NCERT Solutions Class 8 Social Science (Geography : Resource and Development)
The NCERT Solutions in English Language for Class 8 Social Science (Geography : Resource and Development) Chapter – 4 (Agriculture) has been provided here to help the students in solving the questions from this exercise.
Geography (Resource and Development)
- Chapter – 1 — Resources
- Chapter – 2 — Land, Soil, Water, Natural Vegetation and Wildlife
- Chapter – 3 — Mineral and Power
- Chapter – 5 — Industries
- Chapter – 6 — Human Resources
Chapter – 4 (Agriculture)
1. Answer the following questions.
(i) What is agriculture?
Answer – Agriculture is the primary activity which includes the growing of crops, fruits, vegetables, flowers, and the rearing of livestock.
(ii) Name the factors influencing agriculture.
Answer – The factors that influence agriculture include soil, climate, topography, population etc.
(iii) What is shifting cultivation? What are its disadvantages?
Answer – Shifting Cultivation is a primitive type of agriculture in which trees and vegetation are first cut and burnt and seeds are sown after plowing the cleaned land with old tools (wooden plows, etc.).
The disadvantages of such a cultivation method include:
- Innumerous cutting of trees.
- An unnecessary rise in soil erosion and an increase in the infertility of the soil.
- It has negative effects on the ecosystem as well as the ecosystem.
(iv) What is plantation agriculture?
Answer – Plantation agriculture is a type of commercial farming where a single crop of tea, coffee, sugarcane, cashew, rubber, banana or cotton is grown. Large amount of labour and capital is required in this type of farming. The produce is either processed on the farm itself or in nearby factories. Major plantations are found in the tropical regions of the world, like rubber in Malaysia, coffee in Brazil, tea in India and Sri Lanka, etc.
(v) Name the fibre crops and name the climatic conditions required for their growth.
Answer – The two fibre crops are cotton and jute. The conditions required for their cultivation
| Cotton | Jute |
| It requires high temperature. | High temperature required. |
| Light rainfall, 210 frost free days, bright sunshine for its growth. | Heavy rainfall. |
| Grows well in black and alluvial soil. | Grows well in alluvial soils. |
| Area of cultivation: China, USA India, Pakistan, Brazil and Egypt. | Areas of prod: India and Bangladesh. |
2. Tick the correct answer.
(i) Horticulture means
(a) growing of fruits and vegetables
(b) primitive farming
(c) growing of wheat
Answer – (a) Growing of fruits and vegetables
(ii) Golden fibre refers to
(a) tea
(b) cotton
(c) jute
Answer – (c) Jute
(iii) Leading producers of coffee
(a) Brazil
(b) India
(c) Russia
Answer – (a) Brazil
3. Give reasons.
(i) In India, agriculture is a primary activity.
Answer – A large portion of India is full of highly fertile land. Moreover, India is a densely populated country and hence needs food grain production on a large scale. The monsoon climate of India is highly favourable for farming. Hence, agriculture is the main economic activity in India.
(ii) Different crops are grown in different regions.
Answer – Different regions have different climatic conditions and soil types. Hence, different crops are grown in different regions.
4. Distinguish between the following.
(i) Primary activities and tertiary activities
Answer – Primary activity involves extraction and utilization of natural resources without much processing. Tertiary activities involve supporting the primary and secondary activities.
(ii) Subsistence farming and intensive farming.
Answer – Subsistence farming is done with sole purpose of meeting the needs of the farmer’s family, while intensive farming is done with the sole purpose of sale of the farm produce.
