Class 9 Chapter 12 IMPROVEMENT IN FOOD RESOURCES

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Class 9 Science Chapter 12: Improvement in Food Resources

Introduction:

  • All living organisms, including humans, need food for body development, growth, and health.
  • Food is a source of essential nutrients like proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and minerals.
  • India’s population is over 1 billion and growing, which increases the demand for food.
  • Challenge: Limited scope for expanding agricultural land, so increasing production efficiency for both crops and livestock is critical.

1. Crop Improvement Strategies:

To increase crop yield, several strategies are implemented. These include crop variety improvement, crop production improvement, and crop protection management.

1.1 Crop Variety Improvement:

  • The goal is to develop crop varieties that give higher yields, better quality, and are resistant to diseases and environmental stresses.
  • Methods of crop variety improvement:
  1. Hybridisation: Crossing genetically different plants to produce better varieties.
    • Types of hybridisation:
    • Intervarietal: Crossing different varieties of the same species.
    • Interspecific: Crossing different species of the same genus.
    • Intergeneric: Crossing different genera.
  2. Genetic Modification: Introducing genes with desirable traits into crops to produce genetically modified (GM) crops.
  • Key factors for crop variety improvement:
  1. Higher yield: To increase productivity per acre.
  2. Improved quality: Depending on the crop (e.g., baking quality in wheat, protein content in pulses).
  3. Biotic and abiotic resistance: Developing varieties resistant to diseases (biotic) and environmental conditions (abiotic) like drought, salinity, and temperature extremes.
  4. Shorter maturity duration: Reducing the time from sowing to harvesting allows for multiple crops in a year and reduces production costs.
  5. Wider adaptability: Developing varieties that can grow in diverse climatic conditions.
  6. Desirable agronomic characteristics: Traits like dwarfness in cereals (to reduce nutrient consumption) and tallness in fodder crops (for more biomass).

1.2 Crop Production Improvement:

To increase crop yields, farmers need to improve their production practices. These practices depend on the financial resources of farmers and can be grouped into three categories:

  • No-cost production: Minimal inputs like using natural resources and traditional methods.
  • Low-cost production: Limited use of inputs like manure and organic practices.
  • High-cost production: Use of advanced inputs like fertilizers, pesticides, and modern technology.
1.2.1 Nutrient Management:
  • Nutrients are essential for plant growth. They are supplied by air (carbon and oxygen), water (hydrogen), and soil (macro- and micro-nutrients).
  • Macronutrients: Required in large quantities (e.g., nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium).
  • Micronutrients: Required in smaller quantities (e.g., iron, zinc, copper).
  • Nutrient supply can be improved using:
  1. Manure: Organic material obtained from decomposed plants and animals. Types of manure include:
    • Compost: Decomposed organic waste.
    • Vermicompost: Composting with the help of earthworms.
    • Green manure: Plants like sun hemp or guar are grown and ploughed back into the soil to enrich it.
  2. Fertilizers: Commercially produced plant nutrients that provide nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium to crops.
1.2.2 Irrigation:
  • Proper irrigation ensures crops receive adequate water during their growth stages, especially in rain-fed areas.
  • Types of irrigation systems:
  • Wells: Dug wells and tube wells extract groundwater for irrigation.
  • Canals: Extensive irrigation systems that transport water from rivers or reservoirs.
  • River Lift Systems: Water is directly drawn from rivers to irrigate nearby fields.
  • Tanks: Small reservoirs that store water for irrigation.
  • Rainwater Harvesting: Collecting and storing rainwater for future use.
1.2.3 Cropping Patterns:
  • Different cropping methods can maximize yield and reduce the risk of crop failure:
  1. Mixed Cropping: Growing two or more crops on the same land to reduce risk.
    • Example: Wheat + Gram, Groundnut + Sunflower.
  2. Intercropping: Growing two or more crops in a specific pattern to optimize resource use and reduce pest spread.
    • Example: Soybean + Maize, Finger millet (Bajra) + Cowpea (Lobia).
  3. Crop Rotation: Growing different crops in succession on the same land to improve soil fertility and reduce pests.
    • Example: Rice followed by wheat.

1.3 Crop Protection Management:

  • Crops are vulnerable to weeds, insect pests, and diseases, which can significantly reduce yields.
  • Weeds: Unwanted plants that compete with crops for nutrients, light, and space. Weeds like Parthenium and Cyperinus rotundus reduce crop yields.
  • Pests: Insects that attack crops by cutting stems, sucking sap, or boring into fruits. Diseases caused by bacteria, fungi, and viruses also harm crops.
Methods of Protection:
  • Chemical control: Using pesticides such as herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides.
  • Biological control: Using natural predators or parasites to control pests.
  • Preventive measures: Proper seedbed preparation, timely sowing, intercropping, and crop rotation.

2. Animal Husbandry:

Animal husbandry involves the scientific management of animal livestock, focusing on feeding, breeding, and disease control.

2.1 Cattle Farming:

  • Purpose:
  • Milk production (milch animals).
  • Farm labor (draught animals).
  • Breeds: Indian breeds like Sahiwal and Red Sindhi have disease resistance, while foreign breeds like Jersey and Brown Swiss have longer lactation periods. Cross-breeding combines these traits for better productivity.

2.2 Poultry Farming:

  • Purpose:
  • Egg production (layers).
  • Meat production (broilers).
  • Cross-breeding: To improve traits such as high chick production, better heat tolerance, and disease resistance.
  • Management: Ensuring proper feeding, shelter, sanitation, and vaccination for healthy poultry.

2.3 Fish Production:

  • Capture Fishing: Collecting fish from natural resources like seas, rivers, or ponds.
  • Culture Fishing: Farming fish in controlled environments (ponds, reservoirs). Methods include:
  • Composite Fish Culture: Growing multiple species in one pond to fully utilize resources. Example: Catla (surface feeder), Rohu (middle-zone feeder), and Grass Carp (weed feeder).
  • Marine Fishing: Fishing in seawater using nets and advanced technologies like satellites and echo-sounders.

2.4 Bee-Keeping (Apiculture):

  • Bee-keeping is an agricultural practice to produce honey and beeswax.
  • Bee varieties: Indian species like Apis cerana and Apis dorsata as well as imported Italian species Apis mellifera.
  • Pasturage: The availability of flowers for nectar and pollen collection affects the quality and quantity of honey.

Key Concepts:

  • Sustainable practices in agriculture and animal husbandry are essential to increase food production without harming the environment.
  • Mixed farming, organic farming, intercropping, and crop rotation help maintain soil health and reduce risks in agriculture.
  • Proper management of livestock, poultry, and fisheries ensures better yields and higher incomes for farmers.

Summary:

  • Crop improvement strategies focus on increasing yield and quality while resisting environmental stresses.
  • Animal husbandry practices improve livestock productivity and provide additional food resources like milk, meat, and eggs.
  • Sustainable agriculture and livestock management are key to meeting the growing food demands of India’s population.

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