interculture is the agricultural practice in which two crops are raised simultaneously in order to maintain the fertility and productivity of the fields.
Q.12. What do you mean by White Revolution?
Ans :- It refers to the increase of milk production in the country through various developmental programmes.
SHORT TYPE QUESTION & ANSWER : (MARKS -3)
Q.13. Give a note how is land resource more crucial to the livelihood of the people?
Ans :- Better access to input and product markets, including savings and credit. Appropriate technologies for higher, sustainable productivity. Education and the skills to use the new technologies. Opportunities to diversify both within and beyond agriculture. For the landless, being able to access land. Improved tenancy and sharecropping arrangements, Protection of rights and development of opportunities for agricultural workers. Equitable opportunities for private sector development e.g. in high value crops for export. Better terms of trade for developing country agricultural producers. Security of tenure, whether the right to occupy a room or to develop a plot of land, plays a large part in determining access to basic infrastructure, services, employment opportunities and credit. People who are safe from eviction feel secure to improve their homes and neighbourhoods.
The legal recognition of extra-legal settlements and enterprises of the poor are powerful tools for social inclusion, and an essential basis for establishing the rule of law and more socially legitimate government in urban areas. Urban planning strategies provide an important means of enabling poor people to live close to their sources of livelihood. Participatory planning can strengthen the confidence in the development process and property rights, and help to direct investment to areas where it will be of greatest social benefit.
Q.14. Briefly discuss the major land-use categories as maintained in the land revenue records?
Ans :- The various land-use categories of India as maintained in land- revenue records of India are as follows :
(i) Forests : Forests are the most important part of a nation. But, it is a matter of fact that the area of this category’s land is gradually decreasing. The area under actual forest cover is different from the area classified as forest.
(ii) Land put to non agricultural uses : Land under settlements, infrastructure, industries, shops etc. are included in this category.
(iii) Barren and Wasteland : It includes the barren hilly terrains, desert lands, ravines etc. which are normally cannot be brought under cultivation.
(iv) Area under permanent Pastures and grazing lands: Most of this type land is owned by the village “Panchayat” or the government.
(v) Area under Miscellaneous tree crops and groves : The land under orchards and fruit trees are included in this category.
(vi) Cultivable waste- land: Any land which is left fallow (uncultivated) for more than five years is included in this category.
(vii) Current fallow : This is the land which is left without cultivation for one or less than agricultural years.
(viii) Fallow other than current fallow : This is also a cultivable land which is left uncultivated for more than a year but less than five years.
(ix). Net area sown : The physical extent of land on which crops are sown and harvested is known as net sown area.
Q.15. Give a distinguishing note between Kharif and Rabi cultivation.
Ans :- Distinction henwen Kharif and Rabi cultivation are :
| SL. No | Kharif Season | SL. No | Rabi Season |
| (i) | Kharif cropping season starts from the onset of Monsoon and ends up with the end of Monsoon | (i) | Rabi cropping season starts with the season of Retreating Monsoon and ends up with the start of summer season. |
| (ii) | Kharif season is from June or early July to the end of September or early October. Sowing of crops starts in June or early July and harvest begins by the middle of September or early October. | (ii) | Rabi season spreads from late October or early November to April-May. |
| (iii) | Major crops of the Kharif season include rice, millets, and maize. groundnuts, jute and cotton. Pulses like moong, urad and arhar are also grown in this season. Arhar takes a longer period to mature than other crops. | (iii) | Major crops of Rabi season are wheat, gram, barley, oil seeds like mustard seed and rapeseed. Pulses like masoor are also grown in this season. |
Q.16. Write an account on the Maize cultivation in India
Ans :- Maize is a food as well as fodder crop grown under semi-arid climatic conditions and over inferior soils. This crop occupies only about 3.6 percent of the total cropped area. Maize cultivation is not concentrated in any specific region. It is sown all over India except eastern and north-eastern regions. The leading producers of maize are the states of Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. Yield level of maize is higher than other coarse cereals. It is high in southern states and declines towards central parts.
Q.17. Write an account on cotton cultivation in India.
Ans :- Cotton is a tropical crop growth in the kharif season in semi-arid areas of the country, India lost a large proportion of cotton growing area to Pakistan during partition. However, its average has increased considerably during the last 50 years. India grows both short staple (Indian) cotton as well as long staple (American) cotton called ‘narma’ in north-western parts of the country. Cotton requires a clear sky during the flowering stage.
India ranks fourth in the world in the production of cotton after China, U.S.A and Pakistan and accounts for about 8.3 percent of production of cotton in the world. Cotton occupies about 4.7 percent of the total cropped area in the country.
There are three cotton growing areas, in. parts of Punjab, Haryana and Northern Rajasthan in north-west, Gujarat and Maharashtra in the west and plateaus of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu in South Leading producers of this crop are Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana. Per hectare output of cotton is high under irrigated conditions in north-westerns region of the country. Its yield is very low in Maharashtra where it is grown under rainfed conditions.
Q.18. Write briefly on the geographical requirements for the jute cultivation and mention the major jute producing areas of India.
Ans :- Jute is used for making coarse cloth, bags, sacks and decorative items. It is a cash crop in West Bengal and adjoining eastern parts of the country. India lost large jute growing areas to East Pakistan (Bangladesh) during partition. At present, India produces about three-fifth of jute production of the world. West Bengal accounts for about three-fourth of the production in the country. Bihar and Assam are other jute growing areas. Being concentrated only in a few states, this crop accounts for only about 0.5 percent of the total cropped area in the country.
Q.19. What are the geographical requirements for tea cultivation and which are the major tea producing areas in India?
Ans :- Tea is a plantation crop used as a beverage. Black tea leaves are fermented whereas green tea leaves are unfermented. Tea leaves have rich content of caffeine and tannin. It is an indigenous crop hill in northern China. It is grown over undulating topography of hilly areas and well drained soils in humid and sub-humid tropics and sub-trophies.
In India, tea plantations started in 1840s in Brahmaputra valley of Assam which still is a major tea growing area in the country. Later on, its plantation was introduced in the sub-Himalayan region of West Bengal (Darjeeling. Jalpai and Cooch Bihar districts). Tea is also cultivated on the lower slopes of Nilgiri and Cardamom hills in Western Ghats. India is a leading producer of tea and accounts for about 28 percent of total production in the world.
India’s share in the international market of tea has declined substantially At present, it ranks third among tea exporting countries in the world after Sri Lanka and China. Assam accounts for about 53.2 percent of the total cropped area and contributes more than half of total production of tea in the country. West Bengal and Tamil Nadu are the other leading producers of tea.
| Sl. No. | CONTENTS |
| PART-1 | |
| Chapter 1 | Human Geography Nature & Scope |
| Chapter 2 | The World Population Distribution, Density & Growth |
| Chapter 3 | Population Composition |
| Chapter 4 | Human Development |
| Chapter 5 | Primary Activities |
| Chapter 6 | Secondary Activities |
| Chapter 7 | Tertiary and Quaternary Activities |
| Chapter 8 | Transport and Communication |
| Chapter 9 | International Trade |
| Chapter 10 | Human Settlement |
| PART-2 | |
| Chapter 11 | Population Structure of India |
| Chapter 12 | Migration Pattern in India |
| Chapter 13 | Human Resources Department |
| Chapter 14 | Human Settlement of India |
| Chapter 15 | Land Resource and Agriculture |
| Chapter 16 | India’s Water Resources |
| Chapter 17 | Mineral and Fuel Resources in India |
| Chapter 18 | Manufacturing Industries of India |
| Chapter 19 | Planning and Sustainable Development in Indian Context |
| Chapter 20 | Transport and Communication in India |
| Chapter 21 | International Trade |
| Chapter 22 | Problems and Issues Geographical Perspective |
| PART-3 | |
| Chapter 23 | Assam Geography |
Q.20. Give an account of coffee cultivation in India.
Ans :- Coffee is a tropical plantation crop. Its seeds are roasted, ground and are used for preparing a beverage. There are three varieties of coffee ice, arabica, robusta and liberica. India mostly grows superior quality coffee, arabica, which is in great demand in the International market. But India produces only about 4.3 percent coffee in the world and ranks sixth after Brazil, Vietnam, Colombia, Indonesia and Mexico. Coffee is cultivated in the highlands of Western Ghats in Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Karnataka alone accounts for more than two-third of total production of coffee in the country.
Q.21. What are the Environmental Problems of land resources in India?
Ans :- Different types of environmental problems of land resources in India are :
(i) Degradation of land due to stone crashers.
(ii) Degradation of land due to pollution especially industrial wastes.
(iii) Due to our use of irrigation soil fertility is seriously depleted.
(iv) Due to our use of chemical fertilizers soil fertility seriously depleted in the recent years.
(v) Deforestation is another environmental problem of land resources in India.
(vi) Alkalisation and salinisation of soils are other problems of land resources in India.
Q.22. What are the strategies followed for agricultural development in the Post Independence Period in India.
Ans : Important in strategies for agricultural development followed the post- independence period in India are as follows :
(a) The Government of India was made pressure to increase foodgrains production by-
(i) Switching over from cash crops to food crops.
(il) Intensification of cropping over already cultivated lands.
(iii) Increasing cultivated area by bringing cultivated and fallow land under plough.
(b) The above strategy helped in increasing foodgrains production, but agricultural production stagnated during the late 1950s.
(c) To overcome this problem, India were launched two important programme as –
(i) Intensive Agricultural District Programme (IADP)
(ii) Intensive Agricultural Area Programme (IAAP) But two consecutive droughts during the mid-1960s resulted in a food crisis in the country.
(d) By the mid – 1960s, Indian farmers used some new varieties (HYV) of wheat and rice which were imported from Mexico and the Philippines respectively.
(e) The country introduced package technology comprising HYVs along with chemical fertilizers in irrigated areas of Punjab, Haryana, Western Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat.
(f) This strategy of agricultural development paid dividends instantly and increased the food grains production at a very fast rate. It is known as “Green Revolution.”
(g) This strategy of agricultural development made the country self reliant in foodgrain production.
(h) In 1988, emphasis was given to the following sectors.
(i) Dairy farming
(ii) Poultry
(iii) Horticulture
(iv) Livestock rearing
(v) Aquaculture.
(i) In the 1990s, initiation of the policy of liberalisation and free mare economy are notable strategies for agricultural development.
LONG TYPE QUESTION & ANSWERS (MARKS – 3)
Q.1. Write an account on cropping seasons in India.
Ans :- There are three distinct crop seasons in the northern and interior parts of the country, namely kharif, rabi and zaid. The kharif season largely coincides with Southwest Monsoon under which the cultivation of tropical crops such as rice, cotton, jute, jowar, bajra and tur is possible. The rahi season begins with the onset of winter in October November and ends in March-April.
The low temperature conditions during this season facilitate the cultivation of temperature and subtropical crops such as wheat, grain and mustard. Zaid is a short duration summer cropping season beginning after harvesting of rabi crops: The cultivation of watermelons, cucumber vegetables and fodder crops during this season is done on irrigated lands However, this type of distinction in the cropping season does not exist in southern parts of the country. Here, the temperature is high enough to grow tropical crops during any period in the years provided the soil moisture is available. Therefore, in this region same crops can be grown thrice in an agricultural year provided there is sufficient soil moisture.
Q.2. Give an account of rice cultivation in India.
Ans :- Rice is a staple food for the overwhelming majority of the population in India. More than 70% of its people depend on rice. In the production of rice, India stands second position after china. India contributes 22% of rice production in the world.
Area of cultivation : About one fourth of the total cropped area in the country is under rice cultivation. West Bengal, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh. Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu were five leading rice producing states in the country in 2002-2003. The yield level of rice is high in Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Haryana, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal and Kerala.
The climatic conditions for the cultivation of rice in the southern states and West Bengal allow to cultivate two or three crops in an agricultural year. The three rice crops are named as “aus” “aman” and “boro”. But in northern and north western states it is grown as a “kharif” crop during the southwest monsoon season. The following map of India shows the distribution of rice.
Q.3. Discuss the geographical requirements and production of wheat in India.
Ans :- Wheat is the second most important cereal crop in India after rice. India produces about 12 percent of total wheat production. It is primarily a crop of temperate zones. Hence, its cultivation in India is done during winter i.e. rabi season. About 85 percent of total area under this crop is concentrated in north and central regions of the country i.e. Indo- Gangetic Plain, Malwa Plateau and Himalayas up to 2,700 m altitude Being a rabi crop, it is mostly grown under irrigated conditions. But it is rainfed crop in Himalayan highlands and parts of Malwa plateau in Madhya Pradesh.
About 14 percent of the total cropped area in the country is under wheat cultivation. Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryan, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh are five leading wheat producing states. The yield level of wheat is very high (above 4,000 k.g. per ha) in Punjab and Haryana whereas, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Bihar have moderate yields. The states like Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir growing wheat under rainfed conditions have low yield.
Q.4. Give an account of pulses cultivation in India.
Ans :- Pulses are a very important ingredient of vegetarian food as these are rich sources of proteins. These are legume crops which increase the natural fertility of soils through nitrogen fixation. India is a leading producer of pulse and accounts for about one-fifth of the total production of pulses in the world. The cultivation of pulses in the country is largely concentrated in the drylands of Deccan and central plateaus and northwestern parts of the country. Pulses occupy about 11 percent of the total cropped area in the country. Being the rainfed crops of drylands, the yields of pulses are low and fluctuate from year to year. Gram and tur are the main pulses cultivated in India.
Q.5. Describe the geographical requirements for sugarcane cultivation and its production pattern in India.
Ans :- Sugarcane is a crop of tropical areas. Under rainfed conditions, it is cultivated in sub-humid and humid climates. But it is largely an irrigated crop in India. In the Indo-Gangetic plain, its cultivation is largely concentrated in Uttar Pradesh. Sugarcane growing area in western India is spread over Maharashtra and Gujarat. In southern India, it is cultivated in irrigated tracts of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.
India is the second largest producer of sugarcane after Brazil. It accounts for about 23 percent of the world production of sugarcane. But it occupies only 2.4 percent of the total cropped area in the country. Uttar Pradesh produces about two-fifth of the sugarcane of the country. Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh are other leading producers of this crop where the yield level of sugarcane is high. Its yield is low in northern India.
Q.6. Discuss the relationship between the growth of agricultural output and technology in India.
Ans :- There has been a significant increase in agriculture output and improvement in technology during the last fifty years.
(i) Production and yield of many crops such as rice and wheat has increased at an impressive rate. Among the other crops, the production of sugarcane, oilseeds and cotton has also increased appreciably. India ranks first in the production of pulses, tea, jute, cattle and milk. It is the second largest producer of rice, wheat, groundnut, sugarcane and vegetables.
(ii) Expansion of irrigation has played a very crucial role in enhancing agricultural output in the country. It provides basis for introduction
of modern agricultural technology such as high yielding varieties of seeds, chemical fertilizers, pesticides and farm machinery. The net irrigated area in the country has increased from 20,85 to 54.66 million ha over the period 1950-51 to 2000-01. Over these 50 years, area irrigated more than once in an agricultural year has increased from 1.71 to 20.46 million ha.
(iii) Modern agricultural technology has diffused very fast in various areas of the country. Consumption of chemical fertilizers has increased by 15 times since the mid-sixties. In 2001-02, per hectare consumption of chemical fertilizers in India was 91 kg which was equal to its average consumption in the world (90 kg). But in the irrigated areas of Punjab and Haryana, the consumption of chemical fertilizers per unit area is three to four times higher than that of the national average. Since the high yielding varieties are highly susceptible to pests and diseases, the use of pesticides has increased significantly since the 1960s.
Q.7. Discuss the major problems of Indian agriculture.
Ans :- The major problems confronting Indian agriculture are those of population pressure, small holdings, depleted soils, lack of modern technology and poor facilities for storage.
(a) Population Pressure : India has a huge population of ovum one billion and it is increasing at a very fast rate. According to 2001 census figures the overall density of population is 324 persons per sq. km. This is likely to increase further in future. This has created great demand for land. Every bit of land has been brought under the plough. Even the hill slopes have been cut into terraces for cultivation.
(b) Small and Fragmented Land Holdings : The pressure of increasing population and the practice of dividing land equally among the heirs has caused excessive subdivisions of farm holdings. Consequently, the holdings are small and fragmented. The small size of holdings makes farming activity uneconomical and leads to social tension, violence and discontentment.
(c) Inadequate Irrigation Facilities: By and large the irrigation facilities available in India are far from adequate. So half of the total area under food crops has been brought under irrigation and the remaining half is left to the mercy of monsoon rains which are erratic in time and space.
(d) Depleted Soils : Indian soils have been used for growing crops for thousands of years which have resulted in the depletion of soil fertility. With deforestation the sources of maintaining natural fertility of soil has been drying out. Lack of material resources and ignorance of scientific knowledge have further depleted the soils of natural fertility. Earlier only animal waste was enough to maintain soil fertility.
(e) Storage of food grains: Storage of food grains is a big problem. Nearly 10 percent of our harvest goes waste every year in the absence of proper storage facilities. This colossal wastage can be avoided by developing scientific warehousing facilities. The government has taken several steps to provide storage facilities.
(f) Farm Implements : Although some mechanisation of farming has taken place in some parts of the country, most of the farmers are poor and do not have enough resources to purchase modern farm implements and tools. This hampers the development of agriculture.
Q.8. Give the description of major oilseeds cultivation in India.
Ans :- The oilseeds are produced for extracting edible oils. Drylands of Malwa plateau, Marathwada, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Telangana and . Rayalaseema region of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka plateau are oilseeds growing regions of India. These crops together occupy about 14 percent of the total cropped area in the country. Groundnut, rapeseed and mustard, soybean and sunflower are the main oilseed crops grown in India.
Q.9. Discuss the necessary geographical requirement for Sugarcane Cultivation
Ans :- Sugarcane is a crop of tropical areas. Under rainfed conditions, it is cultivated in sub-humid and humid climates. But it is largely an irrigated crop in India. In the Indo-Gangetic plain, its cultivation is largely concentrated in Uttar Pradesh. Sugarcane growing area in western India is spread over Maharashtra and Gujarat. In southern India, it is cultivated in irrigated tracts of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.
India is the second largest producer of sugarcane after Brazil. It accounts for about 23 percent of the world production of sugarcane. But it occupies only 2.4 percent of the total cropped area in the country. Uttar Pradesh produces about two-fifth of the sugarcane of the country. Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh are other leading producers of this crop where the yield level of sugarcane is high. Its yield is low in northern India.

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