The Story of Indian Farming
Class 7 · Social Science Part 2 · 23 Questions
Why do farmers in Kerala grow rice while farmers in Punjab grow mostly wheat? What would happen if they swapped?
Match the following:
| Column A | Column B |
|---|---|
| (a) Kharif crops | (i) Crops during the winter |
| (b) Rabi crops | (ii) Crops grown during the monsoon |
| (c) Alluvial soil | (iii) Thin, rough, and rocky soil found in mountainous regions |
| (d) Terrace farming | (iv) Crops grown in summer |
| (e) Alpine soil | (v) Soil rich in nutrients deposited by rivers |
| (f) Zaid crops | (vi) Method of farming on hillsides |
Why do certain crops thrive in specific regions?
How has modern technology helped farmers?
Why is sustainable agriculture important? Write a short note on this.
Name some challenges that farmers face today. What might be their impact for people?
Have a debate in class on the topic "Traditional irrigation methods are better than modern ones."
Write a short essay describing what farming might be like when you are 60 years old. You could also draw/paint a picture to illustrate what you envision.
Form small groups and discuss the issues affecting the Ganga basin. Prepare a presentation proposing your solutions and their rationale (your reasons). Share and discuss in class. Your teacher will guide you in this exercise.
Looking at the crops listed in the section 'Echoes from the Past', which ones do you find in use in your home? What conclusion can you draw from your observations?
Create a list of the foods you typically eat. Identify the grains, pulses, oils, vegetables, and fruits in them. Now locate where you live on a physical map of India. Which of the food items do you think grow in and around where you live? What do you think are the reasons that they are cultivated in your region? Which of them comes from other places? Why do you think they are not grown in your area?
Imagine that your state received less than normal monsoon rains for two consecutive years. Which items are likely to disappear from your meals, or are likely to become difficult to access?
Prepare a list of the crops that are cultivated in your state or union territory in a year and classify them into kharif, rabi, and zaid.
Why do you think this statement was made? "A good rainy season is one when one-third of the annual rainfall occurs at the beginning (Śhrāvaṇa — July-August) and at the end of the season (Kārtika — October-November), and two-thirds in the middle (Prauṣhṭhapada — August-September and Āśhvayuja — September-October)." (Hint: Did it have anything to do with the crop cycle?)
Try to name at least two states in each of the zones mentioned above.
Which type of soil is predominantly found in your state or union territory?
Soils tell us stories about places — what might have happened over thousands of years during which the soils were being formed. Take a few samples of soil from your neighbourhood. Look carefully at them. (Examine the soil using a magnifying glass or microscope if you have access to either.) What do the samples consist of? What might be the origins of the soil? Are there signs of human activity that you notice? What might happen to the soil over time on account of this?
Take up a small group project. Identify the types of vegetables, fruits, and trees that grow in the different soil types.
Create a family food flowchart that connects your favourite dishes to the different crops they are prepared from and the corresponding soil types in which they are cultivated.
Identify modern agricultural solutions inspired by traditional practices (for example, neem-based practices).