The Story of Indian Farming
Class 7 · Social Science
2 ideas in Class 7 Social Science, explained in plain words, with games and quizzes to practise.
India's Agricultural History and Workforce
Part of: India and the World: Land and the People
Agriculture encompasses farming, animal husbandry, forestry and horticulture. About 18 per cent of India's GDP comes from agriculture and allied activities (2022-23). Approximately 46 per cent of India's working population is engaged in agriculture (2022-23). More than 75 per cent of people working in the agriculture sector in rural India are women (2025). Archaeological evidence shows rice grains in the Ganga Plain as early as the 7th or 8th millennium BCE. At Mehrgarh (Baluchistan), barley and millets cultivation is dated to the 7th millennium BCE.
Why it matters. Farming is the foundation of India's food security and livelihood — understanding its history and scale helps students appreciate its importance.
Try it in two minutes
- Ask: what percentage of India's working population is in agriculture?
- Ask: how far back does evidence of rice cultivation in the Ganga Plain go?
- Ask: what does the word 'agriculture' mean in Latin?
Try at home. Ask your child to name the crops grown in your region and find out which season they belong to.
Kharif, Rabi and Zaid Crop Seasons
Part of: India and the World: Land and the People
Kharif crops: sown in hot, heavy-rainfall season (June-September); harvested October-December. Examples: rice, maize, jowar, bajra, groundnut, cotton, sugarcane. Rabi crops: sown around October-November (cool season); harvested in spring. Examples: wheat, barley, mustard, peas, gram. Zaid crops: summer season between rabi harvest and kharif sowing. Examples: watermelon, muskmelon, pumpkin, cucumber. The southwest monsoon brings rain from June to September. The northeast monsoon prevails from October to December.
Why it matters. Cropping seasons determine what food is available throughout the year — understanding them links farming to climate and food security.
Try it in two minutes
- Ask: what are the three cropping seasons and one example crop for each?
- Ask: which monsoon is crucial for kharif crops?
- Ask: name two kharif crops and two rabi crops.
Try at home. Ask your child to classify rice, wheat, watermelon, mustard and cotton into the correct cropping season.
What your child will practise
- India's Agricultural History and Workforce: Candy Quick Fire (Quick Fire)
- India's Agricultural History and Workforce: Explorer'S Map Quest (Collect the Answer)
- India's Agricultural History and Workforce: Ocean Puzzle (Clue Puzzle)
- Kharif, Rabi and Zaid Crop Seasons: Desert Quick Fire (Quick Fire)
- Kharif, Rabi and Zaid Crop Seasons: Time Travel Sort (Sort It Out)
- Quiz: India's Agricultural History and Workforce (8 questions)
- Quiz: Kharif, Rabi and Zaid Crop Seasons (8 questions)