Improvement In Food Resources

Hello students, welcome to today's science lesson. I'm so happy to see you all here ready to learn something new and important today. Today we are going to study Chapter 12 from your Science textbook, and this chapter is called "Improvement in Food Resources". This is a very practical and relevant chapter that connects directly to our daily lives and to the world around us. So let's begin, shall we?

Now students, think about this - what do all living organisms need? Yes, that's right - food. Every living thing needs food to survive. Food gives us energy and nutrients that our bodies need for development, growth, and good health. We get our food from two major sources - plants and animals. We call this agriculture and animal husbandry. You must have seen farmers working in fields, and you must have seen cows, buffaloes, and chickens around your homes. All of these are connected to our food resources.

Now students, let me ask you something. Have you ever wondered why newspapers and television always talk about improving agricultural production? Why can't we just be satisfied with what we are producing right now? Let me explain this to you. India is a very populous country. Our population is more than one billion people, and it is still growing. Just think about that - more than one billion people need food every single day! As our population grows, we will soon need more than a quarter of a billion tonnes of grain every year just to feed everyone. That's an enormous amount of food!

Now, one way to produce more food would be to farm on more land. But students, here's the problem - India is already using most of its land for farming. Our land is already intensively cultivated, which means we are already farming as much land as we reasonably can. So we don't have much scope to simply expand the area of land under cultivation. What does this mean? It means we need to increase our production efficiency. We need to produce more from the same amount of land. This is why improving food resources is so important.

Students, you might have heard about the Green Revolution and the White Revolution in India. The Green Revolution helped increase our food-grain production significantly, and the White Revolution improved milk production and availability. These were very important achievements for our country. However, students, we must also understand that using our natural resources more intensively can cause problems. When we use our land, water, and other resources very heavily, there is a risk of damaging the environment and disturbing the natural balance. This is why we need to think about sustainable practices - ways of producing food that don't harm our environment in the long run.

Now students, there's another important aspect we need to consider. Simply producing more grain and storing it in warehouses is not enough to solve the problem of hunger and malnutrition. People also need money to be able to buy food. This is what we call food security - it depends both on the availability of food and on people's ability to access it. Since most of our population depends on agriculture for their livelihood, increasing the incomes of farmers and people working in agriculture is very important to combat hunger.

For sustained livelihood, farmers can undertake mixed farming, which means combining agriculture with livestock, poultry, fisheries, or bee-keeping. They can also practice intercropping and integrated farming. All these methods help farmers have multiple sources of income and make their farming more sustainable.

So the big question is - how do we actually increase the yields of crops and livestock? That's exactly what this chapter will teach us. Let's start with crops first.

## 12.1 Improvement in Crop Yields

Students, different crops give us different nutrients. Let me explain this to you. Cereals like wheat, rice, maize, millets, and sorghum provide us with carbohydrates, which give us energy. Pulses like gram (chana), pea (matar), black gram (urad), green gram (moong), pigeon pea (arhar), and lentil (masoor) provide us with proteins. Oil seeds like soybean, groundnut, sesame, castor, mustard, linseed, and sunflower provide us with necessary fats. Vegetables, spices, and fruits give us a range of vitamins and minerals, along with small amounts of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. And students, we also grow fodder crops like berseem, oats, and sudan grass, which are used as food for our livestock.

Now students, you should also know that in India, crops are grown in different seasons. We have the kharif season from June to October, and the rabi season from November to April. Paddy, soybean, pigeon pea, maize, cotton, green gram, and black gram are kharif crops. Wheat, gram, peas, mustard, and linseed are rabi crops. This seasonal pattern is very important for farmers to plan their agricultural activities.

Now here's something really interesting, students. In India, from 1952 to 2010, the production of food grains increased by four times! And this was achieved with only a 25% increase in the cultivable land area. Isn't that remarkable? So how was this possible? Let me explain.

If we think about the practices involved in farming, we can see that they can be divided into three main stages. The first is the choice of seeds for planting - selecting the right seeds is very important. The second is the nurturing of the crop plants - giving them proper care, nutrients, and water. The third is protecting the growing and harvested crops from loss - saving them from weeds, pests, and diseases. So the major groups of activities for improving crop yields are: crop variety improvement, crop production improvement, and crop protection management. Let's study each of these in detail.

### 12.1.1 Crop Variety Improvement

Students, crop variety improvement is all about finding or creating crop varieties that can give good yields. Now, what do we mean by variety? A variety is basically a specific type of crop that has certain characteristics. For example, there are many varieties of rice - some give more grain, some are resistant to certain diseases, some can grow with less water, and so on.

Varieties or strains of crops can be selected by breeding for various useful characteristics. These characteristics include disease resistance, which means the crop can fight off diseases better; response to fertilizers, which means the crop can make good use of nutrients we add to the soil; product quality, which means the crop produces better tasting or more nutritious produce; and of course, high yields, which means more produce from the same amount of land.

One way to incorporate desirable characters into crop varieties is through a process called hybridisation. Students, hybridisation refers to crossing between genetically dissimilar plants. This means taking pollen from one plant and using it to fertilize a different plant to create a new variety that has characteristics from both parent plants. This crossing can be of different types. Intervarietal crossing is between different varieties of the same species. Interspecific crossing is between two different species of the same genus. And intergeneric crossing is between different genera. Each type of crossing has its own advantages and is used depending on what characteristics we want to introduce.

Another way of improving crops is by genetic engineering. This involves introducing a gene that would provide the desired characteristic into the plant. This results in genetically modified crops, which we often call GM crops. You might have heard about BT cotton, which is a genetically modified crop that is resistant to certain pests.

Now students, for new varieties of crops to be accepted by farmers, it is necessary that the variety produces high yields under different conditions that are found in different areas. Different parts of our country have different climates, different soil types, and different water availability. So a good variety should be able to grow well in various conditions. Also, farmers need to be provided with good quality seeds - seeds that are all of the same variety and that germinate well under the same conditions.

Now, let me tell you about the various factors for which variety improvement is done. This is important, so pay attention!

The first factor is higher yield. Obviously, we want to increase the productivity of the crop per acre. The more grain or produce we get from each piece of land, the better.

The second factor is improved quality. Quality considerations vary from crop to crop. For example, baking quality is important in wheat - we want wheat that makes good bread and roti. Protein quality is important in pulses - we want pulses that are nutritious. Oil quality is important in oilseeds - we want oil that is healthy and tastes good. And preserving quality is important in fruits and vegetables - we want produce that stays fresh longer.

The third factor is biotic and abiotic resistance. Students, biotic factors are living things that can harm crops - like diseases caused by bacteria, fungi, and viruses, insects, and nematodes which are tiny worms. Abiotic factors are non-living things that can harm crops - like drought, which means not enough water; salinity, which means too much salt in the soil; water logging, which means too much water in the soil; heat, cold, and frost. So varieties that are resistant to these stresses can help improve crop production even in difficult conditions.

The fourth factor is change in maturity duration. Students, the shorter the duration of the crop from sowing to harvesting, the more economical it is for the farmer. Short duration varieties allow farmers to grow multiple rounds of crops in a year. This means more income for the farmer. Short duration also reduces the cost of crop production because the farmer spends less on maintaining the crop. And when crops mature uniformly, or all at the same time, the harvesting process becomes easy and reduces losses during harvesting.

The fifth factor is wider adaptability. Developing varieties that can grow in different environmental conditions helps stabilize crop production. One variety can then be grown under different climatic conditions in different areas. This is very useful for food security.

The sixth factor is desirable agronomic characteristics. This means developing varieties with specific physical traits that are useful. For example, tallness and profuse branching are desirable characters for fodder crops - we want more leaves and stems for cattle to eat. On the other hand, dwarfness is desired in cereals like wheat and rice. Why? Because dwarf varieties use less nutrients to grow stems and leaves, and instead put more energy into producing grain. So developing varieties with desired agronomic characters helps give higher productivity.

So students, to summarize what we just learned - crop variety improvement is about developing new and better varieties of crops through hybridisation or genetic engineering, focusing on higher yield, better quality, resistance to stresses, shorter maturity duration, wider adaptability, and desirable physical characteristics.

Now let's move on to the next major topic.

### 12.1.2 Crop Production Management

Students, in India, farming ranges from small farms to very large farms. Different farmers have different amounts of land, money, and access to information and technologies. It's the money or financial conditions that allow farmers to take up different farming practices and agricultural technologies. There is a clear correlation between higher inputs and higher yields. So the farmer's purchasing capacity for inputs decides what kind of cropping system and production practices they can use.

Therefore, students, production practices can be at different levels. They include no cost production, which uses traditional methods without buying any inputs; low cost production, which uses some affordable inputs; and high cost production, which uses modern technologies and purchased inputs. Let's now look at the specific aspects of crop production management.

#### 12.1.2 (i) Nutrient Management

Students, just as we need food for development, growth, and well-being, plants also require nutrients for growth. Nutrients are supplied to plants by air, water, and soil. Let me explain this in detail.

Air supplies carbon and oxygen to plants. Plants take in carbon dioxide from the air and use it for photosynthesis. Water supplies hydrogen and oxygen - water molecules contain hydrogen and oxygen, which plants use in various processes. And soil supplies the other thirteen nutrients that plants need.

Now, among these nutrients, some are required in large quantities by plants. These are called macro-nutrients. The word "macro" means large, so these are nutrients that plants need a lot of. The macro-nutrients are nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and sulphur. The other nutrients are used by plants in small quantities, and these are called micro-nutrients. The word "micro" means small. The micro-nutrients are iron, manganese, boron, zinc, copper, molybdenum, and chlorine.

So students, to answer the first question - what are macro-nutrients and why are they called macro-nutrients? Macro-nutrients are the nutrients that plants require in large quantities for their growth and development. They are called macro-nutrients because the word "macro" means large, and these nutrients are needed in larger amounts compared to micro-nutrients.

And to answer the second question - how do plants get nutrients? Plants get nutrients from air, water, and soil. Carbon and oxygen come from air, hydrogen and oxygen come from water, and the remaining thirteen nutrients come from the soil.

Now students, deficiency of these nutrients affects physiological processes in plants. This includes reproduction, growth, and susceptibility to diseases. When plants don't get enough of a particular nutrient, they show deficiency symptoms. For example, if a plant doesn't get enough nitrogen, its leaves may turn yellow. If it doesn't get enough phosphorus, its growth may be stunted. To increase the yield, the soil can be enriched by supplying these nutrients in the form of manure and fertilizers. This is what we call nutrient management.

Now let's talk about manure. Students, manure contains large quantities of organic matter and also supplies small quantities of nutrients to the soil. Manure is prepared by the decomposition of animal excreta and plant waste. When animals eat plants and other materials, their waste contains nutrients that can be broken down and used again. Similarly, plant waste like leaves, stems, and roots can be decomposed to form manure.

Manure helps in enriching soil with nutrients and organic matter and increases soil fertility. The bulk of organic matter in manure helps in improving the soil structure. In sandy soils, which have large particles and drain water very quickly, organic matter helps increase the water holding capacity. In clayey soils, which have very small particles and tend to hold too much water, the large quantities of organic matter help in drainage and in avoiding water logging. So manure improves the soil physical properties in different ways depending on the soil type.

Now, using manure is also advantageous for protecting our environment. When we use biological waste material, we are recycling farm waste instead of letting it pile up or burn it. This reduces pollution and is good for the environment. Using manure also reduces our dependence on chemical fertilizers, which can have negative environmental effects.

Based on the kind of biological material used, manure can be classified into different types. Let me explain.

The first type is compost and vermi-compost. Students, the process in which farm waste material like livestock excreta (cow dung, etc.), vegetable waste, animal refuse, domestic waste, sewage waste, straw, eradicated weeds, and so on is decomposed in pits is known as composting. The compost is rich in organic matter and nutrients. Compost can also be prepared by using earthworms to hasten the process of decomposition of plant and animal refuse. This is called vermi-compost. Earthworms are sometimes called farmers' friends because they help break down organic matter quickly and their castings are very rich in nutrients.

The second type is green manure. Students, before the sowing of the crop seeds, some plants like sun hemp or guar are grown and then mulched by ploughing them into the soil. These green plants thus turn into green manure. This helps in enriching the soil in nitrogen and phosphorus. Green manure plants are often leguminous plants, which have the special ability to fix nitrogen from the air and add it to the soil. This is very beneficial for the next crop.

Now let's talk about fertilizers. Students, fertilizers are commercially produced plant nutrients. They are manufactured in factories and contain specific amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. These are the three primary nutrients that plants need in the largest quantities, which is why fertilizers are often called NPK fertilizers.

Fertilizers supply nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. They are used to ensure good vegetative growth, which means healthy leaves, branches, and flowers, giving rise to healthy plants that produce more grain or fruit. Fertilizers are a major factor in the higher yields of high-cost farming. When farmers use fertilizers along with good seeds, irrigation, and pest control, they can get much higher yields than traditional farming methods.

However, students, fertilizers should be applied carefully. They should be used in the proper dose, at the right time, and with proper precautions before and after application. For example, sometimes fertilizers get washed away due to excessive irrigation and are not fully absorbed by the plants. This excess fertilizer then leads to water pollution, as the chemicals can run off into rivers and lakes, causing harm to aquatic life.

Also, as we learned in previous classes, continuous use of fertilizers in an area can destroy soil fertility. This happens because the organic matter in the soil is not replenished, and micro-organisms in the soil are harmed by the fertilizers used. These soil micro-organisms are important for soil health because they help break down organic matter and make nutrients available to plants. When we use too many fertilizers, we kill these helpful organisms.

So students, there's a balance we need to maintain. The short-term benefits of using fertilizers and the long-term benefits of using manure for maintaining soil fertility have to be considered while aiming for optimum yields in crop production. This is why many farmers use a combination of both manure and fertilizers.

Now students, let me answer the question about comparing the use of manure and fertilizers in maintaining soil fertility.

Manure and fertilizers both add nutrients to the soil, but they have different effects. Manure contains organic matter, which improves soil structure, increases water holding capacity, and promotes the growth of beneficial soil microorganisms. However, the nutrient content in manure is relatively low and variable. On the other hand, fertilizers have a high concentration of specific nutrients and can quickly address nutrient deficiencies. However, they don't add organic matter to the soil and can harm soil microorganisms if used excessively. Therefore, for long-term soil fertility, using manure is beneficial because it maintains soil health and structure. For short-term and quick nutrient supply, fertilizers are useful. The best approach is to use both in combination - manure for maintaining soil health and structure, and fertilizers for meeting the immediate nutrient requirements of crops.

Now students, there's something called organic farming that you should know about. Organic farming is a farming system with minimal or no use of chemicals as fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, and so on. Instead, it uses maximum input of organic manures, recycled farm wastes like straw and livestock excreta, and bio-agents such as culture of blue green algae in preparation of biofertilizers. Organic farming also uses neem leaves or turmeric specifically in grain storage as bio-pesticides. And it promotes healthy cropping systems like mixed cropping, inter-cropping, and crop rotation, which we'll study shortly. These cropping systems are beneficial in insect, pest, and weed control besides providing nutrients.

Now let's move on to the next topic - irrigation.

#### 12.1.2 (ii) Irrigation

Students, most agriculture in India is rain-fed, which means the success of crops in most areas is dependent on timely monsoons and sufficient rainfall spread through most of the growing season. The monsoon season is crucial for Indian agriculture. If the monsoons are late or inadequate, crops can fail, leading to drought and hardship for farmers. Ensuring that the crops get water at the right stages during their growing season can increase the expected yields of any crop. Different crops need water at different stages of their growth. For example, rice needs a lot of water, especially during the flowering stage, while wheat needs less water.

Therefore, many measures are used to bring more and more agricultural land under irrigation. India has a wide variety of water resources and a highly varied climate. Under such conditions, several different kinds of irrigation systems are adopted to supply water to agricultural lands depending on the kinds of water resources available. Let me explain the main irrigation systems.

The first is wells. There are two types of wells - dug wells and tube wells. In a dug well, water is collected from water bearing strata, which is the layer of soil and rock that contains water. Tube wells can tap water from the deeper strata. From these wells, water is lifted by pumps for irrigation. In many parts of India, especially in rural areas, you can see farmers using pumps to draw water from wells to irrigate their fields.

The second is canals. This is usually an elaborate and extensive irrigation system. In this system, canals receive water from one or more reservoirs or from rivers. The main canal is divided into branch canals having further distributaries to irrigate fields. Canal irrigation is very important in states like Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, where large areas of agricultural land are irrigated through canal systems.

The third is river lift systems. In areas where canal flow is insufficient or irregular due to inadequate reservoir release, the lift system is more rational. Water is directly drawn from the rivers for supplementing irrigation in areas close to rivers. This is common in states like Gujarat and Maharashtra.

The fourth is tanks. These are small storage reservoirs, which intercept and store the run-off of smaller catchment areas. Tanks are common in states like Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, where they have been used for centuries to store rainwater for irrigation.

Students, there are also fresh initiatives for increasing the water available for agriculture. These include rainwater harvesting and watershed management. This involves building small check-dams which lead to an increase in ground water levels. The check-dams stop the rainwater from flowing away and also reduce soil erosion. This is very important in areas where water is scarce.

Now students, let me tell you about droughts. Droughts occur because of scarcity or irregular distribution of rains. Drought poses a threat to rain-fed farming areas, where farmers do not use irrigation for crop production and depend only on rain. Light soils have less water retention capacity, which means they can't hold water for long. In areas with light soils, crops get adversely affected by drought conditions. Scientists have developed some crop varieties which can tolerate drought conditions. These varieties can survive with less water and still give reasonable yields.

Now let's move on to the next topic - cropping patterns.

#### 12.1.2 (iii) Cropping Patterns

Students, different ways of growing crops can be used to give maximum benefit. Let's learn about three important cropping patterns.

The first is mixed cropping. Mixed cropping is growing two or more crops simultaneously on the same piece of land. For example, wheat + gram, or wheat + mustard, or groundnut + sunflower. The advantage of mixed cropping is that it reduces risk and gives some insurance against failure of one of the crops. If one crop fails due to disease or bad weather, the other crop might still give some yield. This is especially important for small farmers who cannot afford to lose their entire harvest.

The second is inter-cropping. Students, inter-cropping is growing two or more crops simultaneously on the same field in a definite pattern. A few rows of one crop alternate with a few rows of a second crop. For example, soybean + maize, or finger millet (bajra) + cowpea (lobia). The crops are selected such that their nutrient requirements are different. This ensures maximum utilisation of the nutrients supplied, and also prevents pests and diseases from spreading to all the plants belonging to one crop in a field. When crops are mixed together in rows, pests that prefer one type of crop may not find as many of their favorite plants to attack. This way, both crops can give better returns. Inter-cropping is a very smart way of farming that uses resources efficiently.

The third is crop rotation. Students, the growing of different crops on a piece of land in a pre-planned succession is known as crop rotation. Depending upon the duration, crop rotation is done for different crop combinations. The availability of moisture and irrigation facilities decide the choice of the crop to be cultivated after one harvest. If crop rotation is done properly, then two or three crops can be grown in a year with good harvests. Crop rotation also helps in maintaining soil fertility. For example, leguminous crops like peas and beans add nitrogen to the soil, which benefits the next crop. So farmers often follow a rotation where they grow a legume crop one season and a cereal crop the next season.

Now students, let's move on to the next major topic - crop protection management.

### 12.1.3 Crop Protection Management

Students, field crops are infested by a large number of weeds, insect pests, and diseases. If weeds and pests are not controlled at the appropriate time, they can damage the crops so much that most of the crop is lost. This is why crop protection is so important.

Let's first talk about weeds. Weeds are unwanted plants in the cultivated field. They grow where they are not wanted and compete with our crops for resources. Examples of weeds include Xanthium, which we call gokhroo, Parthenium, which we call gajar ghas, and Cyperus rotundus, which we call motha. These weeds compete for food, space, and light with our crops. Weeds take up nutrients and reduce the growth of the crop. Therefore, removal of weeds from cultivated fields during the early stages of crop growth is essential for a good harvest. If weeds are removed when the crop is young, the crop has less competition and can grow better.

Now let's talk about insect pests. Generally, insect pests attack the plants in three ways. First, they cut the root, stem, and leaf. Second, they suck the cell sap from various parts of the plant. Third, they bore into stem and fruits. They thus affect the health of the crop and reduce yields. Different insects attack different parts of the plant in different ways.

Now let's talk about diseases. Diseases in plants are caused by pathogens such as bacteria, fungi, and viruses. These pathogens can be present in and transmitted through the soil, water, and air. When conditions are favorable for these pathogens, they can cause widespread disease outbreaks that destroy crops.

Now students, how do we control weeds, insects, and diseases? They can be controlled by various methods. One of the most commonly used methods is the use of pesticides, which include herbicides (for killing weeds), insecticides (for killing insects), and fungicides (for killing fungi). These chemicals are sprayed on crop plants or used for treating seeds and soil. However, excessive use of these chemicals creates problems, since they can be poisonous to many plant and animal species and cause environmental pollution. This is why we need to be careful about how much and how often we use pesticides.

Weed control methods also include mechanical removal, which means physically pulling out or cutting weeds. Preventive methods such as proper seed bed preparation, timely sowing of crops, inter-cropping, and crop rotation also help in weed control. Some other preventive measures against pests are the use of resistant varieties, and summer ploughing, in which fields are ploughed deep in summers to destroy weeds and pests that hide in the soil.

Now students, let me answer the question about which condition will give the most benefits.

The question asks which of the following conditions will give the most benefits and why:

(a) Farmers use high-quality seeds, do not adopt irrigation or use fertilizers.

(b) Farmers use ordinary seeds, adopt irrigation and use fertilizer.

(c) Farmers use quality seeds, adopt irrigation, use fertilizer and use crop protection measures.

The answer is (c) - farmers using quality seeds, adopting irrigation, using fertilizer, and using crop protection measures will give the most benefits. This is because all these factors work together to maximize crop yield. High-quality seeds have the potential for high yield, but they need proper nutrients, water, and protection from pests and diseases to achieve that potential. Irrigation ensures that crops get water even when there is no rain. Fertilizers provide essential nutrients for plant growth. And crop protection measures save the crop from weeds, pests, and diseases. When all these factors are combined, the crop has everything it needs to grow well and produce a high yield. If any one factor is missing, the yield will be lower. For example, in option (a), even though the seeds are good, without water and nutrients, the plants cannot grow well. In option (b), even with water and nutrients, ordinary seeds may not have the genetic potential for high yield. So option (c) is clearly the best.

Now students, let's talk about storage of grains. This is an important topic because even after we harvest a good crop, we can lose a lot of it during storage if we are not careful.

Storage losses in agricultural produce can be very high. Factors responsible for such losses are biotic and abiotic. Biotic factors include insects, rodents, fungi, mites, and bacteria. Abiotic factors include inappropriate moisture and temperatures in the place of storage. These factors cause degradation in quality, loss in weight, poor germinability, discolouration of produce, all leading to poor marketability. These factors can be controlled by proper treatment and by systematic management of warehouses.

Preventive and control measures are used before grains are stored for future use. They include strict cleaning of the produce before storage, proper drying of the produce first in sunlight and then in shade, and fumigation using chemicals that can kill pests. Fumigation is the process of filling a storage area with gas to kill pests. This is very important for protecting stored grains.

Now students, let me answer the questions about storage.

The first question is - why should preventive measures and biological control methods be preferred for protecting crops?

Preventive measures and biological control methods should be preferred because they are safer for the environment and for human health. Chemical pesticides can be harmful to beneficial insects, animals, and even humans if they consume food with pesticide residues. Preventive measures like crop rotation, using resistant varieties, and maintaining proper sanitation can reduce the need for chemical pesticides. Biological control uses natural enemies of pests, like certain insects that eat pest insects, or microorganisms that compete with disease-causing pathogens. These methods are more sustainable and have fewer negative side effects.

The second question is - what factors may be responsible for losses of grains during storage?

The factors responsible for losses of grains during storage are biotic and abiotic factors. Biotic factors include insects, rodents, fungi, mites, and bacteria that can infest stored grains and cause damage. Abiotic factors include inappropriate moisture content in the grains and inappropriate temperatures in the storage area. If grains are too moist, fungi can grow and spoil the grains. If temperatures are too high or too low, it can affect the quality of the grains. Also, improper handling and storage conditions can lead to physical damage and losses.

Now students, let's move on to the second major part of this chapter - Animal Husbandry.

## 12.2 Animal Husbandry

Students, animal husbandry is the scientific management of animal livestock. It includes various aspects such as feeding, breeding, and disease control. Animal-based farming includes cattle, goat, sheep, poultry, and fish farming. As the population increases and as living standards increase, the demand for milk, eggs, and meat is also going up. Also, the growing awareness of the need for humane treatment of livestock has brought in new limitations in livestock farming. Thus, livestock production also needs to be improved.

Now let's study each type of animal farming in detail.

### 12.2.1 Cattle Farming

Students, cattle husbandry is done for two purposes - milk and draught labour for agricultural work such as tilling, irrigation, and carting. Indian cattle belong to two different species. Bos indicus refers to cows, and Bos bubalis refers to buffaloes. Milk-producing females are called milch animals or dairy animals, while the ones used for farm labour are called draught animals.

Milk production depends, to some extent, on the duration of the lactation period, which is the period of milk production after the birth of a calf. So, milk production can be increased by increasing the lactation period. Exotic or foreign breeds, for example, Jersey and Brown Swiss, are selected for long lactation periods, while local breeds, for example, Red Sindhi and Sahiwal, show excellent resistance to diseases. The two can be cross-bred to get animals with both the desired qualities - high milk production and disease resistance.

Now, let's talk about shelter for cattle. They should be sheltered under well-ventilated roofed sheds that protect them from rain, heat, and cold. The floor of the cattle shed needs to be sloping so as to stay dry and to facilitate cleaning. Clean and comfortable shelter is important for the health of the animals and for producing clean milk.

Now let's talk about food requirements. The food requirements of dairy animals are of two types. First is the maintenance requirement, which is the food required to support the animal to live a healthy life. Second is the milk producing requirement, which is the type of food required during the lactation period. Animal feed includes roughage, which is largely fibre, and concentrates, which are low in fibre and contain relatively high levels of proteins and other nutrients. Cattle need balanced rations containing all nutrients in proportionate amounts. Besides such nutritious food material, certain feed additives containing micronutrients promote the health and milk output of dairy animals. Just like humans need a balanced diet, cattle also need a balanced diet to stay healthy and produce milk.

Now let's talk about diseases. Cattle suffer from a number of diseases. The diseases, besides causing death, reduce milk production. A healthy animal feeds regularly and has a normal posture. The parasites of cattle may be both external parasites and internal parasites. The external parasites live on the skin and mainly cause skin diseases. The internal parasites like worms affect the stomach and intestine, while flukes damage the liver. Infectious diseases are also caused by bacteria and viruses. Vaccinations are given to farm animals against many major viral and bacterial diseases. This helps prevent outbreaks of disease and keeps the animals healthy.

Now students, let me answer the question about cattle breed improvement.

The question is - which method is commonly used for improving cattle breeds and why?

The method commonly used for improving cattle breeds is cross-breeding. Cross-breeding involves breeding between two different breeds - one with high milk production and one with disease resistance or other desirable traits. For example, exotic breeds like Jersey and Brown Swiss have high milk production but may not be well adapted to Indian conditions. Local breeds like Sahiwal and Red Sindhi are well adapted to Indian climate and are resistant to local diseases, but may not produce as much milk. By cross-breeding these two types, we can get animals that have both high milk production and good disease resistance. This is why cross-breeding is commonly used.

### 12.2.2 Poultry Farming

Students, poultry farming is undertaken to raise domestic fowl for egg production and chicken meat. Therefore, improved poultry breeds are developed and farmed to produce layers for eggs and broilers for meat.

The cross-breeding programmes between Indian (indigenous, for example, Aseel) and foreign (exotic, for example, Leghorn) breeds for variety improvement are focused on to develop new varieties for the following desirable traits:

First, number and quality of chicks - we want hens that lay more eggs and produce healthy chicks.

Second, dwarf broiler parent for commercial chick production - smaller parent birds are easier to manage and can produce more chicks.

Third, summer adaptation capacity or tolerance to high temperature - chickens that can tolerate heat are healthier in India's hot climate.

Fourth, low maintenance requirements - birds that need less care and feed are more economical to raise.

Fifth, reduction in the size of the egg-laying bird with ability to utilise more fibrous cheaper diets formulated using agricultural by-products - smaller birds eat less, and if they can eat cheaper feed, it reduces the cost of production.

The ration, or daily food requirement, for broilers is protein rich with adequate fat. The level of vitamins A and K is kept high in the poultry feeds. This helps the broilers grow quickly and stay healthy.

Poultry fowl suffer from a number of diseases caused by virus, bacteria, fungi, parasites, as well as from nutritional deficiencies. These necessitate proper cleaning, sanitation, and spraying of disinfectants at regular intervals. Appropriate vaccination can prevent the occurrence of infectious diseases and reduce loss of poultry during an outbreak of disease.

Now students, let me answer the questions about poultry farming.

The first question is - what management practices are common in dairy and poultry farming?

Common management practices in dairy and poultry farming include providing proper shelter that is well-ventilated and protects from weather, feeding the animals with balanced nutrition, ensuring clean water supply, maintaining hygiene and sanitation, controlling diseases through vaccination and proper medication, and regular monitoring of the health of the animals.

The second question is - what are the differences between broilers and layers and in their management?

Broilers are chickens raised specifically for meat production. They are fed protein-rich feed to promote rapid growth and are sent to market at a young age, usually around 6 to 8 weeks. Layers are chickens raised specifically for egg production. They are fed a different diet that supports egg production and are kept for a longer period to lay eggs. The housing, nutritional, and environmental requirements of broilers are somewhat different from those of egg layers. Broilers need more protein and energy in their feed for growth, while layers need calcium for eggshell formation. Broilers are usually kept in smaller spaces and at controlled temperatures, while layers need more space and nesting boxes for laying eggs.

Now there's also an interesting statement to discuss - "It is interesting to note that poultry is India's most efficient converter of low fibre food stuff (which is unfit for human consumption) into highly nutritious animal protein food."

This statement means that poultry birds can eat food that humans cannot eat, like agricultural by-products and waste materials that are high in fiber, and convert them into nutritious meat and eggs that humans can eat. This is very efficient because it turns something that would be wasted into valuable food. Poultry can eat things like broken rice, wheat bran, and other agricultural waste products, and turn them into protein-rich food. This makes poultry farming very important for food security and for using resources efficiently.

### 12.2.3 Fish Production

Students, fish is a cheap source of animal protein for our food. Fish production includes the finned true fish as well as shellfish such as prawns and molluscs. There are two ways of obtaining fish. One is from natural resources, which is called capture fishing. The other way is by fish farming, which is called culture fishery.

The water source of the fish can be either seawater or fresh water, such as in rivers and ponds. Fishing can thus be done both by capture and culture of fish in marine and freshwater ecosystems.

Let's first talk about marine fisheries. India's marine fishery resources include 7500 km of coastline and the deep seas beyond it. Popular marine fish varieties include pomphret, mackerel, tuna, sardines, and Bombay duck. Marine fish are caught using many kinds of fishing nets from fishing boats. Yields are increased by locating large schools of fish in the open sea using satellites and echo-sounders. This is very interesting - scientists use satellites to find where fish are swimming in the ocean, and echo-sounders send sound waves into the water to detect fish schools. This helps fishermen catch more fish.

Some marine fish of high economic value are also farmed in seawater. This includes finned fishes like mullets, bhetki, and pearl spots, shellfish such as prawns, mussels, and oysters, as well as seaweed. Oysters are also cultivated for the pearls they make. This is called mariculture - farming in the sea.

Now let's talk about inland fisheries. Fresh water resources include canals, ponds, reservoirs, and rivers. Brackish water resources, where seawater and fresh water mix together, such as estuaries and lagoons are also important fish reservoirs. While capture fishing is also done in such inland water bodies, the yield is not high. Most fish production from these resources is through aquaculture, which is fish farming in controlled conditions.

Fish culture is sometimes done in combination with a rice crop, so that fish are grown in the water in the paddy field. This is a great example of integrated farming - using the same land for multiple purposes. More intensive fish farming can be done in composite fish culture systems. Both local and imported fish species are used in such systems.

Now students, let me explain composite fish culture. In such a system, a combination of five or six fish species is used in a single fishpond. These species are selected so that they do not compete for food among them, having different types of food habits. As a result, the food available in all the parts of the pond is used. Catlas are surface feeders, Rohus feed in the middle-zone of the pond, Mrigals and Common Carps are bottom feeders, and Grass Carps feed on the weeds. Together, these species can use all the food in the pond without competing with each other. This increases the fish yield from the pond. This is a very smart way of fish farming because it uses the pond space efficiently.

One problem with such composite fish culture is that many of these fish breed only during monsoon. Even if fish seed is collected from the wild, it can be mixed with that of other species as well. So, a major problem in fish farming is the lack of availability of good-quality seed. To overcome this problem, ways have now been worked out to breed these fish in ponds using hormonal stimulation. This has ensured the supply of pure fish seed in desired quantities. Hormonal stimulation involves giving fish hormones to induce breeding, even when it's not their natural breeding season.

Now students, let me answer the questions about fish production.

The first question is - how are fish obtained?

Fish are obtained through two main methods. One is capture fishing, which means catching fish from natural resources like seas, rivers, lakes, and ponds. The other is culture fishery or fish farming, which means raising fish in controlled conditions like fish ponds, tanks, or in the sea.

The second question is - what are the advantages of composite fish culture?

The advantages of composite fish culture are that it maximizes the use of the pond environment because different species of fish feed at different levels in the pond - some at the surface, some in the middle, and some at the bottom. This way, all the available food in the pond is used efficiently, and there is no competition for food among the fish. This results in higher fish production from the same pond. Also, growing multiple species together reduces the risk of total crop failure - even if one species doesn't do well, others might do well.

### 12.2.4 Bee-keeping

Students, honey is widely used and therefore bee-keeping for making honey has become an agricultural enterprise. Since bee-keeping needs low investments, farmers use it as an additional income generating activity. In addition to honey, the beehives are a source of wax which is used in various medicinal preparations.

The local varieties of bees used for commercial honey production are Apis cerana indica, commonly known as the Indian bee, A. dorsata, the rock bee, and A. florae, the little bee. An Italian bee variety, A. mellifera, has also been brought in to increase yield of honey. This Italian variety is very popular because it produces a lot of honey.

The value or quality of honey depends upon the pasturage, or the flowers available to the bees for nectar and pollen collection. In addition to adequate quantity of pasturage, the kind of flowers available will determine the taste of the honey. Different flowers give honey different flavors - for example, honey from mustard flowers tastes different from honey from eucalyptus flowers. This is why beekeepers often move their beehives to different locations depending on which flowers are blooming.

Now students, let me answer the questions about bee-keeping.

The first question is - what are the desirable characters of bee varieties suitable for honey production?

The desirable characters of bee varieties suitable for honey production include high honey collection capacity, less stinging behavior (so that beekeepers can work safely), ability to stay in a given beehive for long periods, and good breeding capacity. The Italian bee variety, Apis mellifera, is commonly used for commercial honey production because it has all these desirable characteristics.

The second question is - what is pasturage and how is it related to honey production?

Pasturage refers to the flowers available to the bees for nectar and pollen collection. It is directly related to honey production because the quality and quantity of honey depend on the type and abundance of flowers. More flowers mean more nectar for the bees to collect, which leads to more honey production. The kind of flowers also affects the taste and color of the honey. Beekeepers need to ensure that there is adequate pasturage near their beehives for good honey production.

Now students, let's go through the exercises at the end of the chapter.

## Exercises

Question 1: Explain any one method of crop production which ensures high yield.

One method of crop production that ensures high yield is the use of high-quality seeds along with proper irrigation, fertilizers, and crop protection measures. High-quality seeds have better genetic potential for high yield. When combined with adequate water, nutrients, and protection from pests and diseases, these seeds can produce much higher yields than ordinary seeds. This is why quality seeds are considered the foundation of good crop production.

Question 2: Why are manure and fertilizers used in fields?

Manure and fertilizers are used in fields to supply essential nutrients to the crops. Plants need nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and many others for their growth and development. The soil may not have enough of these nutrients, especially when the same land is farmed repeatedly. Manure and fertilizers replenish these nutrients in the soil, helping plants grow healthier and produce higher yields. Manure also improves soil structure and water holding capacity, while fertilizers provide nutrients in a concentrated form for quick results.

Question 3: What are the advantages of inter-cropping and crop rotation?

The advantages of inter-cropping are that it reduces the risk of total crop failure - if one crop fails due to disease or bad weather, the other crop may still survive. It also helps in pest and disease control because different crops can break the life cycles of pests. Additionally, inter-cropping ensures maximum utilization of nutrients because crops with different nutrient requirements are grown together.

The advantages of crop rotation include maintaining soil fertility, especially when leguminous crops are grown in rotation as they add nitrogen to the soil. Crop rotation also helps in controlling weeds, pests, and diseases because different crops are grown in different seasons. It allows farmers to grow multiple crops in a year, increasing their income and productivity.

Question 4: What is genetic manipulation? How is it useful in agricultural practices?

Genetic manipulation, also known as genetic engineering, is the process of changing the genetic material of an organism to introduce new or improved characteristics. In agriculture, genes from one organism are transferred into plants to give them desirable traits like pest resistance, herbicide tolerance, or improved nutritional content. For example, BT cotton has a gene from a bacterium that makes it resistant to certain insects. Genetic manipulation is useful because it can create crop varieties with higher yields, better quality, and resistance to stresses like drought and diseases. This helps in increasing agricultural productivity.

Question 5: How do storage grain losses occur?

Storage grain losses occur due to biotic and abiotic factors. Biotic factors include insects, rodents, fungi, mites, and bacteria that infest stored grains and cause damage. Abiotic factors include inappropriate moisture content in the grains and inappropriate temperatures in the storage area. High moisture can lead to fungal growth, and improper temperatures can affect grain quality. These factors cause loss in weight, degradation in quality, poor germinability, and discolouration of produce, leading to economic losses.

Question 6: How do good animal husbandry practices benefit farmers?

Good animal husbandry practices benefit farmers in several ways. Proper feeding ensures healthy animals that produce more milk, eggs, or meat. Good shelter protects animals from weather and diseases. Regular health care, including vaccinations, prevents disease outbreaks. Proper breeding practices help in improving the genetic qualities of the herd. All these practices lead to higher productivity and better quality products, which fetch higher prices in the market. This increases the income and livelihood of farmers.

Question 7: What are the benefits of cattle farming?

The benefits of cattle farming include production of milk, which is a nutritious food for humans. Cattle also provide draught power for agricultural operations like ploughing, irrigation, and carting. Cattle dung can be used as manure to fertilize fields, and it can also be used as fuel for cooking. Additionally, cattle farming provides employment opportunities and additional income for farmers, especially in rural areas.

Question 8: For increasing production, what is common in poultry, fisheries, and bee-keeping?

For increasing production, the common factor in poultry, fisheries, and bee-keeping is the use of improved breeds or varieties and proper management practices. In poultry, cross-breeding between Indian and exotic breeds is done to develop varieties with desirable traits. In fisheries, composite fish culture using multiple species and hormonal stimulation for breeding is practiced. In bee-keeping, Italian bee varieties are used for higher honey production. All these sectors also require proper feeding, housing, health care, and management to increase production.

Question 9: How do you differentiate between capture fishing, mariculture, and aquaculture?

Capture fishing is the method of obtaining fish from natural resources like seas, rivers, lakes, and oceans. It involves catching wild fish using nets and other fishing equipment. Mariculture is a type of aquaculture that specifically refers to farming of marine organisms like fish, prawns, mussels, and oysters in seawater. Aquaculture is the broader term that includes farming of both freshwater and marine organisms in controlled conditions. So basically, capture fishing is catching wild fish, while mariculture and aquaculture are both forms of fish farming, with mariculture being specifically for marine species.

Now students, let me also remind you about the activities mentioned in the chapter.

Activity 12.1 involves visiting a nearby garden or agricultural field and making a list of weeds and flowers or crops found in the area, as well as insect pests if any. This is a hands-on activity that helps you identify common weeds and pests in your area.

Activity 12.2 involves collecting grains or seeds of cereals, pulses, and oil seeds and gathering information about the seasons in which they are sown and harvested. This helps you understand the agricultural calendar and the different types of crops grown in our country.

Activity 12.3 involves visiting a livestock farm and noting the number of cattle and different breeds, as well as the amount of daily milk production from different breeds. This helps you understand cattle farming practices.

Activity 12.4 involves visiting a local poultry farm and observing types of breeds, noting the type of ration, housing, and lighting facilities given to them, and identifying growers, layers, and broilers. This helps you understand poultry farming.

Activity 12.5 involves visiting a fish farm in fish breeding season and noting the varieties of fish, types of ponds, feed ingredients used, and production capacity of the farm. This helps you understand fish farming practices.

Now students, let's do a quick recap of what we have learned in this chapter.

## Summary

In this chapter, we learned about improving food resources to meet the growing demands of our population. We studied that India needs to increase food production because our population is large and growing, and there is limited scope for expanding agricultural land.

We learned about improving crop yields through three main approaches: crop variety improvement, crop production management, and crop protection management.

In crop variety improvement, we learned about hybridisation and genetic engineering to develop better varieties with higher yield, better quality, resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses, shorter maturity duration, wider adaptability, and desirable agronomic characteristics.

In crop production management, we learned about nutrient management using manure and fertilizers, irrigation methods including wells, canals, river lift systems, and tanks, and cropping patterns including mixed cropping, inter-cropping, and crop rotation.

In crop protection management, we learned about controlling weeds, insect pests, and diseases through chemical and biological methods, and the importance of preventive measures.

We also learned about storage of grains and how to prevent losses during storage.

Then we moved on to animal husbandry. We learned about cattle farming, including the importance of cross-breeding, proper shelter, balanced nutrition, and disease control. We learned about poultry farming, including the differences between layers and broilers, and the importance of cross-breeding for variety improvement. We learned about fish production, including capture fishing and culture fishery, composite fish culture, and mariculture. And finally, we learned about bee-keeping, including the importance of pasturage and desirable characteristics of bee varieties.

Students, this is a very important chapter that connects science to real life. Understanding these concepts will help you appreciate the efforts that go into producing the food we eat every day, and it may even inspire some of you to pursue careers in agriculture or animal husbandry.

Thank you for your attention, and I hope you enjoyed this lesson. Remember to review the concepts we covered and complete your exercises. Have a great day, students!