This document summarizes key concepts about agriculture from a grade 8 social science textbook. It discusses the three types of economic activities - primary, secondary, and tertiary - and describes agriculture as a primary activity. It then covers different types of farming including subsistence, commercial, plantation, and mixed. Major crops grown around the world are also outlined such as rice, wheat, maize, millet, cotton, jute, coffee, and tea. The document concludes with a brief discussion of agricultural development and two case studies on farms in India and the USA.

1. Grade – 8
Social Science
Geography Chapter – 4

2. Agriculture
• Agriculture describes the
practice of growing crops or
raising animals.
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3. The transformation from a plant to a
finished product involves three types of
economic activities- They are as below.
Primary Secondary Tertiary

4. Secondary activities- the
processing of these
resources. Examples-
Manufacturing of steel,
baking of bread and
weaving of cloth.
Primary activities include
the extraction and
production of natural
resources. Examples-
Agriculture, fishing and
gathering.
Tertiary activities-provide
Agriculture is a primary
activity. Favourable
topography of soil and
climate are vital for
agricultural activity.
support to the primary and
secondary sectors through
services. Examples-
Transport, trade, banking,
insurance and advertising.
The land on which the crops are grown is known as arable land.

5. World Distribution of Arable Land

6. Culture
Pisci Breeding of fish
Horti Growing of vegetables, flowers and
fruits
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• Agriculture
Agri raising crops and rearing livestock
• Sericulture
Seri rearing of silk worms and silk production
• Pisciculture
• Viticulture
Viti Cultivation of grapes
• Horticulture
Different types of Culture

7. Farm System
• Agriculture or farming is a system in which
seeds, fertilizers, machinery, and labour are
important inputs.
Ploughing, sowing, irrigation, weeding, and
harvesting are some of the operations.
The outputs from the system include crops,
dairy, wool and poultry products.
Farming includes the rearing of crops as well
animals.
•
•
• as
• Farming removes the concern of farmers of bad
crops and crop loss as well.

8. Farm System

9. Types of Farming
• Farming depends upon the geographical
conditions, demand of produce, labour and
level of technology.
• Subsistence farming and commercial
farming.
farming
are the two types of

10. Subsistence farming- classified as intensive
subsistence and primitive subsistence farming.
Subsistence
farming
Intensive
subsistence
agriculture
Primitive
subsistence
agriculture
The farmer cultivates a
The type of farming
is practised to meet
the needs of the
farmer’s family.
Includes shifting
cultivation and
small plot of land using
simple tools and more
labour. Climate with a
large number of days
with sunshine and
fertile soils permit
growing of more than
one crop annually on
the same plot.
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nomadic herding.

11. Primitive subsistence agriculture
Shifting Cultivation
A plot of land is cleared
by felling the trees and
burning them.
The ashes are then mixed
with the soil and crops are
grown.
After the soil loses its
fertility, the land is
abandoned and the
cultivator moves to a new
plot.
Shifting cultivation is also
known as ‘slash and burn’
Agriculture.
Nomadic Herding
Herdsmen move from
place to place with their
animals for fodder and
water, along defined
routes.
This type of movement
arises in response to
climatic constraints and
terrain.

12. Shifting Cultivation– maize, yam,
potatoes and cassava
Nomadic Herding-Sheep, camel,
Main
Crop
Other
Crops
yak and goats are most commonly
reared. They provide milk, meat,
wool, hides and other products to
the herders and their families.
Rice
Wheat, maize,
pulses and
oilseeds
Shifting Cultivation-practised in the
Prevalent in the
thickly populated
areas of the
monsoon regions
of the south,
South east and
east Asia.
thickly forested areas ofAmazon
basin, tropicalAfrica, parts of
SoutheastAsia and Northeast India.
Nomadic Herding– practised in the
Areas
semi-arid and arid regions of
Sahara, CentralAsia and some parts
of India, like Rajasthan and Jammu
and Kashmir.

13. Commercial Farming
Crops are grown and animals are
reared for sale in market. The large
area is cultivated and a large amount
of capital is used. Work is done by
machines.

14. Commercial
Farming
Commercial Mixed
farming
Plantation
agriculturegrain farming

15. Commercial Grain Farming
Crops are grown for commercial purposes.
These areas are sparsely populated with large
farms spreading over hundreds of hectares.
Severe winters restrict the growing season
and only a single crop can be grown.
Crops : Wheat and maize.•
• Areas : Temperate grasslands of North
America, Europe and Asia.
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16. Mixed Farming
• The land is used for growing food and fodder
crops and rearing livestock
• Practiced in Europe, eastern USA, Argentina,
southeast
Africa
Australia, New Zealand and South
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17. Plantation Agriculture
A type of commercial farming where a single
crop is grown. Large amount of labour and
capital are required.
The produce may be processed on the farm
itself or in nearby factories. The development
a transport network is thus essential for such
farming.
of
• Crops : Tea, coffee, sugarcane, cashew, rubber,
banana or cotton
Areas : Major plantations found in the tropical•
regions of the world. Rubber in Malaysia, coffee
in Brazil, tea in India and Sri Lanka
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18. Major Crops
Major food crops– wheat, rice, maize and
millets.
Important beverage crops- tea and coffee
Fibre Crops – Cotton and Jute

19. Rice
Rice- the staple diet of the
tropical and sub-tropical
regions-
needs high temperature,
high humidity and rainfall-
grows best in alluvial clayey soil,
retain water-
which can
Leading producers of rice are China, followed
by India, Japan, Sri Lanka and Egypt-
In favourable climatic conditions like West
Bengal and Bangladesh 2 to 3 crops are grown
in a year.

20. Wheat
Wheat– requires moderate temperature and
rainfall during the growing season-
bright sunshine at the time of harvest-
thrives best in well-drained loamy soil-
grown extensively in USA, Canada, Argentina,




Russia, Ukraine,
winter in India.
Australia and India- grown in

21. Millets
Millets– known as coarse grains.
Can be grown on less fertile and sandy soils-
•
•
• A hardy crop that needs low rainfall and
to moderate temperature and adequate
rainfall-
Jowar, bajra and ragi are grown in India-
Also in Nigeria, China and Niger.
high
•
•
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22. Maize
• Maize-requires moderate
temperature, rainfall and
lots of sunshine.
needs well-drained fertile
soils.
grown in North America,
Brazil, China, Russia,
•
•
Canada, India, and Mexico.
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23. Cotton
Cotton– requires high
temperature, light rainfall,
210 frost-free days and bright
sunshine to grow-
grows best on black and alluvial
soils-
Leading producers of cotton are
China, USA, India, Pakistan, Brazil
and Egypt-main raw materials for
the cotton textile industry.
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24. e
Jute
• Jute-known as the ‘Golden
Fibre’
Grows well on alluvial soil
Requires high temperature,
heavy rainfall and humid
climate.
Grown in the tropical areas
•
•
•
• Leading producers of Jute ar
India and Bangladesh.
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25. Coffee
Coffee– requires a warm
and wet climate and well
drained loamy soil
Hill slopes are more
suitable for the growth
crop
Leading producers are
Brazil followed by
Columbia and India.
of
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26. Tea
Tea– a beverage crop grown on
plantations.
Requires cool climate and well
Distributed high rainfall
throughout the year for the
growth of its tender leaves
Needs well-drained loamy soils
and gentle slopes
Kenya, India, China, Sri Lanka
produce the best quality tea in
the world.
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27. Agricultural Development
 Efforts made to increase farm production in order to meet the
growing demand of the increasing population-
 Achieved in many ways such as increasing the cropped area,
the number of crops grown, improving irrigation facilities, use of
fertilisers and high yielding variety of seeds.
 Ultimate aim of agricultural development is to increase food
security.
 Developing countries with large populations practice intensive
agriculture where crops are grown on small holdings mostly for
subsistence .
 Larger holdings are popular for commercial agriculture in
different countries.

28. We have two case studies
based on ‘Farm in India’ and
‘Farm in USA’ that we are
going to discuss in the Live
Classes for deep study.
Case Studies

29. Farm In India
Farm In USA

30. Navya Rai