NCERT Solutions for Class 10 Social Science (Contemporary India II) Chapter 4: Agriculture (NCERT 2026–27)

These Class 10 Geography Chapter 4 solutions cover Agriculture from Contemporary India II, the Class 10 Geography textbook for the 2026–27 session. The chapter explains how India’s farming systems range from primitive subsistence to commercial and plantation agriculture, the three cropping seasons (rabi, kharif and zaid), the geographical conditions needed for major crops (rice, wheat, millets, pulses, sugarcane, oilseeds, tea, coffee, rubber, cotton and jute), and the technological and institutional reforms — including the Green Revolution, the White Revolution and the Bhoodan–Gramdan movement — that have shaped Indian farming. Below you get step-by-step answers to every textbook Exercise question, key terms, extra practice, MCQs, Assertion–Reason and FAQs.

Class: 10 Subject: Social Science (Geography) Book: Contemporary India II Chapter: 4 – Agriculture Discipline: Geography Session: 2026–27
On this page

Class 10 Geography Chapter 4 – Overview

Chapter 4, Agriculture, shows that India is an agriculturally important country where two-thirds of the population is engaged in farming — a primary activity that produces most of our food and raw material for industry. It classifies Indian farming into primitive subsistence farming (the ‘slash and burn’ or shifting cultivation called jhumming, bewar, podu, etc.), intensive subsistence farming (labour-intensive, high inputs on small holdings), commercial farming (HYV seeds, fertilisers, pesticides) and plantation farming (a single crop over a large area, like tea and coffee). It describes the three cropping seasons — rabi, kharif and zaid — and the geographical conditions, regions and uses of major food crops (rice, wheat, millets, maize, pulses), food crops other than grains (sugarcane, oilseeds, tea, coffee, horticulture) and non-food crops (rubber, fibre crops like cotton and jute). It ends with the technological and institutional reforms — land reform, the Green Revolution, the White Revolution, crop insurance, Kisan Credit Card, minimum support price and the Bhoodan–Gramdan movement — that have aimed to modernise Indian agriculture.

Key Concepts & Terms

Primitive subsistence farming: ‘slash and burn’ agriculture on small patches of land using primitive tools (hoe, dao, digging sticks) and family labour; it depends on the monsoon and the natural fertility of the soil. Known as jhumming in the North-east, bewar/dahiya in Madhya Pradesh, podu/penda in Andhra Pradesh, and so on.

Intensive subsistence farming: practised in areas of high population pressure; it is labour-intensive and uses high doses of biochemical inputs and irrigation to obtain higher production from limited land.

Commercial farming: uses higher doses of modern inputs — high-yielding variety (HYV) seeds, chemical fertilisers, insecticides and pesticides — to obtain higher productivity, mainly for the market.

Plantation farming: a type of commercial farming in which a single crop (tea, coffee, rubber, sugarcane, banana) is grown on a large area, using capital-intensive inputs and migrant labour; the produce is the raw material for industry.

Cropping seasons: Rabi crops are sown in winter (October–December) and harvested in summer (April–June) — e.g. wheat, barley, peas, gram, mustard. Kharif crops are grown with the onset of the monsoon and harvested in September–October — e.g. paddy, maize, jowar, bajra, tur, cotton, jute, groundnut, soyabean. Zaid is the short summer season — e.g. watermelon, muskmelon, cucumber, vegetables, fodder.

Leguminous crops: pulses (tur, urad, moong, masur, peas, gram) that, except arhar, restore soil fertility by fixing nitrogen from the air, and so are grown in rotation with other crops.

Green Revolution: the use of package technology — HYV seeds, fertilisers and irrigation — in the 1960s–70s that greatly increased food-grain output in regions like Punjab and Haryana.

White Revolution (Operation Flood): a strategy to increase milk production and make India self-sufficient in dairy.

Institutional reforms: collectivisation, consolidation of holdings, cooperation, abolition of zamindari, crop insurance, Grameen banks, Kisan Credit Card (KCC), Personal Accident Insurance Scheme (PAIS) and minimum support price introduced to protect and support farmers.

Bhoodan–Gramdan movement: the ‘Blood-less Revolution’ led by Vinoba Bhave, under which landowners voluntarily donated land (bhoodan) or whole villages (gramdan) to the landless poor.

“Exercises” — Full Solutions

All questions below are reproduced verbatim from the NCERT textbook’s end-of-chapter Exercises section. Answers are original, written in exam-ready style.

1. Multiple choice questions

(i) Which one of the following describes a system of agriculture where a single crop is grown on a large area? (a) Shifting Agriculture (b) Plantation Agriculture (c) Horticulture (d) Intensive Agriculture

ANSWER (b) Plantation Agriculture. In plantation farming a single crop — such as tea, coffee, rubber or sugarcane — is grown on a large tract of land using capital-intensive inputs and migrant labour, and the entire produce is used as raw material in the related industry.

(ii) Which one of the following is a rabi crop? (a) Rice (b) Gram (c) Millets (d) Cotton

ANSWER (b) Gram. Rabi crops are sown in winter (October–December) and harvested in summer (April–June). Gram, along with wheat, barley, peas and mustard, is a rabi crop. Rice, millets and cotton are kharif crops.

(iii) Which one of the following is a leguminous crop? (a) Pulses (b) Jawar (c) Millets (d) Sesamum

ANSWER (a) Pulses. Pulses are leguminous crops. Except arhar, they help restore soil fertility by fixing nitrogen from the air, which is why they are grown in rotation with other crops.

2. Answer the following questions in 30 words.

(i) Name one important beverage crop and specify the geographical conditions required for its growth.

ANSWER Tea is an important beverage crop. It grows well in tropical and sub-tropical climates with deep, fertile, well-drained soil rich in humus, warm and moist frost-free conditions, and frequent showers evenly distributed over the year for the continuous growth of tender leaves.

(ii) Name one staple crop of India and the regions where it is produced.

ANSWER Rice is the staple food crop of the majority of Indians. It is grown in the plains of north and north-eastern India, the coastal areas and the deltaic regions — West Bengal, Assam, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and, with irrigation, Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh.

(iii) Enlist the various institutional reform programmes introduced by the government in the interest of farmers.

ANSWER Institutional reforms include collectivisation, consolidation of holdings, cooperation, abolition of zamindari, land reform, crop insurance, establishment of Grameen banks and cooperative societies, the Kisan Credit Card (KCC), the Personal Accident Insurance Scheme (PAIS) and minimum support price.

3. Answer the following questions in about 120 words.

(i) Suggest the initiative taken by the government to ensure the increase in agricultural production.

ANSWER After Independence the government undertook both institutional and technical reforms to raise agricultural production. Institutional reforms included collectivisation, consolidation of holdings, cooperation and the abolition of zamindari; land reform was the main focus of the First Five Year Plan. Technical reforms in the 1960s and 1970s brought the Green Revolution (package technology of HYV seeds, fertilisers and irrigation) and the White Revolution (Operation Flood). In the 1980s and 1990s a comprehensive land development programme added crop insurance against drought, flood, cyclone, fire and disease; Grameen banks, cooperative societies and banks giving loans at low interest; the Kisan Credit Card (KCC) and Personal Accident Insurance Scheme (PAIS); special weather bulletins and agricultural programmes on radio and television; and the announcement of minimum support, remunerative and procurement prices to protect farmers from speculators and middlemen.

(ii) Describe the geographical conditions required for the growth of rice.

ANSWER Rice is the staple food crop of most Indians and India is the second-largest producer of rice in the world after China. It is a kharif crop that requires specific geographical conditions for healthy growth. Temperature: it needs a high temperature, above 25°C, throughout its growing period. Humidity: it requires high humidity. Rainfall: it needs annual rainfall above 100 cm; in areas of lower rainfall it is grown with the help of irrigation. Soil and regions: rice grows best in the fertile alluvial soils of the plains, coastal areas and deltaic regions. It is widely grown in West Bengal, Assam, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. The development of a dense network of canal irrigation and tubewells has also made it possible to grow rice in areas of less rainfall such as Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh.

Project Work

PROJECT 1. Group discussion on the necessity of literacy among farmers. This is a classroom activity; discuss in groups. Literacy helps farmers read instructions on seeds, fertilisers and pesticides, understand weather bulletins and market prices, use Kisan Credit Cards and crop insurance, adopt modern scientific methods and avoid exploitation by middlemen — so it directly improves productivity and income. 2. On an outline map of India show wheat producing areas. This is a map activity; mark the chief wheat-producing states — Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Rajasthan — concentrating on the Ganga–Satluj plains in the north-west and the black-soil region of the Deccan.

Activity

PUZZLE ANSWERS 1. The two staple food crops of India: Rice and Wheat. 2. This is the summer cropping season of India: Zaid. 3. Pulses like arhar, moong, gram, urad contain…: Protein. 4. It is a coarse grain: Millet (jowar / bajra / ragi). 5. The two important beverages in India are…: Tea and Coffee. 6. One of the four major fibres grown on black soils: Cotton.

Extra Practice Questions

Short Answer Type Questions

Q1. What is ‘slash and burn’ agriculture? Give two of its local names in India.

ANSWER‘Slash and burn’ agriculture is primitive subsistence farming in which farmers clear and burn a patch of land, grow crops to feed the family, and shift to a fresh patch when fertility falls. In India it is called jhumming (North-east), bewar or dahiya (Madhya Pradesh), podu or penda (Andhra Pradesh) and kumari (Western Ghats).

Q2. Why are pulses mostly grown in rotation with other crops?

ANSWERPulses are leguminous crops. Except arhar, they fix nitrogen from the air and restore soil fertility. Growing them in rotation with other crops therefore replenishes the soil naturally, reducing the need for chemical fertilisers and keeping the land productive.

Q3. Distinguish between commercial farming and intensive subsistence farming.

ANSWERCommercial farming uses high doses of modern inputs (HYV seeds, fertilisers, pesticides) mainly to produce for the market. Intensive subsistence farming is practised on small holdings in densely populated areas; it is labour-intensive and uses high biochemical inputs and irrigation chiefly to feed the farmer’s own family.

Q4. Name the three cropping seasons of India with one crop each.

ANSWERIndia has three cropping seasons: rabi (sown in winter, harvested in summer — e.g. wheat), kharif (sown with the monsoon, harvested in September–October — e.g. paddy) and zaid (short summer season — e.g. watermelon).

Q5. Why is jute called the ‘golden fibre’, and where is it grown?

ANSWERJute is called the golden fibre because of its golden colour and economic value. It grows on well-drained fertile flood-plain soils renewed every year and needs high temperature during growth. West Bengal, Bihar, Assam, Odisha and Meghalaya are the major jute-producing states; it is used for gunny bags, mats, ropes, yarn and carpets.

Long Answer Type Questions

Q1. Describe the four main types of farming practised in India.

ANSWERIndia practises four broad types of farming. Primitive subsistence farming is ‘slash and burn’ cultivation on small patches of land using primitive tools and family labour, depending on the monsoon and natural soil fertility; it is known by names like jhumming and bewar. Intensive subsistence farming is practised in areas of high population pressure; it is labour-intensive and uses high doses of biochemical inputs and irrigation on small, fragmented holdings. Commercial farming uses modern inputs — HYV seeds, chemical fertilisers, insecticides and pesticides — to obtain high productivity for the market, though the degree of commercialisation varies by region. Plantation farming is a kind of commercial farming in which a single crop such as tea, coffee or rubber is grown on a large area with capital-intensive inputs and migrant labour, its produce serving as raw material for industry.

Q2. Explain the geographical conditions and major producing regions of wheat in India.

ANSWERWheat is the second most important cereal and the main food crop of north and north-western India. It is a rabi crop that requires a cool growing season and bright sunshine at the time of ripening, with 50 to 75 cm of annual rainfall evenly distributed over the growing season. There are two important wheat-growing zones: the Ganga–Satluj plains in the north-west and the black-soil region of the Deccan. The major wheat-producing states are Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Rajasthan. The success of the Green Revolution — with HYV seeds, assured irrigation and fertilisers — has been an important factor in raising wheat output in these regions.

Q3. Discuss the technological and institutional reforms introduced to improve Indian agriculture.

ANSWERSustained use of land without compatible techno-institutional change had slowed agricultural development, so reforms were introduced after Independence. Institutional reforms included collectivisation, consolidation of holdings, cooperation and the abolition of zamindari, with land reform as the focus of the First Five Year Plan, though implementation was often weak. Technical reforms in the 1960s and 1970s brought the Green Revolution (package technology) and the White Revolution (Operation Flood), although development concentrated in a few areas. In the 1980s and 1990s a comprehensive land development programme added crop insurance against drought, flood, cyclone, fire and disease; Grameen banks and cooperative societies giving low-interest loans; the Kisan Credit Card (KCC) and Personal Accident Insurance Scheme (PAIS); weather bulletins and farm programmes on radio and TV; and minimum support, remunerative and procurement prices to protect farmers from speculators and middlemen.

MCQs & Assertion–Reason

1. The ‘slash and burn’ agriculture is known as jhumming in:

(a) Madhya Pradesh    (b) the North-eastern states    (c) Andhra Pradesh    (d) the Western Ghats

2. Which of the following is a kharif crop?

(a) Wheat    (b) Gram    (c) Paddy    (d) Mustard

3. India is the second-largest producer of rice in the world after:

(a) Brazil    (b) China    (c) the USA    (d) Indonesia

4. The two important wheat-growing zones of India are the Ganga–Satluj plains and the:

(a) coastal plains    (b) Thar desert    (c) black-soil region of the Deccan    (d) Himalayan belt

5. Which crop is known as the ‘golden fibre’?

(a) Cotton    (b) Jute    (c) Silk    (d) Hemp

6. India is the second-largest producer of sugarcane after:

(a) China    (b) Brazil    (c) Cuba    (d) Thailand

7. Which one of the following is a plantation crop?

(a) Wheat    (b) Gram    (c) Tea    (d) Bajra

8. The Arabica variety of coffee was initially brought to India from:

(a) Brazil    (b) Yemen    (c) Kenya    (d) Colombia

9. The Bhoodan–Gramdan movement was initiated by:

(a) Mahatma Gandhi    (b) Vinoba Bhave    (c) Jawaharlal Nehru    (d) Ram Chandra Reddy

10. Rabi crops are sown in winter and harvested in:

(a) September–October    (b) April–June    (c) January–February    (d) November–December

Answer key: 1-(b), 2-(c), 3-(b), 4-(c), 5-(b), 6-(b), 7-(c), 8-(b), 9-(b), 10-(b).

For each Assertion–Reason question, choose: (A) Both true and the Reason correctly explains the Assertion; (B) Both true but the Reason is not the correct explanation; (C) Assertion true, Reason false; (D) Assertion false, Reason true.

A-R 1. Assertion: Primitive subsistence farming allows Nature to replenish the fertility of the soil.

Reason: Farmers shift to a fresh patch of land when the fertility of the cultivated patch decreases.

A-R 2. Assertion: Rice can be grown in areas of low rainfall such as Punjab and Haryana.

Reason: A dense network of canal irrigation and tubewells supplies the water that rice needs.

A-R 3. Assertion: Pulses are mostly grown in rotation with other crops.

Reason: Being leguminous crops, most pulses fix nitrogen from the air and restore soil fertility.

A-R 4. Assertion: Plantation farming is a type of subsistence agriculture.

Reason: In plantation farming a single crop is grown on a large area for the market with capital-intensive inputs.

A-R 5. Assertion: The minimum support price was introduced to check the exploitation of farmers.

Reason: It protects farmers from speculators and middlemen by assuring a fixed price for important crops.

Answer key: 1-(A), 2-(A), 3-(A), 4-(D), 5-(A).

Exam Tips & Common Mistakes

How to score full marks in this chapter

Memorise the four types of farming with one defining feature each, and the three cropping seasons with example crops. For crop questions, give a structured answer: temperature, rainfall, soil and major producing states. Remember India’s rank for key crops (second in rice, sugarcane, groundnut and cotton; largest producer of pulses). Learn the local names of jhumming and the key reform schemes — Green Revolution, White Revolution, KCC, PAIS, MSP and Bhoodan–Gramdan — as these are favourites for one- and three-mark questions.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Mixing up rabi (wheat, gram, mustard) with kharif (rice, cotton, jowar, bajra) crops.
  • Calling plantation farming “subsistence” — it is commercial, market-oriented farming.
  • Confusing the Green Revolution (food grains) with the White Revolution (milk/Operation Flood).
  • Forgetting that, except arhar, pulses fix nitrogen and restore soil fertility.
  • Writing vague crop answers — always include temperature, rainfall, soil and producing regions.
  • Confusing intensive subsistence farming (high inputs, small holdings) with primitive subsistence farming (primitive tools, shifting).

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Chapter 4 of Class 10 Geography about?

Chapter 4, Agriculture, from Contemporary India II explains India’s types of farming (primitive subsistence, intensive subsistence, commercial and plantation), the rabi, kharif and zaid cropping seasons, the geographical conditions and regions of major crops, and the technological and institutional reforms — including the Green Revolution and Bhoodan–Gramdan movement — that have shaped Indian agriculture.

What are the three cropping seasons of India?

India has three cropping seasons. Rabi crops (wheat, gram, mustard) are sown in winter and harvested in summer; kharif crops (paddy, maize, cotton, bajra) are sown with the monsoon and harvested in September–October; and zaid is the short summer season for crops like watermelon, muskmelon and cucumber.

What is the exercise heading for Chapter 4 of Contemporary India II?

The end-of-chapter exercise in Contemporary India II Chapter 4 is headed Exercises and contains multiple choice questions, 30-word questions, 120-word questions, project work and an activity puzzle — all answered on this page.

← Chapter 3: Water Resources Chapter 5: Minerals and Energy Resources →
Scroll to Top