Ans) Difference between “Intensive Subsistence Farming” and “Commercial Farming”: –

1. In the intensive subsistence farming, farmers produce for their own consumption. While in commercial farming, production is done for sale in market.
2. In the intensive subsistence farming, capital investment is less whereas commercial farming is done with the help of large capital and labour investment.
3. Intensive subsistence farming is not related to industry whereas products obtained from commercial farming are used as raw-material for industries.
4. Land holdings of intensive subsistence farming are small while in commercial farming single crop is grown on larger areas.
5. Intensive subsistence farming is practiced in areas of high population pressure on land whereas commercial farming is practiced in areas of low population pressure on land.
6. Intensive subsistence farming is a labour-intensive farming, where high doses of biochemical inputs and irrigation are used for obtaining higher production, while in commercial farming higher doses of modern inputs, e.g., HYV seeds, chemical fertilisers, insecticides and pesticides are used in order to obtain higher productivity.

Ans) The initiative taken by the government to ensure the increase in agricultural production are as follows:-

1. Through consolidation of holdings land distribution has been restricted. Now size of holdings increased and collective farming is being practised on land.
2. Zamindari system has been abolished by law. In this way, the role of mediators between landowners and government is finished.
3. Land fertility has increased by the use of chemical fertilisers and irrigation facilities.
4. Pesticides, insecticides and weedicides are using to save crops from insects, harmful creatures, fungus and weeds.
5. Agricultural equipments also contributed in the increased production of crops. Presently, Indian farmers are frequently using tractors, harvesters, combines, pumping devices and sprinklers.
6. In some agricultural regions about three crops are grown in a year through crop rotation.
7. Nationalised banks providing loans to farmers on easy conditions.
8. To encourage the agricultural production, various organisations are set up such as National Seed Corporation, Central Stock Corporation, Indian Food Corporation, Indian Agriculture Research Council, Agriculture Universities, Agriculture Exhibition Farms, Dairy Development Board and other such organisations.

As a result of above reformations, Indian farmers are producing more than their requirements and hence agriculture is transforming in commercial farming from its subsistence form.

Ans) The geographical conditions required for the growth of rice are as follows: –

1. Rice is grown in tropical and humid monsoon climatic regions.
2. Rice needs 20°C temperature at the time of sawing, 24°C at the time of growing and 27°C at the time of harvesting.
3. It requires more humidity (rainfall more than 100 cm). It can grow in less rainfall areas with proper irrigation.
4. Cleyey, loamy and deltaic soil is suitable for rice.
5. Rice requires plain surface and cheap skilled labourers because most of its work is done by hand labour.

Ans) Differences between primitive subsistence farming and commercial farming: –

Primitive Subsistence Farming	Commercial Farming
This type of farming is practised on the small patches of land.	This type of farming is practised on the large lands.
It is practised with the help of primitive tools like hoe, dao and digging sticks.	It is practised with modern agricultural tools and machines.
It is practised with the help of family or community labour.	It is practised with the help of local or imported skilled labourers.
Only grains and other food crops are grown.	Commercial crops are grown.
Crop production and land productivity is low as the farmers do not use fertilisers or other modern inputs.	Higher production is obtained with the use of high doses of modern inputs such as high yielding variety seeds, chemical fertilisers, insecticides and pesticides.

Ans) Coarse Grains- Jowar, bajra and ragi are the important millets grown in India. Though, these are known as coarse grains, they have very high nutritional value. For example, ragi is very rich in iron, calcium, other micronutrients and roughage.

1. Jowar- Jowar is the third most important food crop with respect to area and production. It is a rain-fed crop mostly grown in the moist areas which hardly needs irrigation. Producing states- Major jowar producing states are Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
2. Bajra- Bajra grows well on sandy soils and shallow black soil. It is a kharif crop which is sown with the onset of monsoon and harvest in September-October. Producing states- Major Bajra producing states are Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Haryana.
3. Ragi- Ragi is a crop of dry regions and grows well on red, black, sandy, loamy and shallow black soils. Producing states- Major Ragi producing states are Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Jharkhand and Arunachal Pradesh.
4. Maize- This crop is used both as food and fodder. It is a kharif crop which requires temperature between 21°C to 27°C and grows well in old alluvial soil. In some states like Bihar it is grown in rabi season also. Use of modern inputs such as HYV seeds, fertilisers and irrigation have contributed to the increasing production of maize. Producing states- Major maize-producing states are Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

Ans) Sugarcane in India- Sugarcane is a tropical as well as a subtropical crop. It grows well in hot and humid climate with a temperature of 21°C and 27°C and an annual rainfall between 75 cm to 100 cm. Irrigation is required in the regions of low rainfall. It can be grown on a variety of soils and needs manual labour from sowing to harvesting. India is the second largest producer of sugarcane only after Brazil. It is the main source of sugar, gur (jaggary), khandsari and molasses. Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Bihar, Punjab and Haryana are the major sugarcane producing states.

Oilseeds- India is the second largest producer of oilseeds in the world after China. In rapeseed production, India was third largest producer in the world after Canada and China in 2018. Different oilseeds are grown covering about 12 per cent of the total cropped area of the country. Major oilseeds produced in India are groundnut, mustard, coconut, sesame (til), soyabean, castor seeds, cotton seeds, linseed and sunflower. Most of these are edible and used as cooking mediums.. However, some of these are also used as raw material in the production of soap, cosmetics and ointments.

Groundnut is a kharif crop and accounts for about half of the major oilseeds produced in the country, Gujarat was the largest producer of groundnut followed by Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu. Sesame is a kharif crop in north and rabi crop in south India.

Ans)Before Independence, the major form of Indian agriculture was subsistence farming and crop produce was used only for family consumption as production was very less. In India land holdings were very small and hence not economically benefitted. The small size of land is responsible for subsistence agriculture. Thus, farmers worked very hard day and night to meet their family needs.

But after Independence, Indian farmers transformed farming from subsistence to commercial type and increased production by thrice. Following measures have helped Indian farming to change its subsistence condition to commercial conditions-

See Answer of Textbook Exercise Q. 3, Part (1).

Ans) Following are the major problems of Indian agriculture: –

1. Increasing pressure of population on agriculture- Population in India is increasing rapidly. As a result population is continuously exerting pressure on land. Due to increasing population, an average per person land is reducing.
2. Lack of irrigation facilities- In India only 30 per cent of the cropped area is under irrigation. Rest of the part depends on monsoon. Uncertain monsoon can not achieve sustained progress in agriculture.
3. Primitive tools- In India, primitive tools are still used by farmers in many parts.
4. Lack of fertility- Most of the cropped areas is less fertile. The main reasons behind this are continuous farming on land, land erosion, no use of best quality seeds and manure and old method of cultivations.
5. Small land holdings- The size of the holdings is continuously decreasing due to its fragmentation and distributing land from one generation to another.

Ans)

1. Consolidation of holdings-Holding must be economically beneficial. It is possible only by consolidation of holdings.
2. Use of HYV seeds-There should be proper distribution of high yielding variety seeds. Government developed many types of HYV seeds for increasing production.
3. Use of fertilizers-Natural fertility of soil is deteriorating due to excessive farming. Thus it is essential to use organic fertilizers like green and dung with suitable chemical fertilisers in appropriate quantity to maintain the fertility of soil.
4. More than one crop-Crops should be grown in rotation.
5. Insecticides Insecticides, pesticides, fungicides and weedicides should be used to save the crops from insects, pests and diseases.

Ans)