Class 6 | Geography | Chapter 4 - Types of Agriculture | Questions and Answers


D. Differentiate between the following:

1. Pisciculture and viticulture 

Pisciculture - The breeding, rearing and transplantation of fish by artificial means is called pisciculture, in other words, fish farming. 

It involves raising fish commercially in tanks or enclosures, usually for food. 

Fish species raised by fish farms include salmon, catfish, tilapia and cod.


Viticulture - Viticulture (cultivation of grapes) is widely practiced in France, Italy and Spain (in Europe) and other Mediterranean countries. 

The well irrigated lands of California (in USA) produce olives, grapes, figs, oranges, prunes and apricots commercially for canning, juice and wine production.


2. Intensive and extensive farming

Intensive farming - It is a system of cultivation using large amounts of labour and capital, relative to land area. 

Large amounts of labour and capital are necessary to the application of fertilizers, insecticides, fungicides, and herbicides for growing crops, and capital is particularly important for the acquisition and maintenance of high-efficiency machinery for planting, cultivating, and harvesting, as well as irrigation equipment. 

This type of farming is typically characterised by small land holdings and plenty of labour to work in the field.

Extensive farming - It is a system of crop cultivation using small amounts of labour and capital in relation to area of land being farmed. 

The crop yield is extensive and agriculture depends primarily on the natural fertility of the soil, the terrain, the climate, and the availability of water.

 Because extensive agriculture produces a lower yield per unit of land, its use commercially requires large quantities of land in order to be profitable.


3. Subsistence and commercial farming

Subsistence farming - It is a self-sufficient farming system in which the farmers focus on growing enough food to feed themselves and their entire families. 

The output is mostly for local requirements with little or no surplus trade. 


Commercial farming - Commercial agriculture is a large-scale production of crops for sale, intended for widespread distribution to wholesalers or retail outlets.

 It is achieving higher profits through economies of scale, specialization, introduction of capital-intensive farming techniques, labour-saving technologies, and maximisation of crop yields per hectare through synthetic and natural resources.


4. Sericulture and horticulture

Sericulture - It is the rearing of silkworms for the production of silk. Bombyx mori is the most widely used and intensively studied silkworm. 

Sericulture has become an important cottage industries in countries such as Brazil, China, France, India, Italy, Japan, Korea, and Russia. 

It is also known as silk farming.


Horticulture - The production of fruits and flowers is called horticulture.

Those are also produced to meet the needs of the people living in cities. 

The fast and efficient system of transport has encouraged horticulture in many areas of Europe and North America.


E. Answer the questions in about 20-30 words.

1. Define agriculture. What are the two main types of agriculture?

Ans: Agriculture refers to the cultivation of a field. Agriculture includes a range of activities like growing different types of crops, rearing animals for dairy and meant products, poultry farming, and rearing fish. The two main types of agriculture are:  subsistence farming and commercial farming.

2. Why is shifting agriculture a wasteful method of cultivation?

Ans: Shifting agriculture has frequently been attacked in principle because it degrades the fertility of forestlands of tropical regions. It is a wasteful method because it involves felling of trees and burning of forestlands.

3. What is plantation farming? Give examples.

Ans: Plantations are a type of commercial farming system where single crop of tea, coffee, sugarcane, cashew, rubber, banana or cotton are grown. Large amount of labour and capital are required. The produce may be processed on the farm itself or in nearby factories. The development of a transport network is essential for such farming. Major plantations are found in the tropical regions of the world-Rubber in Malaysia, coffee in Brazil, tea in India and Sri Lanka..

4. What is horticulture? Where is it practiced?

Ans: The production of fruits and flowers is called horticulture. These are produced to meet the needs of the people living in cities. The fast and efficient system of transport has encouraged horticulture in many areas of Europe and North America.

5. What is Amul? Why was it found?

Ans: Amul, started in 1946 is a dairy cooperative movement in India, now managed by Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd, spurred the White Revolution in India. Amul was founded in 1946 in Anand, Gujarat with a mission to stop the exploitation of the farmers by middlemen.