In a village of colonial India, a few farmers changed their cropping pattern from food crops to commercial crops. The tenants, small farmers and sharecroppers of the village did not invest in their plots. Which of the following correctly states their position?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → They had neither resources and technology nor incentive to invest in agriculture.
Only a small section of farmers switched from food crops to commercial crops. The large section of tenants, small farmers and sharecroppers had neither resources and technology nor incentive to invest in agriculture.
Option (1) They had resources, technology and incentive, but no irrigation facilities. — Incorrect. They lacked resources, technology and incentive, not only irrigation.
Option (2) They had resources and technology, but no incentive to invest in agriculture. — Incorrect. They lacked resources and technology as well.
Option (3) They had the incentive, but neither resources nor technology to invest in agriculture. — Incorrect. They had no incentive either.
Option (4) They had neither resources and technology nor incentive to invest in agriculture. — Correct. They lacked all three.
NCERT (2026-27): “1.3 Agricultural Sector … There was, of course, some evidence of a relatively higher yield of cash crops in certain areas of the country due to commercialisation of agriculture. But this could hardly help farmers in improving their economic condition as, instead of producing food crops, now they were producing cash crops which were to be ultimately used by British industries back home. Despite some progress made in irrigation, India’s agriculture was starved of investment in terracing, flood-control, drainage and desalinisation of soil. While a small section of farmers changed their cropping pattern from food crops to commercial crops, a large section of tenants, small farmers and sharecroppers neither had resources and technology nor had incentive to invest in agriculure.” |