What is farming?
The poha, milk and banana in your breakfast all came from some field or cattle shed.
Farming (agriculture) means preparing land and growing crops, rearing animals, and growing fruit trees and forest produce. Fish rearing, beekeeping and silkworm rearing are counted with it as allied activities.
In the figure : Farming gives a small share of income but supports a large share of people.
Rule 1: Farming includes more than crops — Animals, trees, bees, fish and silkworms are all part of it.
- Easy : Milking a cow is animal rearing, which is part of agriculture.
- Medium : A farmer who also keeps bees earns from crops and honey.
- Exam-type : Name five jobs under 'agriculture and allied activities'. Answer: farming, animal rearing, beekeeping, fish rearing, silkworm rearing.
Rule 2: Many people live on farming — About 46 per cent of working people depend on farming, and over 75 per cent of rural farm workers are women.
- Easy : Many women in villages sow, weed and thresh.
- Medium : If 46 out of 100 families in a village live on farming, nearly half the families depend on it.
- Exam-type : Explain: farming gives about 18 per cent of income but supports about 46 per cent of workers. Answer: many people share a small part of the income, so each earns less.
The word 'agriculture' comes from Latin — agri means field and culture means to cultivate.
Picturing only a man when you hear 'farmer'. In reality women are the majority of rural farm workers.
Farming = crops + animals + trees + side jobs. Memory clue: 18-46 — a small share of income (18) but many people (46).
Spot the difference
| Term | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Agriculture | Farming, animals, forestry and gardening together | Wheat farm plus a cow shed |
| Allied activities | Side jobs linked to farming | Beekeeping, fish rearing |
| Horticulture | Growing fruits, vegetables and flowers | Mango orchard |
| Threshing | Separating grain from the stalk | Beating the harvested wheat |
Practice questions
- 1What is farming?
- 2Name two allied activities of farming.
- 3From which language does the word 'agriculture' come?
- 4Why is a cow shed also counted as part of agriculture?
- 5About what share of national income comes from farming and allied activities?
- 6Who forms the majority of rural farm workers?
- 7Why do many people share a small income from farming?
- 8A village has 200 families and 92 live on farming. Is it more or less than half?
Show answers (try them yourself first)
- 1Preparing land and growing crops, plus rearing animals and growing trees.
- 2Any two: beekeeping, fish rearing, silkworm rearing.
- 3Latin (agri = field, culture = to cultivate).
- 4Because animal rearing is part of agriculture.
- 5About 18 per cent.
- 6Women (more than 75 per cent).
- 7Farming gives a small share of income, but many workers depend on it, so each one's share is small.
- 8Less than half — half of 200 is 100 and 92 is below 100.
Farming in the old days
Old seeds in grandmother's tin and the smell of soil — our farming has been going on for thousands of years.
Digging at old sites shows that rice was present in the Ganga plain more than 9,000 years ago and barley and millets were grown at Mehrgarh. The Harappans mainly grew barley and wheat, and in some places rice, and they domesticated animals.
In the figure : Farming grew step by step from Mehrgarh to Harappa and Kalibangan.
Rule 1: Early farmers grew grains and kept animals — Barley, wheat, millets and rice were grown; cattle, goats, sheep and fowl were kept.
- Easy : A farmer today still grows wheat and keeps a cow.
- Medium : Sesame, green gram, black gram and mango were grown long ago and are still used.
- Exam-type : Which grain was the main crop of the Harappans — barley and wheat or only rice? Answer: barley and wheat.
Rule 2: Mixed cropping is very old — At Kalibangan furrows cross at right angles, showing that two crops were grown together; this method was still used about 4,800 years later.
- Easy : Growing sugarcane with pumpkin in the same field is intercropping.
- Medium : If a farm has 3 rows of maize and 1 row of beans, two crops share the land.
- Exam-type : Define 'intercropping'. Answer: growing two or more crops together at the same time.
Books such as Kautilya's Arthashastra, Varahamihira's Brihatsamhita and Surapala's Vrikshayurveda record farming knowledge; the Brihatsamhita describes grafting.
Thinking the science of farming began only today. Our ancestors' books record it too.
Harappa = barley + wheat (rice in some places). Memory clue: Barley-Wheat-Harappa — "B-W-H": Barley and Wheat at Harappa.
Spot the difference
| Place or book | What it tells | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Mehrgarh | Early barley and millet farming | Grains dated to the 7th millennium BCE |
| Kalibangan | Mixed cropping with crossing furrows | Furrows at right angles about 2800 BCE |
| Brihatsamhita | Describes grafting | Joining two plants into one |
| Vrikshayurveda | Care of trees and seeds | Seed treatment and watering advice |
Practice questions
- 1Name two grains grown by the Harappans.
- 2Where were barley and millets grown in the 7th millennium BCE?
- 3Name two animals tamed in the Harappan period.
- 4What is intercropping?
- 5Which Rajasthan site shows mixed cropping about 2800 BCE?
- 6Which old book describes grafting?
- 7Why do crossing furrows suggest two crops were grown together?
- 8Why is it special that the same method was seen again after about 4,800 years?
Show answers (try them yourself first)
- 1Any two: barley, wheat, rice (in some places), millets.
- 2At Mehrgarh (in Baluchistan).
- 3Any two: cattle, goats, sheep, dogs, pigs, fowl.
- 4Growing two or more crops together at the same time.
- 5Kalibangan.
- 6The Brihatsamhita (by Varahamihira).
- 7Furrows cut at right angles let two different crops be sown between them.
- 8It shows that a good farming method can last thousands of years.
Climate, monsoon and seasons
When rain comes late, vegetables become costly in the market — because the crop calendar runs on rain.
India has 15 agro-climatic zones that help decide what to grow, where and when. There are three crop seasons: kharif (monsoon), rabi (winter) and zaid (summer).
In the figure : Each season has its own crops, and rain decides what can grow.
Rule 1: Monsoons bring the rain — The southwest monsoon (June–September) feeds kharif crops; the northeast monsoon (October–December) waters the east and south.
- Easy : Paddy seedlings are planted after the first heavy rains.
- Medium : Tamil Nadu gets rain from both monsoons, so rice can grow there almost all year.
- Exam-type : Why is June–September important for kharif crops? Answer: the southwest monsoon rain arrives in these months.
Rule 2: Each season has its crops — Kharif: rice, jowar, bajra, maize. Rabi: wheat, gram, mustard, peas. Zaid: watermelon, muskmelon, cucumber.
- Easy : Rice is kharif, wheat is rabi, watermelon is zaid.
- Medium : A crop sown in June–July and harvested in October belongs to the kharif group.
- Exam-type : Which season would you choose for cucumber and why? Answer: zaid (summer), because it is a warm-season crop grown with irrigation.
Kharif crops depend on the monsoon arriving on time; too much rain can also destroy them.
Treating zaid and rabi as the same. Rabi is winter, zaid is summer.
Kharif = rain, rabi = cold, zaid = heat. Memory clue: K-R-Z = Rain-Cold-Heat.
Spot the difference
| Point | Kharif | Rabi and zaid |
|---|---|---|
| Season | Monsoon | Rabi: winter, zaid: summer |
| Water | Monsoon rain | Cool weather and irrigation |
| Crops | Rice, jowar, bajra, maize | Wheat, gram, mustard / watermelon, cucumber |
| Old name | Kedara | Haimana / graishmika |
Practice questions
- 1Name the three crop seasons of India.
- 2Which monsoon gives rain from June to September?
- 3Name one rabi crop and one kharif crop.
- 4In which season is zaid grown? Give one example.
- 5Why are kharif crops at risk if the monsoon is late?
- 6What are the old names of kharif, rabi and zaid?
- 7Why can rice grow almost all year in Tamil Nadu?
- 8A farmer wants to grow wheat. When should he sow and why?
Show answers (try them yourself first)
- 1Kharif, rabi, zaid.
- 2The southwest monsoon.
- 3Rabi: wheat (or gram). Kharif: rice (or bajra).
- 4In summer; for example watermelon.
- 5Because they depend on the monsoon rain arriving on time.
- 6Kedara, haimana, graishmika.
- 7It gets rain from both monsoons and also has irrigation.
- 8In the cool season (rabi), because wheat grows well in cool weather with little water.
Climate, monsoon and seasons
In the app you can move this figure with your finger.
Open in the appSoil
Hold potting soil and riverbank soil in your hand — they differ in colour, roughness and wetness.
Soil is the thin top layer of the Earth's crust. It forms over millions of years from broken rocks (weathering) and rotted plant and animal matter. The dark rotted part is humus; it holds nutrients and moisture.
In the figure : India has six major soil types, each suited to different crops.
Rule 1: Soil type decides the crop — Alluvial, black, red, laterite, desert and mountain soils differ in fertility and moisture.
- Easy : Rivers bring silt to the plains, so plains soil is fertile.
- Medium : Black soil holds water well, so cotton grows well on it.
- Exam-type : Why is laterite soil not very fertile? Answer: rain washes out most minerals, leaving mainly iron and aluminium.
Rule 2: Protect the soil — Old ways: crop rotation, mixed crops, ploughing across the slope, cow-dung manure. Modern ways: terraces, planting trees, mulching.
- Easy : Ploughing straight down a slope lets rain wash soil away; ploughing across the slope holds the water.
- Medium : A farmer grows pulses after wheat so the soil gets its nutrients back.
- Exam-type : Why are terraces built on hills? Answer: steps slow the water, reduce erosion and give flat land for crops.
Soil is home to bacteria, fungi and earthworms; they keep the soil healthy.
Thinking all land is equally fertile. Red and laterite soils are less fertile.
Six soils: alluvial, black, red, laterite, desert, mountain. Memory clue: A-B-R-L-D-M — "A Big Red Lorry Drives Milk".
Spot the difference
| Soil | Feature | Crops |
|---|---|---|
| Alluvial | River silt, rich in nutrients | Wheat, rice, sugarcane |
| Black | Weathered volcanic rock, holds moisture | Cotton, jowar |
| Red | Has iron, less fertile | Millets, groundnut |
| Laterite | Hard in heat, not fertile | Tea, coffee, cashew |
Practice questions
- 1What is soil?
- 2What is humus?
- 3Which soil is good for cotton?
- 4Why is the soil of river plains fertile?
- 5Why is ploughing across a slope useful?
- 6What is crop rotation and why is it done?
- 7Why are red and laterite soils less fertile?
- 8A hill farm loses soil in every rain. Suggest two ways to save it.
Show answers (try them yourself first)
- 1The thin top layer of the Earth's crust that supports plant life.
- 2Dark rotted plant and animal matter in soil; it holds nutrients and moisture.
- 3Black soil.
- 4Rivers bring silt full of nutrients from the mountains and spread it there.
- 5It slows the water and stops rain from washing the soil away.
- 6Growing different crops in the same field in different seasons so the soil does not lose the same nutrients.
- 7Red soil has iron and little else; in laterite, rain washes the minerals out.
- 8Any two: terraces, planting trees, ploughing across the slope, mulching.
Soil
In the app you can move this figure with your finger.
Open in the appWater and seeds
Watering a rooftop pot with a mug wastes water, but a drip of drops at the root saves it.
Farming that depends only on rain is rain-fed. Farming where water is supplied from canals, tanks or wells is irrigated. Seeds were saved by families for generations; today many farmers buy company seeds.
In the figure : Modern irrigation saves water; groundwater is falling fast.
Rule 1: India has old and new ways to water crops — Old: phad system in Maharashtra, bamboo drip in the northeast, tanks, kunds, eris, the Kallanai dam. New: drip and sprinkler.
- Easy : Drip irrigation sends water only to the root, so none is wasted.
- Medium : In a dry area, drip or sprinkler can wet more land with less water.
- Exam-type : The Kallanai dam on the Kaveri was built about 1,800 years ago by Karikala. Why is it a good example? Answer: it still waters thousands of hectares.
Rule 2: Seeds: saved or bought — Families once saved seeds. Company seeds give high yield, but their grains are often unfit for sowing again, so farmers depend on the companies.
- Easy : A family keeps the best grains of this year's crop for next year.
- Medium : A farmer who buys seeds every year spends money every season.
- Exam-type : What is 'beejamrit'? Answer: a paste of cow dung, urine and other things put on seeds; it protects them and helps them sprout sooner.
Groundwater is falling fast, so use water carefully.
Thinking irrigation means only canals. Wells, tanks, drip and sprinklers are irrigation too.
Drip = drops at the root; sprinkler = shower from above. Memory clue: Drip = root, Sprinkler = sky.
Spot the difference
| Method | How it works | Where used |
|---|---|---|
| Rain-fed | Only rainwater | Areas with good monsoon |
| Canal / tank / well | Water supplied by a structure | Fields near rivers and tanks |
| Drip | Tubes drop water at the root | Orchards, dry areas |
| Sprinkler | Sprays water like rain | Wheat and vegetable fields |
Practice questions
- 1What is rain-fed farming?
- 2Name two sources of irrigation.
- 3What is drip irrigation?
- 4In which state is the phad system found?
- 5How is sprinkler irrigation different from drip irrigation?
- 6Why do farmers who buy company seeds depend on the companies?
- 7Why is saving water important in farming today?
- 8A dry village has little water. Which irrigation method would you suggest and why?
Show answers (try them yourself first)
- 1Farming that depends only on rainfall for water.
- 2Any two: canal, tank, well, pond.
- 3Tubes deliver water slowly, drop by drop, directly to the roots.
- 4Maharashtra.
- 5Drip waters the root; sprinkler sprays water in the air like rain.
- 6The seeds they grow often cannot be sown again, so they must buy new seeds each time.
- 7Because groundwater is falling fast and future farming needs it.
- 8Drip irrigation, because it gives water only to the roots and wastes none.
Traditional, modern farming and challenges
Grandfather used cow-dung manure, father uses a tractor — both ways can be seen in one home.
Traditional farming follows nature's cycles on a small scale with family and animals. Modern farming uses machines, chemical fertilisers and high-yield seeds. The Green Revolution of the 1960s–70s was a big turning point.
In the figure : Sustainable farming joins modern output with traditional wisdom.
Rule 1: The Green Revolution had gains and costs — Wheat and rice output rose and India became self-sufficient in grain; later came weaker soil, falling groundwater and chemical pollution.
- Easy : A tractor ploughs faster than bullocks.
- Medium : Too many chemicals can pollute the nearby well.
- Exam-type : Write one gain and one cost of the Green Revolution. Answer: gain — more grain; cost — falling groundwater (or weaker soil).
Rule 2: Sustainable farming and government help — Organic farming and neem-based pest control are eco-friendly; Sikkim became fully organic in 2014. The government helps with seeds, training, cheap electricity, crop insurance, purchase of crops and cold storages.
- Easy : Neem leaves reduce pests — a nature-friendly pesticide.
- Medium : If grandfather's 4 hectares are shared among four children, each gets 1 hectare — so holdings keep shrinking.
- Exam-type : Give your view — only modern or only traditional? Answer: a balance of both, because we need food as well as a protected environment.
Farmers face tiny landholdings (average about three-fourths of a hectare), costly machines, climate change and debt.
Believing 'modern is all good, traditional is old'. Scientists have confirmed many traditional methods.
Modern + traditional = sustainable farming. Memory clue: Old wisdom + new technique = lasting farming.
Spot the difference
| Point | Traditional farming | Modern farming |
|---|---|---|
| Fertiliser | Cow-dung manure, compost | Chemical fertilisers |
| Tools | Bullocks, plough, hand work | Tractor, harvester |
| Advantage | Friendly to nature, lasting | Output rises fast |
| Drawback | Output may be lower | Harms soil and water |
Practice questions
- 1Name the revolution of the 1960s–70s that raised grain output.
- 2Name two things farmers use in modern farming.
- 3Which state became fully organic in 2014?
- 4Name two ways the government helps farmers.
- 5Write one gain and one cost of the Green Revolution.
- 6How is organic farming different from chemical farming?
- 7Why do small landholdings make farming difficult?
- 8Should India choose only modern or only traditional farming? Give reasons.
Show answers (try them yourself first)
- 1The Green Revolution.
- 2Any two: tractors, chemical fertilisers, high-yield seeds, harvesters.
- 3Sikkim.
- 4Any two: seeds and fertilisers, weather information, training, cheap electricity, crop insurance, buying crops.
- 5Gain — more grain; cost — weaker soil, falling groundwater or pollution (any one).
- 6Organic farming uses compost, manure and natural pest control instead of chemical fertilisers and pesticides.
- 7Machines are costly and made for big farms, and a tiny farm earns little income.
- 8Use both: modern methods for enough food and traditional methods to protect soil and water.