BALBHARATIPUBLIC SCHOOL, PITAMPURA, NEW DELHI
COMPREHENSIVE NOTES
CLASS-VIII
SUBJECT-GEOGRAPHY
CHAPTER-4 AGRICULTURE
TERM - 2
Q1.Explain the three types of economic activities?
A1 1) Primary activities:-It include all the activities connected with extraction
and production of natural resources. Agriculture, fishing and gathering are good
examples.
2) Secondary activities:- These are concerned with the processing of natural
resources. Manufacturing of steel, baking of bread and weaving of cloth are
examples of this activity.
3) Tertiary activities:- It provide support to the primary and secondary
sectors through services. Transport, trade, banking, insurance and advertising
are examples of tertiary activities.
Q2. What do you understand by the term- Agriculture?
A2.The word agriculture means land cultivation. Agriculture is a primary
activity. It includes growingcrops, fruits, vegetables, flowers and rearing of
livestock.
Q3. Define the following:a) Sericulture b) Pisciculture c) Viticulture d) Horticulture
A3. a) Sericulture- C ommercial rearing of silk worms. It may supplement
the income of the farmer.
b) Pisciculture-B reeding of fish in specially constructed tanks and ponds.
c)Viticulture- C ultivation of grapes.
d) Horticulture- G rowing vegetables, flowers and fruits for commercial
use.
Q4 . List the factors influencing agricultural activities?
A4 .The factors influencing agricultural activities are1) F avourable topography and type of soil- Altitude and slope determine the
accumulation of the soil. The type of soil effects the cultivation of the crops. If
the soil is fertile then the crops production will be more. The plain has fertile
soil than the mountains.
2) C limate- The temperature and rainfall influence the agricultural activities
in the particular region.
Q5 . How agriculture is considered as farm system?
A5 . Agriculture or farming can be looked at as a system.
IN PU T-----------------PR O C ESSES-------------------O U TPU T
1) The important inputs are seeds, fertilisers, machinery and labour.
2) The processes involved in the agricultural operations are ploughing,
sowing, irrigation, weeding and harvesting.
3) The outputs from the system include crops, wool, dairy and poultry
products.
Q6 . Define- O rganic farming.
A6 . O rganic F arm ing In this type offarming, organicmanure andnatural
pesticidesare used insteadof chemicals.N o geneticmodification is done to
increasethe yield of the crop.
Q7 Explain the features of subsistence farming and areas where it is
practiced?
A7 . The features of subsistence farming are as follows1) Subsistence farming is practised to meet the needs of the farmer!s
family.
2) Low levels of technology is used.
3) Household labourare used.
4 ) The production is less.
5 ) Subsistence farming can be further classified as intensive subsistence
and primitive subsistence.
Q8 . Explain the features of intensive subsistence agriculture?
A8 . The features of intensive subsistence agriculture are1) In intensive subsistence agriculture the farmer cultivates a small plot
of land and thus the production is less.
2) In it simple tools are used.
3) The labour used are more as most of the work is done manually.
4 ) R ice is the main crop. O ther crops include wheat, maize, pulses and
oilseeds.
5 ) Intensive subsistence agriculture is prevalent in the thick areas of the
monsoon regions of south, southeast and east Asia.
Q9 . What is Shifting cultivation? Where it is practiced?
A9 . Shifting cultivation- A plot of land is cleared by felling the trees and
burning them. The ashes are then mixed with the soil and crops like maize, yam,
potatoes and cassava are grown. After the soil loses its fertility, the land is
abandoned and the cultivator moves to a new plot. Shifting cultivation is also
known as ‘slash and burn!agriculture
It is practised in the thickly forested areas of Amazon basin, tropical
Africa, parts of southeast Asia and N ortheast India. These are the areas of
heavy rainfall and quick regeneration of vegetation.
Q10 . List the different names of shifting agriculture?
A10 .Shifting cultivation is known by different names in different parts of the
worldare1 ) J hum m ing in N orth-East India
2 ) M ilpain Mexico
3 ) R ocain B razil.
4 ) Ladang in Malaysia
Q10 . What is N omadic farming? Where it is practiced?
A10 .1) In this type of farming, herdsmen move from place to place with their
animals for fodder and water, along defined routes. This type of movement
arises in response to climatic constraints and terrain.
2) Sheep, camel, yak and goats are most commonly reared. They provide
milk, meat, wool, hides and other products to the herders and their families.
3) It is practised in the semi-arid and arid regions of Sahara, C entral Asia
and some parts of India, like R ajasthan and J ammu and K ashmir.
Q11. Explain the features of commercial farming?
A11 The features of commercial farming are1) In commercial farming crops are grown and animalsare reared for sale in
market.
2) The area cultivated andthe amount of capital used is large.
3) Most of thework is done by machines.
4 ) C ommercial farmingincludes commercial grain farming, mixedfarming and
plantation agriculture
Q12. Explain the features of commercial grain farming?
A12. The features of commercial grain farming are1) In commercial grain farming crops are grownfor commercial purpose.
2) Wheat and maize arecommon commercially grown grains.
3) Major areaswhere commercial grain farming is practised aretemperate
grasslands of N orth America, Europeand Asia.
4 ) These areas are sparsely populatedwith large farms spreading over hundreds
ofhectares.
.5 ) Severe winters restrict the growing seasonand only a single crop can be
grown.
Q13 What is Mixed farming?
A13. Mixed farming- the land is used for growing food and fodder crops and
rearing livestock.
It is practised in Europe, eastern U SA, Argentina, southeast Australia,
N ew Z ealand and South Africa.
Q14 . List the features of Plantation agriculture?
A14 . The features of the Plantation agriculture are1 ) Plantation agriculture is a type of commercial farming where single crop of
tea, coffee, sugarcane, cashew, rubber, banana or cotton are grown.
2 ) Large amount of labour and capital are required.
3) The produce may be processed on the farm itself or in nearby factories.
4 ) The development of a transport network is thus essential for such farming.
5 )Major plantations are found in the tropical regions of the world.
6 ) R ubber in Malaysia, coffee in B razil, tea in India and Sri Lanka are some
examples.
Q15 Differentiate between the following:a) Primary activities and secondary activities.
b) Subsistence agriculture and C ommercial farming.
c) Mixed farming and Plantation agriculture.
A15 .
Primary economic activities
Secondary economic activities
1)
Primary activities include all Secondary activities are
those connected with
concerned with the processing of
extraction and production
these resources.
of natural resources.
2)
3)
4)
Agriculture, fishing and
Manufacturing of steel, baking of
gathering are good examples bread and weaving of cloth are
examples of this activity.
Production is less.
Production is more.
More labour is used.
Less labour is used.
5)
Less capital investment.
More capital investment.
6)
It is mostly practiced in the
developing countries of the
It is mostly practiced in
developed countries of the world.
world.
Subsistence agriculture
This type of farming is
practiced to meet the needs
of the farmer!s family.
C ommercial farming
In commercial farming crops are
grown and animals are reared for
sale in the market.
2)
The level of the technology
is low.
The level of technology is high.
Most of the work is done by
machines.
3)
Household labour is used to
produce on small output.
Most of the work is done by
Machines to produce on large
scale.
4)
It can be classified as
commercial grain farming,
mixed farming and
plantation agriculture.
It can be classified as intensive
subsistence and primitive
subsistence farming.
Mixed farming
In mixed farming the land
is for growing food and
fodder crops and rearing
livestock.
Plantation agriculture
Plantations are a type of
commercial farming where single
crop of tea, coffee, sugarcane,
cashew, rubber, banana or cotton
are grown.
It is practised in Europe,
eastern U SA, Argentina,
southeastAustralia, N ew
Major plantations are found in
the tropical regions of the world.
R ubber in Malaysia, coffee in
1)
1)
2)
Z ealand and South Africa.
B razil, tea in India and Sri Lanka.
Q15 . C omplete the following table showing the distribution of major crops;Major crops
C limatic condition
Soil
R egions
R ice
High
temperature,
high humidity and
rainfall
Alluvial clayey
soil.
C hina, J apan, India,
West B engal and
B angladesh.
Wheat
Moderate
temperature and
rainfall all during
growing season
and bright
sunshine at the
time of harvest.
Drained loamy
soil.
U SA, C anada,
Argentina, R ussia
and India.
Millets
(jowar, bajra and
ragi)
Low rainfall and
high to moderate
temperature and
adequate rainfall.
Less fertile and
sandy soil.
India, C hina,
N igeria and N igeria.
Maize
Moderate
temperature,
moderate rainfall
and lots of
sunshine.
Well drained
fertile soil.
N orth America,
B razil, C hina,
R ussia, C anada,
India and Mexico.
C otton
High
temperature,
high rainfall, 210
frost free days
and bright
sunshine for its
growth.
B lack, alluvial soil.
C hina, U SA, India,
Pakistan, B razil and
Egypt.
J ute
High
temperature,
heavy rainfall and
humid climate.
Alluvial soil.
IndiaandB angladesh.
C offee
Warm and wet
climate
Well drained
loamy soil.
B razil,C olumbia and
India.
Tea
C ool climate and
well distributed
high rainfall.
Well drained
heavy soils.
K enya, India, C hina
and Srilanka.
Q16 . What is Agricultural development? How is agricultural development
achieved in agriculture?
A16 . Agricultural Development refers to effortsmade to increase farm
production in orderto meet the growing demand of increasingpopulation.
Agricultural development can be achieved in many ways:1) Increasing the cropped area.
2) Increasing the number of crops grown.
3) Improving irrigation facilities.
4 ) U se of fertilizers.
5 ) U sing of highyielding variety of seeds.
6 ) Mechanisation of agriculture should be implemented which is the use of more
machines to increase the production of the crops.
Q17 . How is agriculture in developed countries different from the developing
countries?
A17 . Developing countries with large populations usually practise intensive
agriculture where crops are grown on small holdings mostly for subsistence. It is
practiced in India ,Srilanka and B urma.
In the developed countries people usually practice commercial agriculture where
crops are grown on large holdings mostly for export purpose. C ommercial
agriculture is practiced in U SA, Canada and Australia .
Q18 . B ring out the difference between the farms in India and U SA?
A18 .
F arms in India
F arms in U SA
1) F arm holdings are small that is 1.5
F arms are larger that is generally
hectares.
25 0 hectares.
2) The house of the farmer is in the
The farmer generally live in the
main village.
farm.
3) The major crops grown are wheat,
The major crops grown are corn,
rice and pulses.
4 ) The farms lack storage facilities
and they are forced to sell the
produce even when the market is
not favourable for them.
5 ) The farmers use bullocks for
ploughing while tubewells for
irrigating the fields.
6 ) The farmer in India is like a peasant
farmer.
7 ) The farmers are not educated and
take the advice of their friends and
elders.
soyabean, wheat, cotton and
sugarbeet.
He grains are stored in the
automated grain storage or
depatched to market agencies.
The farmers use tractors, seed
drills, levelers, combined
harvesters and thresher to
perform various agricultural
operations.
The farmer in U SA works like a
businessman.
The farmers are educated and
had the knowledge to use various
tools and implements for
agricultural operations.
Q19 . G ive reasons for the following:1) In India agriculture is a primary activity.
In India agriculture is a primary activity because it is connected with
extraction and production of natural resources. India is developing country
where 7 5 % of the population is engaged in the agriculture which include
fishing, mining, gathering etc.
2) Different crops are grown in different regions.
Different crops are grown in different regions because different crops
require different climatic condition like temperature and rainfall for survival
and growth.