Agriculture Class 10 Geography Notes cover one of the most important topics in your syllabus. Agriculture is the main source of livelihood for millions in India and remains the backbone of our economy. This chapter explains the three cropping seasons, the major crops grown in each, and the farming techniques that keep our fields productive. It also shows how climate, soil, and modern tools decide what is grown and how it is grown. As in Federalism Class 10 Part 1, where every part of the system works together, here too, every crop and method has its role in keeping the nation’s food supply steady. This quick revision ensures the main points stay clear and ready for your exams.
Easy and Quick Revision Notes (Geo)
Ch – 4 Agriculture
India: Agriculturally Important Country
- Agriculture is the main occupation of two-thirds of India’s population.
- Agricultural products are exported from India to other countries.
Agriculture
- Primary activity of the world.
- Produces most of the food we consume.
- Provides raw material for various industries.
- Examples – Tea, coffee, spices.
Types of Farming
Primitive Subsistence Farming
- Practised on small patches of land.
- Uses old technology like hoe, dao, and digging stick.
- Depends on family or community labour.
- Fertilisers and irrigation are not used.
- Also called: Slash and Burn agriculture / Shifting cultivation.
Process – In this farming, the farmer clears a patch of land and produces cereals and other food crops for family use. After soil fertility decreases, the farmer shifts to another patch of land.
Completely dependent on monsoon.
Name of Slash and Burn Agriculture in Various Countries
| Names | Country |
|---|---|
| Milpa | Mexico and Central America |
| Conuco | Venezuela |
| Roca | Brazil |
| Masole | Central Africa |
| Ladang | Indonesia |
| Ray | Vietnam |
Names of Primitive Farming in Various Parts of India
| Names | Region / States |
|---|---|
| Bewar / Dahiya | Madhya Pradesh |
| Podu / Penda | Andhra Pradesh |
| Pama Dabi / Komang / Bringa | Odisha |
| Kumari | Western Ghats |
| Valse / Valre | South-Eastern Rajasthan |
| Khil | Himalayan belt |
| Kuruwa | Jharkhand |
| Jhumming | North-Eastern Region |
Intensive Subsistence Farming
- Practised in areas of high population.
- It is a type of farming which is labour intensive.
- Modern tools are used.
- High doses of biochemical inputs and irrigation are used.
- There is enormous pressure on agricultural land.
Commercial Farming
- Large-size farms.
- Modern inputs are used like HYV seeds, chemical fertilisers, insecticides, and pesticides.
- Productivity is high.
- Crops are grown for trade (to sell in the market).
- Rice is a commercial crop in Punjab and Haryana and a subsistence crop in Odisha.
Plantation is also a type of commercial farming
- Single crop is grown on a large area.
- It is the interface of agriculture and industry (meaning: a point where two systems meet and interact) [Interface here means a two-way connection where agriculture and industry support each other].
- The production from it is used as raw material for industries.
- Examples – Tea, coffee, sugarcane, banana, etc.
Cropping Patterns in India
India has three cropping seasons –
(1) Rabi
(2) Kharif
(3) Zaid
Rabi season / Rabi crops
Rabi crops sown in – Winter (October to December)
Harvested in – Summer (April to June)
Major crops – Wheat, barley, peas, gram, and mustard
Major producing states – Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh
Kharif season / Kharif crops
Sown in – Onset of monsoon
Harvested in – Sep, Oct
Major crops – Paddy, maize, jowar, bajra, tur, moong, urad, cotton, jute, groundnut and soybean
Major producing states – Assam, West Bengal, Odisha, Tamil Nadu
In states like Assam, West Bengal, and Odisha, three crops of paddy are grown in a year.
These are Aus, Aman, and Boro.
Zaid (cropping season)
Short season – During summer
Between Rabi and Kharif seasons
Crops – Watermelon, muskmelon, cucumber, vegetables, and fodder in India.
The concepts we’ve covered form a strong base for understanding how agriculture connects with broader economic and social systems. Just as we examined the distribution of powers and responsibilities in Federalism in India: Class 10 Part 2, here too, the patterns and practices are interconnected. The FAQs below reinforce the important points and address areas where students often lose marks, ensuring the topic remains clear for revision.
FAQs – Agriculture (Class 10)
Q1. What is the primary activity of the world?
A1. Agriculture.
Q2. What is agriculture?
A2. It is the primary activity of the world that produces most of the food we consume and provides raw material for industries.
Q3. Name two agricultural products that India exports.
A3. Tea and coffee.
Q4. What is subsistence farming?
A4. Farming where crops are grown mainly for the farmer’s own use, not for sale.
Q5. What is primitive subsistence farming?
A5. Farming done on small patches of land using old tools and family/community labour, without fertilisers or irrigation.
Q6. Name two traditional tools used in primitive subsistence farming.
A6. Hoe and dao.
Q7. What is another name for slash and burn agriculture?
A7. Shifting cultivation.
Q8. Slash and burn agriculture in Mexico and Central America is known as?
A8. Milpa.
Q9. Slash and burn agriculture in Venezuela is known as?
A9. Conuco.
Q10. Slash and burn agriculture in Brazil is known as?
A10. Roca.
Q11. Slash and burn agriculture in Central Africa is known as?
A11. Masole.
Q12. Slash and burn agriculture in Indonesia is known as?
A12. Ladang.
Q13. Slash and burn agriculture in Vietnam is known as?
A13. Ray.
Q14. Slash and burn agriculture in Madhya Pradesh is called?
A14. Bewar / Dahiya.
Q15. Slash and burn agriculture in Andhra Pradesh is called?
A15. Podu / Penda.
Q16. Slash and burn agriculture in Odisha is called?
A16. Pama Dabi / Komang / Bringa.
Q17. Slash and burn agriculture in the Western Ghats is called?
A17. Kumari.
Q18. Slash and burn agriculture in South-Eastern Rajasthan is called?
A18. Valse / Valre.
Q19. Slash and burn agriculture in the Himalayan belt is called?
A19. Khil.
Q20. Slash and burn agriculture in Jharkhand is called?
A20. Kuruwa.
Q21. Slash and burn agriculture in the North-Eastern region is called?
A21. Jhumming.
Q22. Which farming method is completely dependent on monsoon?
A22. Primitive subsistence farming.
Q23. What is intensive subsistence farming?
A23. Farming in high-population areas using modern tools, biochemical inputs, and irrigation, with high labour use.
Q24. What is commercial farming?
A24. Large-scale farming using modern inputs to grow crops mainly for sale in the market.
Q25. Name a crop that is commercial in Punjab and Haryana but subsistence in Odisha.
A25. Rice.
Q26. What is plantation farming?
A26. Commercial farming where a single crop is grown on a large area, used as raw material for industries.
Q27. Plantation is the interface of which two sectors?
A27. Agriculture and industry.
Q28. What does interface mean here?
A28. A point where two systems meet and interact; a two-way connection where agriculture and industry support each other.
Q29. How many cropping seasons are there in India?
A29. Three – Rabi, Kharif, and Zaid.
Q30. Rabi crops are sown in which season?
A30. Winter (October to December).
Q31. Rabi crops are harvested in which season?
A31. Summer (April to June).
Q32. Kharif crops are sown in which season?
A32. Onset of monsoon.
Q33. Kharif crops are harvested in which months?
A33. September and October.
Q34. In which states are three paddy crops grown in a year?
A34. Assam, West Bengal, and Odisha.
Q35. Name those three paddy crops.
A35. Aus, Aman, and Boro.
Q36. Zaid cropping season falls between which two main seasons?
A36. Rabi and Kharif.
Q37. Give one example of a Zaid crop.
A37. Watermelon.
Let’s wind it up
Understanding the types of farming, cropping seasons, and agricultural practices is essential for both exam preparation and real-life awareness of India’s economy. These topics explain how food production sustains millions, supports industries, and maintains national stability. Regular revision will ensure the key facts remain clear in your mind. For more clear, exam-ready notes, visit CBSE Notes Hub, where every topic is explained in a structured, step-by-step manner.
