Practicing Success

Target Exam

CUET

Subject

Geography

Chapter

India-People and Economy: Land resources and Agriculture

Question:

Which of the following statement is/are NOT correct in respect of land use pattern?

Options:

With the increase in the size of the economy, the pressure on land increases.

Growth of secondary and tertiary sectors of an area results in a sudden shift of land from agricultural uses to non-agricultural uses.

The contribution of agricultural activities in an economy reduces over time with development but the pressure on land for agricultural activities does not decline.

None of the above

Correct Answer:

Growth of secondary and tertiary sectors of an area results in a sudden shift of land from agricultural uses to non-agricultural uses.

Explanation:

Land-use in a region, to a large extent, is influenced by the nature of economic activities carried out in that region. However, while economic activities change over time, land, like many other natural resources, is fixed in terms of its area. At this stage, one needs to appreciate three types of changes that an economy undergoes, which affect land-use :
(i) The size of the economy (measured in terms of value for all the goods and services produced in the economy) grows over time as a result of increasing population, change in income levels, available technology and associated factors. As a result, the pressure on land will increase with time and marginal lands would come under use.
(ii) Secondly, the composition of the economy would undergo a change over time. In other words, the secondary and tertiary sectors usually grow much faster than the primary sector, specifically the agricultural sector.
This type of change is common in developing countries, like India. This process would result in a gradual shift of land from agricultural uses to non-agricultural uses. You would observe that such changes are sharp around large urban areas. The agricultural land is being used for building purposes.
(iii) Thirdly, though the contribution of agricultural activities reduces over time, the pressure on land for agricultural activities does not decline. The reasons for continued pressure on agricultural land are:
(a) In developing countries, the share of the population dependent on agriculture usually declines much more slowly compared to the decline in the sector’s share in GDP.
(b) The number of people that the agricultural sector has to feed is increasing day by day.