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NCERT Class 12 Geography Chapter 5 Primary Activities
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Primary Activities
Chapter: 5
PART – I FUNDAMENTALS OF HUMAN GEOGRAPHY
Very Short Type Questions Answer
1. Define agriculture.
Ans: The science, art, or practice of cultivating the soil, producing crops, and raising livestock and in varying degrees the preparation and marketing of the resulting products.
2. What do you mean primary activities?
Ans: Primary activities are directly dependent on the environment as these refer to utilisation of earth’s resources such as land, water, vegetation, building materials and minerals. It includes, hunting and gathering, pastoral activities, fishing, forestry, agriculture, mining and quarrying.
3. Name two types of grasslands found in the world.
Ans: There are two main kinds of grasslands: tropical and temperate. Examples of temperate grasslands include Eurasian steppes, North American prairies, and Argentine pampas.
4. What do you mean by mining?
Ans: Mining is the process of extracting useful materials from the earth. Some examples of substances that are mined include coal, gold, or iron ore. Iron ore is the material from which the metal iron is produced.
5. Which is the best coal?
Ans: Anthracite is the highest rank of coal.” It is a hard/brittle/black lustrous coal, also known as hard coal. It has the highest percentage of carbon i.e. and a low percentage of volatile matter.
6. Which is the largest coal producing country in the world?
Ans: China is the largest coal-producing country in the world, with production reaching 3,942 million tonnes, a 2.5% growth. The country’s coal mine production.
7. What do you mean by truck farming?
Ans: Truck farming, horticultural practice of growing one or more vegetable crops on a large scale for shipment to distant markets. It is usually less intensive and diversified than market gardening. At first this type of farming depended entirely on local or regional markets.
8. What is shifting agriculture?
Ans: Shifting agriculture, system of cultivation that preserves soil fertility by plot (field) rotation, as distinct from crop rotation. In shifting agriculture.
9. What is sedentary agriculture?
Ans: Subsistence agriculture occurs when farmers grow crops to meet the needs of themselves and their families on smallholdings. Subsistence agriculturalists target farm output for survival and for mostly local requirements.
10. What is subsistence agriculture?
Ans: Occurs when farmers grow crops to meet the needs of themselves and their families on smallholdings.
11. What is mixed farming?
Ans: The kind of farming where the land is used to grow food and fodder crops, and rear animals.
12. What is plantation agriculture?
Ans: The clearing of forest or land to create an area of farming for one specific crop, which is grown on a large scale.
13. What is commercial agriculture?
Ans: Commercial agriculture can be defined as farming that focuses on producing agricultural products for sale in the market rather than solely for subsistence purposes.
14. In which region, is intensive subsistence agriculture practised?
Ans: Intensive subsistence farming is practised in densely populated regions of the world, mainly in south and southeast Asia including China, Japan and India. In areas with low population density, extensive farming is practised.
15. Which are the two important climatic factors that affect agriculture?
Ans: The most important climatic factors that influence growth, development and yield of crops are solar radiation, temperature and rainfall. Optimum temperature is required for maximum dry matter accumulation.
Short Type Questions Answer
1. Make a list of primary activities.
Ans: Hunting and gathering, pastoral activities, fishing, forestry, agriculture, mining and quarrying.
2. Distinguish between metallic minerals and non-metallic minerals.
Ans:
Metallic minerals | Non-metallic minerals. |
Metallic minerals are those that include one or more metals, as the name implies. Iron, copper, silver, bauxite, manganese, and other metals that exist as mineral deposits and are excellent heat and electricity conductors. | Non-metallic minerals are minerals that do not contain any metals. Some examples of non-metallic minerals are limestone, mica, gypsum, coal, dolomite, phosphate, salt, and granite. Mineral fuels like coal and petroleum are also non-metallic minerals. |
3. Write a short note on agricultural revolution.
Ans: Agricultural revolution refers to the significant changes in agriculture when there are inventions, discoveries or new technologies implemented.
4. Distinguish between:
(i) Primitive subsistence agriculture and intensive subsistence agriculture.
Ans:
Basic | Primitive subsistence agriculture | intensive subsistence agriculture |
Meaning | Primitive subsistence agriculture is practised on small patches of land with the help of primitive tools like hoe, dao and digging sticks, and family/community labour. | In intensive subsistence agriculture, the farmer cultivates a small plot of land using simple tools and more labour. |
Objective | Subsistence farming is a style of agriculture meant to provide for the needs of a family or small group. | The Intensive Agricultural District Programme was launched in 1960-1961 to rapidly increase farm production through complementary inputs and services. |
Problems | The disadvantages of subsistence agriculture are that it experiences low yields and it requires a lot of effort. | As a result, the farmers are poor and the majority of them cannot afford to purchase modern agriculture implements, fertilisers, quality seeds, insecticides and pesticides. |
(ii) Shifting agriculture and sedentary agriculture.
Ans:
Basic | Shifting Agriculture | Sedentary Agriculture |
Meaning | In shifting agriculture a plot of land is cleared and cultivated for a short period of time then it is abandoned and allowed to revert to its natural vegetation while the cultivator moves on to another plot. | Agriculture as practised in one place by a settled farmer in which fields are not rotated is called sedentary agriculture. The term was used for primitive agriculturists in tropical Africa who farmed the same piece of land indefinitely in contrast to shifting cultivation. |
Objective | Nevertheless, shifting agriculture is an adaptation to tropical soil conditions in regions where long-term, continued cultivation of the same field, without advanced techniques of soil conservation and the use of fertilisers, would be extremely detrimental to the fertility of the land. | Sedentary agriculture describes an agriculture practice in which the same crops are planted on the same piece of land year after year. This contrasts with rotational farming, nomadic farming, and slash-and-burn techniques. Sedentary agriculture was originally used by farmers in ancient Africa. |
Problems | Conversion of forest for jhum cultivation also has some serious hydrological consequences in north eastern India. Soil erosion, run-off, sediment yield and percolation losses are higher under short jhum cycles than longer ones. | The demerits of sedentary agriculture are small and they differ from place to place. In sedentary farming, sometimes, soil exhaustion poses problems. It can be overcome by introducing crop rotation and using fertilisers. |
(iii) Subsistence and commercial agriculture.
Ans:
Basic | Subsistence Agriculture | Commercial Agriculture |
Meaning | Subsistence farming, a form of farming in which nearly all of the crops or livestock raised are used to maintain the farmer and the farmer’s family, leaving little, if any, surplus for sale or trade. | Commercial agriculture can be defined as farming that focuses on producing agricultural products for sale in the market rather than solely for subsistence purposes. |
Objective | The objectives are to explain the distribution of different agricultural systems and analyse how farming systems develop and change over time and space. | In commercial ag, the main objective is to generate profit by maximising yields and efficiently utilising resources. Commercial agriculture often involves large-scale production, where economies of scale come into play. |
Problems | The disadvantages of subsistence agriculture are that it experiences low yields and it requires a lot of effort. It experiences low yields because it does not use things like fertilisers which improve soil productivity and it does not use things like pesticides that improve yield retention. | The disadvantages of commercial agriculture are that it is more damaging to the environment since it uses more chemicals than subsistence agriculture. |
(iv) Hunger and malnutrition.
Ans:
Basic | Hunger | Malnutrition |
Meaning | Hunger is both a state where there is a desire for food and an absence of food. This is a short term need for food, triggered by physiological responses caused by food deprivation. | Malnutrition refers to deficiencies or excesses in nutrient intake, imbalance of essential nutrients or impaired nutrient utilisation. |
Objective | The GHI is intended to raise awareness and understanding of the struggle against hunger, provide a way to compare levels of hunger between countries and regions, and call attention to those areas of the world where hunger levels are highest and where the need for additional efforts to eliminate hunger is greatest. | The objective of this mission is to make India free of malnutrition by 2022. Aim to reduce undernutrition by 2%, low birth weight by 2% and anaemia by 3%. |
Problems | Hunger can lead to malnutrition, which can cause various physical health problems, including stunted growth, weakened immune systems, and increased risk of disease. | Malnutrition is a common health problem and occurs when you are not eating enough of the right foods or have a problem absorbing nutrients from food. This means you are not getting all the nutrients such as proteins, vitamins and minerals that you need. |
(v) Hunting and gathering.
Ans:
Basic | Hunting | Gathering |
Meaning | Hunting is a primary activity that refers to chasing or searching for wild animals to kill or catch them. Hunting is an activity on which most primitive societies depend for sustenance and clothing. | Gathering refers to a primary activity in which “gatherers” gather food and other resources for their sustenance. Primitive civilizations would look for wild fruits, edible plants, and dry leaves and branches while gathering. |
Objective | Hunting, sport that involves the seeking, pursuing, and killing of wild animals and birds, called game and game birds, primarily in modern times with firearms but also with bow and arrow. | Gathering refers to a primary activity in which “gatherers” gather food and other resources for their sustenance. Primitive civilizations would look for wild fruits, edible plants, and dry leaves and branches while gathering. |
Problems | Hunters cause injuries, pain and suffering to animals who are not adapted to defend themselves from bullets, traps and other cruel killing devices. Hunting destroys animal families and habitats, and leaves terrified and dependent baby animals behind to starve to death. | The gathering process needs a low level of technology involvement and small capital resources as well. The yield amount will be very low and no surplus facility will be found. |
5. Give reasons:
(i) Sugarcane is a labour intensive crop.
Ans: Planting, tending ,and harvesting sugar cane is labour intensive and cane cutting in particular is a tough physical operation whereby cane cutters stoop, slash and stack the individual stalks of cane for hours on end. For various unit operations like planting, weeding, earthing-up, fertilizer application and harvesting.
(ii) Intensive agriculture is necessary in densely populated areas.
Ans: An intensive agriculture system is characterized by efficient processes that maximize production yield. Many of the processes involving animals and crops raised by intensive agriculture are controlled by automated systems to improve the efficiency of intensive agriculture systems. An example of commercial agriculture is the mono-cropping of soybeans, corn, and wheat. Mono-cropping involves little to no crop rotation, leading to a decline in soil quality.
(iii) The extensive agriculture is mainly done by machines.
Ans: Due to a dearth of human labour, the entire operation of cultivation is controlled by machines. Animals are less significant in extensive farming where machines like tractors, harvesters, winnowers, thrashers are employed in the cultivation process.agriculture is mainly determined by the land’s natural fertility, location, weather conditions, and water supply. Since extensive agriculture generates lower yields per land unit, it requires a substantial land area for commercial use.
(iv) Paddy cultivation is confined to South-east Asia.
Ans: Rice is a plant that requires plenty of water and heat.it grows well if the rains are plentiful. In Thailand, and in Bali in Indonesia, and on the island of Madagascar it is possible to grow two or more rice crops each year. Rice growing in Southeast Asian countries A distinctive feature of Southeast Asia is its cultural diversity. Archeological evidence dates human habitation of Southeast Asia to around a million years ago, but migration into the region also has a long history. In early times tribal groups from southern China moved into the interior areas of the mainland via the long river systems. Linguistically, the mainland is divided into three important families, the Austro-Asiatic (like Cambodian and Vietnamese), Tai (like Thai and Lao), and the Tibeto-Burmese (including highland languages as well as Burmese). Languages belonging to these families can also be found in northeastern India and southwestern China.
(v) The shifting cultivation will not last long.
Ans: One land-clearing system of shifting agriculture is the slash-and-burn method, which leaves only stumps and large trees in the field after the standing vegetation has been cut down and burned, its ashes enriching the soil. The practice has been proved to reduce fertilizer loss, power and time consumption, and wear on machines, as well as to increase crop yields and reduce erosion. Contour farming can help absorb the impact of heavy rains, which in straight-line planting often wash away topsoil. Contour farming is most effective when used in conjunction with such practices as strip cropping, terracing, and water diversion.Shifting cultivation is a way of discontinuous cropping in which periods of following are typically longer than periods of cropping. Shifting cultivation typically has a way of clearing the fields, generally termed as ‘swiddens’ through the use of slash-and-burn techniques. Shifting cultivation is known by a variety of terms (including field-forest rotation, slash and burn, and swiddening).
6. What is nomadic herding? Mention the areas with its characteristic features.
Ans: Nomadic herding is the farming method that involves herders and farmers travelling from place to place with their flocks of animals.The people who travel from one place to another during seasonal changes with their livestock in search of grass. Nomadic herders roam in small tribal or extended family groups and have no home base.
The areas with its characteristic features are as follows:
(i) They had to keep moving from place to place and had to decide when and where to move otherwise they, along with their animals, would starve.
(ii) A wide variety of animals is kept in different regions. For example, in tropical Africa, cattle are the most important livestock, while in Sahara and Asiatic deserts, sheep, goats, and camels are reared.
(iii) They calculated their timings of movement so that green grasses and nutritious forage are available for their herds.
(iv) In the mountainous areas, the herders follow transhumance, i.e. seasonal migration of herders with their animals.
(v) They had to make an estimate of the terrain they had to pass during their seasonal movements and also to know where they could find both pastures and water sources.
(vi) Each nomadic community occupies a well-identified territory as a matter of tradition.
Long Type Questions Answer
1. Give a brief account of coal and petroleum producing areas.
Ans: Coal and Petroleum are the Primary resources obtained from fossil fuels. The main use of coal and petroleum is the generation of energy many vehicles run with the help of these resources.
Since the industrial revolution. Coal and Petroleum have been used as the most significant source of energy Production. Coal and Petroleum are examples of fossil fuels formed a million years ago. Coal is primarily used in the mineral industry as it fulfils the need for energy.
Since the industrial revolution. Coal and Petroleum have been used as the most significant Source of energy Production.
Coal and Petroleum are examples of fossil fuels formed – Million years ago. Coal is Primarily used in the mineral industry as it fulfils the mea need for energy. energy.
The word Petroleum is formed from two Latin words-Petra Which means rock and deum. which means oil. Thus, petroleum is the oil obtained from rocks. Primarily Sedimentary rocks. As a result, it’s also known as Mineral oil.
Occurrence Coal:
Ceal is a widely used energy source. After the Carboniferous Married terrestrial Planus required for coal formation became abundant around 358.9 milion to 298-9 Million years ago in every continent. including Antarctica massive Sedimentary basins containing carboniferous and newer rocke are almost unknown.
In Alaska and Siberia ample coal resources are found as Climatic fluctuations are obscured best off in northern Canada and Greenland are devoid of coal because the rocks found in these Places Predate the Carboniferous era.
Petroleum:
Petroleum is found in sedimentary basins and the seas and has an organic origin. Most of India’s oil deposits are linked to anticlines and fault traps in tertiary Sedimentary Rock formations dating back roughly 3 million Years. There is also evident evidence of incipient oil in Some Current sediment.
The natural gas and oil are derived from vegetable and animal debris Present in marine sediments the Sands formed during Periods when land and aquatic the, Peticularly microscope forms of flora and fauna were numerous in various forms.
Oil formation conditions were favourable Particularly in the lower and middle Tertiary Periods. During this time. dense forests and sea critters thrived in the Juifs. estuarine delta g and adjacent land The creation of oil is due to the breakdown of organic material in Sedimentary rocks.
Coal and Petroleum conservation:
Coal:
Since its inception in India domestic consumption requirements have governed Commercial coal mining. India has the world’s fifth-largest coal & reserves There was an increase of liaty Well-known coal reserves with the finding of approximately 398. billion metric tonnes.
Eastern and South-central India have the most coal reserves. 98.26% of the Coal reserves are found in Jharkhand. Chhattisgarh Madhya Pradesh. Telangana. Maharashtra, alisha. and West Bengal. Till march 2018. Jharkhand acquired 26.06%, and disha acquired 24.86% of coal deposits in India, coal derived energy is around Twice that of oil-derived energy, while it costs 30% less than oil-derived energy worldwide.
Proleum:
Even though India’s sedimentary rocks Span bread Swar Swains holding of are uncommon and were only discovered in a few places According to the Indian Mineral YearBook of 1983 a total Presence of 48 million tonnes was estimated. with 3 328 Million tonnes available in Mumbai High. The reserves were estimated to be 500 million tonnes in 1984.
Conclusion:
Coal and petroleum are examples of fossil fuels. com is a black or brown compound rich in carbon found in Sedimentary layers, if it is one of the most important Primary fossil fuels on the Planet. Coal is defined as a material that contains more than 50% carbonaceous matter by weight and is created by the compaction and hardening of astered Plant remnants. Such as Peat deposits.
Petroleum is India’s second-largest energy source often Referred to as mineral oil. for a range of manufacturing businesses it Provides heat sources. lighting sources. raw materials and lubricants most of Indra’s Premium discoveries are related to antlers and fault traps in tertiary-age rock formations, where oil is trapped in the unfold crest, it occurs in folding zones. anticlines, or dames.
2. What factors influence the mining activity? Give an account of different types of mining.
Ans: Here are some of the key factors:
(i) Geological Factors: Geological factors are circumstances or facts that pertain to the solid part of the earth’s surface. They are an important consideration in engineering projects because of the fact that most construction projects leave behind physical structures that must interact with the solid part of the earth’s surface.
(ii) Economic Factors: Economic factors include economic growth, percentage of unemployment, inflation, interest and exchange rates, and commodity (oil, steel, gold, etc) prices. These affect the discretionary income and purchasing power of households and organisations alike.
(iii) Technological Advancements: Technological advancements have greatly impacted transportation systems, altering patterns of mobility and spatial organisation. Innovations such as the automobile, aviation, and high-speed rail have accelerated travel, reduced distances, and transformed accessibility to different regions.
(iv) Environmental Considerations: They focus on the interaction of spatial and temporal environmental dynamics with people situated in political, social, institutional, and cultural context, and emphasise the effects of human agency within the push–pull parameters of social, economic and political inequalities, on the one hand, and local or regional.
(v) Social and Political Factors: The term can be defined as the changed socio-political distance between host and immigrant societies. It includes political factors, living environment, social factors, institutional factors and mass media.
(vi) Regulatory Frameworks: Regulatory frameworks are legal mechanisms that exist on national and international levels. They can be mandatory and coercive (national laws and regulations, contractual obligations) or voluntary (integrity pacts, codes of conduct, arms control agreements).
Types of Mining:
(i) Surface Mining: Surface mining, method of extracting minerals near the surface of the Earth. The three most common types of surface mining are open-pit mining, strip mining, and quarrying. See also mining and coal mining.
(ii) Underground Mining: Underground mining. When any ore body lies a considerable distance below the surface, the amount of waste that has to be removed in order to uncover the ore through surface mining becomes prohibitive, and underground techniques must be considered.
(iii) Placer Mining: placer mining, ancient method of using water to excavate, transport, concentrate, and recover heavy minerals from alluvial or placer deposits.
(iv) Subsurface Mining: Subsurface mining methods involve continuously exporting minerals to the surface by making new shafts or underground tunnels. Most subsurface mine companies use this type of mining in non-coal metal and coal mines.
(v) Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM): ASM also includes, in small-scale mining, enterprises or individuals that employ workers for mining, but who generally still use similar manually-intensive methods as artisanal miners (such as working with hand tools).
3. Explain hunting and gathering. Where do we find hunters and gatherers in the present time?
Ans: They generally relied on the wild animals that they usually hunted and the edible plants that they gathered from the forest. Primitive societies were totally dependent on the wild animals and the process of hunting. During the hunting-gathering stage the human groups were totally dependent on natural resources for their sustenance as they did not possess any knowledge of agriculture with the help of which they could have grown their food. Hunter-gatherers collected their food from the natural surroundings in which they lived.
(i) Hunting: Hunting is a primary activity that refers to chasing or searching for wild animals to kill or catch them. Hunting is an activity on which most primitive societies depend for sustenance and clothing.
(ii) Gathering: Gathering refers to a primary activity in which “gatherers” gather food and other resources for their sustenance. Primitive civilizations would look for wild fruits, edible plants, and dry leaves and branches while gathering.
(iii) In the present time, hunting and gathering as a primary subsistence strategy is rare, as most human societies have transitioned to agricultural, industrial, or post-industrial economies.
(iv) The San People (Bushmen) of Southern Africa: The San peoples (also Saan), or Bushmen, are the members of any of the indigenous hunter-gatherer cultures of southern Africa, and the oldest surviving cultures of the region. Their recent ancestral territories span Botswana, Namibia, Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, and South Africa.
(v) The Hadza People of Tanzania: They live around the Lake Eyasi basin in the central Rift Valley and in the neighbouring Serengeti Plateau. As of 2015, there are between 1,200 and 1,300 Hadza people living in Tanzania. However, only around 400 Hadza still survive exclusively based on the traditional means of foraging.
(vi) The Tsimané People of the Amazon Rainforest: Indigenous groups such as the Yanomamo and Kayapo have been living in the Amazon for thousands of years, slowly accumulating a detailed knowledge of the rainforest and methods to subsist from it.
4. Write an essay on commercial livestock rearing.
Ans: Title: Commercial livestock rearing is a system in which animals are reared on extensive grasslands with modern scientific methods. Balancing Economic Success with Ethical and Environmental Responsibility
(i) Economic Significance: Economic geography, the study of the geography of economic activities, developed from a focus on commercial activities and the exploitation of resources for economic gain. The focus of the field includes sectors of economic activity and numerous specialties.
(ii) Production Systems: Production systems are seen as networked ‘meshes’ of intersecting vertical and horizontal connections in order to avoid deterministic linear interpretations of how production systems operate and generate value.
(iii) Challenges and Concerns: Key Challenges in Geography is an initiative of the European Association of Geographers (EUROGEO), an organisation dealing with examining geographical issues from a European perspective, representing European Geographers working in different professional activities and at all levels of education.
(iv) Sustainability and Ethical Considerations: It is important to note that social ethics is not separated from sustainability as a whole, rather it provides an ethical foundation on which a group can make sustainable decisions in a way that considers equity, fairness, justice, equality, inclusiveness, and cultural differences.
5. Describe the main agricultural regions of the world.
Ans: Here are some of the main agricultural regions:
(i) North America: The central lowlands of the continent, especially Canada and the USA are very productive agricultural countries. Only 12 % percent of the total area of North America is suitable for agriculture. But the production from their farms is very high. Prairie grassland is famous for wheat and corn production. Mexico and Central America’s western coast are connected to the mountainous west, while its lowlands and coastal plains extend into the eastern region.
(ii) South America: South America can be divided into three physical regions, mountains and highlands, river basins, and coastal plains. Many crops thrive in the tropical climates of South America. Cashews and Brazil nuts are cultivated. Fruits such as avocado, pineapple, papaya, and guava are also native to tropical South America. Two very important cash crops are coffee and cacao, which is the source of cocoa, the base ingredient in chocolate. Mountains and coastal plains generally run in a north-south direction, while highlands and river basins generally run in an east-west direction.
(iii) Europe: The most productive agricultural soil is to be found along the major river valleys of Europe such as the Danube, Rhine, Seine and their estuaries. It is interesting to note that all societies have long recognised the productivity of these dark and base-rich soils.
(iv) Asia: Rice and wheat are the chief staple food crops. China and India are the leading producers of rice and together they produce more than 90% of rice in the world. Asia is noted for several plantation cash crops, of which the most important are tea, rubber, palm oil, coconuts, and sugarcane. Jute, a commercial fibre, though it has decreased in significance, remains a major export crop of Bangladesh.
(v) Africa: Africa produces all the principal grains-corn, wheat, and rice-in that order of importance. Corn has the widest distribution, being grown in virtually all ecological zones. Highest yields per acre are recorded in Egypt and on the Indian Ocean islands of Reunion and Mauritius, areas where production is under irrigation.
(vi) Oceania: The Pacific Islands’ main agricultural products are bananas, coconut, and sugar cane. Papua New Guinea and Australia’s major products from forests are wood and paper. The commercial fishing industry is important to economies throughout oceania. About 600 marine and freshwater seafood species are sold worldwide.
6. Describe geographical conditions necessary for cultivation of wheat, rice, tea, coffee, sugarcane and rubber. Mention their areas of production and trade in them.
Ans: Sure, here’s an overview of the geographical conditions necessary for the cultivation of wheat, rice, tea, coffee, sugarcane, and rubber, along with their main areas of production and trade:
(i) Wheat:
(a) Geographical Conditions: Geographic conditions, or the natural physical environment presented by the country inhabited, must be recognized as includ-ing aspect, soil, water supply, other mineral resources, flora, fauna, and topography.
(b) Areas of Production: Production Area means a surface area within any Development Area for the purpose of performing the Production Operations within the Development Area.
(c) Trade: Trade refers to the voluntary exchange of goods or services between economic actors.
(ii) Rice:
(a) Geographical Conditions: Geographic conditions, or the natural physical environment presented by the country inhabited, must be recognized as includ-ing aspect, soil, water supply, other mineral resources, flora, fauna, and topography.
(b) Areas of Production: The forces of production are the collection of all the elements that are involved in production and include land, labour, and capital.
(c) Trade: Trade is the movement of goods from the location where it is manufactured to the markets. The place where exchanges of goods take place is known as the market.
(iii) Tea:
(a) Geographical Conditions: Geographic conditions, or the natural physical environment presented by the country inhabited, must be recognized as includ-ing aspect, soil, water supply, other mineral resources, flora, fauna, and topography.
(b) Areas of Production: The Assam valley and Cachar are the two tea producing regions in Assam. In West Bengal, Dooars, Terai and Darjeeling are the three major tea producer regions.
(c) Trade: While tea had been grown, drunk and traded in China for thousands of years, it only began to be imported into Europe in the very early 1600s.
(iv) Coffee:
(a) Geographical Conditions: Coffee generally requires a somewhat warm temperature with moderate rainfall. Complete answer: Coffee is a tropical plant which is also grown in a semi-tropical climate. This plant requires heat, humidity and abundant rainfall to grow and yield well.
(b) Areas of Production: Generally, there are three primary coffee growing and exporting areas throughout the world and all are in the equatorial region. The specific areas are Central and South America, Africa and the Middle East, and Southeast Asia.
(c) Trade: Coffee beans are small dark-brown beans roasted and ground to make coffee. The coffee trade analysis market is segmented by geography into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, and Africa.
(v) Sugarcane:
(a) Geographical Conditions: Geographical conditions required for the growth of sugarcane in India: i It is a tropical as well as sub-tropical crop so it requires a hot and humid climate with a temperature of 24oC to 27oC. ii It requires an annual rainfall between 75 to 100 cms. iii It can be grown on a variety of soils.
(b) Areas of Production: Production. In 2020, global production of sugarcane was 1.87 billion tonnes, with Brazil producing 40% of the world total, India with 20%, and China producing 6% (table). Worldwide, 26 million hectares were devoted to sugarcane cultivation in 2020.
(c) Trade: Sugar cane originated in New Guinea where it has been known for thousands of years. Sugar cane plants spread along human migration routes to Asia and the Indian subcontinent. Here it is cross-bred with some wild sugar cane relatives to produce the commercial sugar cane we know today.
(vi) Rubber:
(a) Geographical Conditions: Rubber trees require moist and humid climates with heavy rainfall of more than 200 cm. It grows well in equatorial climate and temperature above 25-degree celsius.
(b) Areas of Production: It is an equitable crop which is grown in tropical and subtropical areas.
(c) Trade: As demand for rubber soared, small dumpy river towns like Manaus, Brazil, were transformed overnight into bustling centres of commerce. Manaus, situated on the Amazon where it is met by the Rio Negro, became the opulent heart of the rubber trade.
7. Discuss the major trends and shifts in agricultural development process.
Ans: (i) Mechanization and Technological Advancements: The act or process of introducing machines into an industry or other area of activity in order to replace human labour, Hay loaders are another example of the increasing mechanisation of agriculture.
(ii) Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering: Modern applications of biotechnology work most often through genetic engineering, which is also known as recombinant DNA technology. Genetic engineering works by modifying or interacting with the genetic cell structures. Every cell in an animal or plant contains genes that produce proteins.
(iii) Sustainable Agriculture and Conservation Practices: It involves preventing adverse effects to soil, water, biodiversity, surrounding or downstream resources as well as to those working or living on the farm or in neighbouring areas. Elements of sustainable agriculture can include permaculture, agroforestry, mixed farming, multiple cropping, and crop rotation.
(iv) Globalization and Trade Liberalisation: A free trade agreement reduces barriers to imports and exports between countries by eliminating all or most tariffs, quotas, subsidies, and prohibitions. Globalisation is the spread of products, investment, and technology across national borders and cultures.
(v) Diversification of Agricultural Systems: Agricultural diversification occurs when more species, plant varieties or animal breeds are added to a given farm or farming community, and this may include landscape diversification – different crops and cropping systems interspersed in space and time.
(vi) Digital Agriculture and Big Data: In addition to precision agriculture, Big Data is also being used to improve supply chain management in agriculture. By tracking the movement of crops from the field to the supermarket, farmers can identify inefficiencies in the supply chain and reduce waste.
(vii) Urban Agriculture and Local Food Movements: Urban agriculture can appear at varying levels of economic and social development. It can involve a movement of organic growers, “foodies” and “locavores”, who seek to form social networks founded on a shared ethos of nature and community holism.
Other Textual Questions & Answers
1. Choose the right answer from the four alternatives given below:
(i) Which one of the following is not a plantation crop?
(a) Coffee.
(b) Sugarcane.
(c) Wheat.
(d) Rubber.
Ans: (c) Wheat.
(ii) In which one of the following countries co-operative farming was the most successful experiment?
(a) Russia.
(b) Denmark.
(c) India.
(d) Netherlands.
Ans: (b) Denmark.
(iii) Growing of flowers is called:
(a) Truck farming.
(b) Factory farming.
(c) Mixed farming.
(d) Floriculture.
Ans: (d) Floriculture.
(iv) Which one of the following types of cultivation was developed by the European colonists?
(a) Kolkoz.
(b) Viticulture.
(c) Mixed farming.
(d) Plantation.
Ans: (d) Plantation.
(v) In which one of the following regions is the extensive commercial grain cultivation not practised?
(a) American and Canadian Prairies.
(b) European Steps.
(c) Pampas of Argentina.
(d) Amazon Basin.
Ans: (d) Amazon Basin.
(vi) In which of the following types of agriculture is the farming of citrus fruit very important?
(a) Market gardening.
(b) Plantation agriculture.
(c) Mediterranean agriculture.
(d) Co-operative farming.
Ans: (c) Mediterranean agriculture.
(vii) Which one type of agriculture amongst the following is also called slash and burn agriculture?
(a) Extensive subsistence agriculture.
(b) Primitive subsistence agriculture.
(c) Extensive commercial grain cultivation.
(d) Mixed farming.
Ans: (b) Primitive subsistence agriculture.
(viii) Which one of the following does not follow monoculture?
(a) Dairy farming.
(b) Mixed farming.
(c) Plantation agriculture.
(d) Commercial grain farming.
Ans: (c) Plantation agriculture.
(ix) Which one of the following countries is famous for tulip cultivation?
(a) Denmark.
(b) France.
(c) Netherlands.
(d) Spain.
Ans: (c) Netherlands.
(x)This type of agriculture developed best in Eurasian Steppes, Canadian and American Prairies, Pampas in Argentina and Velds in South Africa:
(a) Extensive Commercial Grain Farming.
(b) Intensive Commercial Grain Farming.
(c) Plantation Agriculture.
(d) Subsistence Agriculture.
Ans: (a) Extensive Commercial Grain.
(xi) Which is the oldest activity of man?
(a) Fishing.
(b) Gathering.
(c) Farming.
(d) Manufacturing.
Ans: (b) Gathering.
(xii) Gathering is practised in:
(a) Amazon basin.
(b) Ganga basin.
(c) Hwang Ho basin.
(d) Nile basin.
Ans: (a) Amazon basin.
(xiii) Bark of cinchona tree is used for making:
(a) Rubber.
(b) Tamin.
(c) Quinine.
(d) Gum.
Ans: (c) Quinine.
(xiv) Which one of the following tribes practises transhumance in the Himalayas?
(a) Pygmies.
(b) Red Indian.
(c) Bakarwals.
(d) Masaai.
Ans: (c) Bakarwals.
(xv) Which is the main crop in intensive subsistence farming?
(a) Wheat.
(b) Rice.
(c) Millets.
(d) Jute.
Ans: (a) Wheat.
(xvi) Fazendas are used for growing:
(a) Tes.
(b) Coffee.
(c) Cocoa.
(d) Sugarcane.
Ans: (b) Coffee.
(xvii) Bananas are grown in:
(a) Plantation.
(b) Cattle rearing.
(c) Dairy farming.
(d) Crain farming.
Ans: (a) Plantation.
2. Answer the following questions:
(i) Future of shifting cultivation is bleak. Discuss.
Ans: Shifting cultivation is practised by tribes in tropics particularly in Africa, tropical South and Central America and South east Asia. The forests are cleared and some crops such as tapioca, cassava, yam, maize, millet etc. are grown.
Nowadays the area under shifting cultivation is decreasing. It has destroyed the environment and resulted in soil erosion. So these tribals are being settled. So settled agriculture is taking the place of shifting cultivation. It is hoped that it will not last long.
(ii) Market gardening is practised near urban areas. Why?
Ans: Market gardening specialise in the cultivation of high value crops such as vegetables, fruits and flowers. These are grown to meet the daily demand of urban areas. That is why this market gardening is practised near the urban areas. The products are supplied to the towns and cities to meet their demand.
(iii) Large scale dairy farming is the result of the development of transport-ation and refrigeration. Explain.
Ans: Dairy farming depends on quick means of transportation. Dairy products are perishable goods, so it needs a daily market. Development of transportation and refrigeration systems boost dairy farming on a large scale.
(iv) Which tribes practise seasonal transhumance in the Himalayas?
Ans: Gujjars, Bakarwals, Goddis and Bhotiayas.
(v) In which type of areas intensive subsistence agriculture practised?
Ans: In densely populated areas of monsoon regions.
(vi) Who introduced plantation agriculture?
Ans: It was introduced by Europeans in their colonies.
(vii) What are economic activities?
Ans: Activities which generate income are called economic activities.
(viii) What is chickle?
Ans: It is made from the milky juice of the Zapota tree.
(ix) Why has hunting been banned in India?
Ans: To protect wildlife.
(x) Which animals are reared in mountainous areas and in Tundras?
Ans: Yak in Tibet, Llamas in Andes and reindeer in Tundra.