Important Questions Class 8 Social Science Resources and Development Chapter 4

Important Questions Class 8 Social Science Resources and Development Chapter 4

Geography is the study of the physical characteristics and environment of the planet, including the effects of human activities on these elements and the inverse relationship. The study of trends in the distribution of the human population, land usage, resource availability, and industry is also included in this field. The fourth chapter of Class 8 Social Science Resources and Development is Agriculture. Growing crops, fruits, vegetables, and flowers, and raising livestock make up the main activity of agriculture. In 2016, it accounted for 23% of the GDP and employed 59% of the nation’s workers. With 82 per cent of farmers being small and marginal, agriculture still provides the main source of income for over 70 per cent of rural families. The Ministry of Agriculture has been given Rs 1,30,485 crore from the Union Budget for the 2019–20 fiscal year. Chapter 4 Class 8 Social Science Resources and Development Important Questions provides further information on the importance of agriculture for students. Students can easily access all this and more on the Extramarks website.

Time and time again, diverse sources have clarified Geography. Students may find it challenging to memorise altogether. We at Extramarks understand the importance of solving the important questions for a chapter. Extramarks experts have put together Social Science Resources and Development Class 8 Chapter 4 Important Questions using the NCERT Textbook, NCERT Exemplar, other reference books, past exam questions, and other sources. Our history specialists have created a list of step-by-step answers to help students comprehend each chapter. The Class 8 Social Science Resources and Development Chapter 4 Important Questions are available to students who register with Extramarks.

Along with Important Questions Class 8 Social Science Resources and Development Chapter 4, students can access a repository of materials like NCERT Solutions, CBSE revision notes, past year question papers, NCERT books, and much more can be found easily on the Extramarks website.

Important Questions Class 8 Social Science Resources and Development Chapter 4- with Solutions

Social Science faculty of Extramarks have presented an entire list of Important Questions Class 8 Social Science Resources and Development Chapter 4 from various sources. Agriculture’s primary activity is growing grains, fruits, vegetables, flowers, and rearing cattle. It contributed 23% to the GDP and employed 59% of all workers in the country in 2016. Over 70% of rural families still rely on agriculture as their primary source of income, even though 82 per cent of farmers are small and marginal farmers. For the 2019–20 fiscal year, the Union Budget has allocated Rs 1,30,485 crore to the Ministry of Agriculture. These questions and solutions help students better comprehend the concepts explained in Agriculture. 

Following are some of the Important Questions Class 8 Social Science Resources and Development Chapter 4 and their solutions:

Question 1. Name the fibre crops and name the climatic conditions required for their growth.

Answer 1.  Fibre crops include cotton and jute. High temperatures, ample quantities of rain, and high humidity are the climatic conditions required for the growth of jute. Similar conditions must exist for cotton to thrive, including high temperatures, light precipitation, and bright sunlight.

Question 2. Distinguish between American and Indian farmers’ lifestyles.

Answer 2. The differences are as follows:

  • Unlike American farmers, Indian farmers do not have any other sources of income than agriculture.
  • The land that Indian farmers own is far less than that of American farmers.
  • Indian farmers must put forth more effort to produce the same food as their American counterparts since they have less access to agricultural technology than farmers in the United States.

Question 3. What is agriculture?

Answer 3. Growing crops, vegetables, fruits, and flowers, and raising livestock all fall under the broad category of agriculture. Given that it is involved in producing and exploiting natural resources, agriculture is a primary activity.

Question 4. Why is agriculture India’s major source of income?

Answer 4. India has a sizable area of extremely fertile land, making agriculture an important industry. It accounts for a quarter of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).India’s economy relied heavily on agriculture for a very long period. It’s the largest source of livelihood in India and nearly 70% of the rural household depend on it.Large-scale manufacturing is necessary since India is a densely populated nation with a strong need for food grains and it ensures the country’s food security. India has excellent climatic conditions for agriculture which support grain production. Agriculture is, therefore, the most significant activity.

Question 5. What is plantation agriculture?

Answer 5. Single crops of tea, coffee, sugarcane, cashew, rubber, bananas, or cotton are cultivated on plantations, a kind of commercial farming. It requires a lot of capital and cash. Produce could be prepared on the farm or in close-by industries. Thus, the creation of a transportation network is crucial for such farming. Major plantations may be found across the world’s tropical areas. Examples include rubber in Malaysia, coffee in Brazil, tea in India, and Sri Lanka.

Question 6. Describe the fibre crops.

Answer 6. Crops were grown for their fibres—which may be used to manufacture paper, textiles, rope, and other products—are known as fibre crops. Cordage fibre, textile fibre, and filler fibre are the three main categories of fibre crops. Just two examples of these fibre crops are cotton and jute. High temperatures, moderate precipitation, and direct sunshine are ideal for cotton growth. Contrarily, jute needs hot temperatures, plenty of rain, and high humidity to grow.

Question 7. What is shifting cultivation? What are its disadvantages?

Answer 7. Slash-and-burn cultivation is another name for shifting cultivation. It is a method of farming that entails chopping down and burning trees to clear a piece of land. The soil is then treated with ashes before planting crops. The land is left fallow after the soil loses its fertility. After that, the farmers relocate to a new place. The drawbacks of shifting cultivation include:

  • Deforestation
  • Loss of soil fertility.
  • Leads to soil erosion.
  • Burning of trees causes air pollution.
  • Inadequate crop production compared to the size of the population.

Question 8. What are the primary activities?

Answer 8. Utilising natural resources for harvesting and other primary operations that don’t need considerable processing. Tertiary activities are defined as those that support primary and secondary activities.

Question 9. Give reasons.

  • In India agriculture is a primary activity.
  • Different crops are grown in different regions.

Answer 9. The reasons for the above statements are:

  1. Because of the fertile terrain many Indian regions enjoy, agriculture is a major occupation. The Indian populace is still largely dependent on agriculture. This is mostly due to low literacy rates among the populace. India, a nation with a high population density, therefore has to produce a lot of food to meet the demands of its citizens.
  2. As a result of elements including favourable soil topography, product demand, type of climate, the quantity of rainfall, technology, and labour, various crops are cultivated in different places.

Question 10. Distinguish between the following:

  • Primary activities and tertiary activities
  • Subsistence farming and intensive farming

Answer 10. The differences are as follows:

  1. Fishing, farming, and mining are examples of primary activities, whereas transportation, banking, and other tertiary activities help primary and secondary sectors in carrying out their operations. Primary activities also include the creation and exploitation of natural resources.
  2. The farmer engages in subsistence farming to provide for his family’s necessities. Crops are grown primarily for individual consumption. Low-tech processes and domestic labour are used to provide a meagre product. In intensive subsistence agriculture, the farmer uses basic tools and more labour to produce a small land area. This kind of farm grows rice, wheat, maise, pulses, and oilseeds, among other crops. Intensive subsistence agriculture is common in the densely inhabited areas of monsoon regions. .

Question 11. What is farming for subsistence? Describe its classifications in brief.

Answer 11. To provide for the requirements of the farmer’s family, subsistence farming is practised. Low levels of technology and domestic labour have historically been employed to create little amounts of production often without any surplus for sale. Intensive and primitive subsistence farming are different categories of subsistence farming.

Intensive subsistence farming: In this farming method, a tiny piece of land is farmed using basic tools and a lot of manual labour. More than one crop may be grown annually on the same plot, thanks to a climate with plenty of sunny days and good soils. The principal crop is rice. Wheat, maise, pulses, and oilseeds are examples of other crops.

In the densely inhabited areas of the monsoon regions of south, southeast, and east Asia, intensive subsistence agriculture is common.

Primitive subsistence farming comprises both nomadic herding and shifting agriculture.

In the heavily wooded regions of the Amazon basin, tropical Africa, parts of Southeast Asia, and northeast India, shifting agriculture is practised. These are the regions with high rainfall and rapid vegetation regrowth. A piece of land is cleared by cutting down and burning trees.

The soil is then treated with the ashes before being used to plant crops, including maise, yams, potatoes, and cassava. The field is abandoned, and the cultivator relocates to a new plot whenever the soil loses fertility. Shifting agriculture is frequently referred to as “slash and burn ” farming.

Nomadic herding is a practice that is common in the Sahara, Central Asia, and several regions of India, including Rajasthan and Jammu & Kashmir. Herders go along predetermined paths with their livestock in search of food and water in this style of farming.

This kind of mobility develops in response to the terrain and climatic restrictions. The most prevalent animals raised are sheep, camels, yaks, and goats. They give the herders’ families milk, meat, wool skins, and other goods.

In the above section of Important Questions Class 8 Social Science Resources and Development Chapter 4, all the chapter’s important concepts are covered.

Benefits of Solving Important Questions Class 8 Social Science Resources and Development Chapter 4

Extramarks is aware of the problems students face while learning various subjects and the in-house subject experts know how important it is to answer important questions accurately. As a result, we have developed Important Questions Class 8 Social Science Resources and Development Chapter 4. Students are often recommended to study important questions for a subject like Geography that requires a significant amount of reading. Students gather confidence by answering the important questions and going over their solutions.

Following are some benefits of solving Important Questions Class 8 Social Science Resources and Development Chapter 4:

  • Students can rely upon these important questions as these are made following the guidelines laid by CBSE and they follow the NCERT book. If they ever get stuck on a question, they can always refer to the important questions for clear understanding.
  • Important Questions Class 8 Social Science Resources and Development Chapter 4 covers the concepts of the entire chapter- Agriculture. The subject experts have restructured the information into different formats to enable a smooth and deep learning experience so that students need not look elsewhere to supplement their studies to better their performance.
  • These solutions help students save time while preparing for upcoming tests and examinations. They are authentic and reliable since they are prepared by subject matter experts with years of experience to encourage and guide students through their learning experience.

Extramarks provides comprehensive learning solutions for students from Class 1 to Class 12. Along with important questions and solutions, we have abundant resources available on our website. Students can click on the links given below to access some of these resources:

  • NCERT books
  • CBSE Revision Notes
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  • Important formulas 
  • CBSE extra questions

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

1. What is covered in Chapter 4 of the geography textbook for Class 8?

Agriculture is the name of Class 8 Chapter 4  Geography. The chapter provides a straightforward explanation of what agriculture involves. The chapter discusses a variety of agricultural practices, including commercial farming, mixed farming, and subsistence farming in all of their forms. It clarifies what a plantation is and helps us understand the environmental factors necessary for cultivating various crops. To gain a deeper understanding of the chapter, refer to Extramarks Important Questions Class 8 Social Science Resources and Development Chapter 4.

2. What do you know about the development of agriculture?

It is essential to boost and stabilise the productivity of our agriculture sector in a nation where more than 50% of the workforce works in the primary sector and is the second-most populous nation in the world. To increase agricultural yield per acre, agriculture development uses various innovative methods and technology, including better irrigation systems, fertilisers, and HYV seeds. The improvement and assurance of food security is the goal of agriculture development.