Question

Write about the agricultural development in the Ganga-Brahmaputra basin.

Answer 1

Agriculture is the main occupation of the people of the Ganga-Brahmaputra basin. Due to the fertile alluvial soil of the plains, the availability of water for irrigation from the river systems and the moderate temperature regime, the farmers are able to grow a variety of crops, both food and cash, throughout the year. Modern farming techniques have replaced the traditional methods even though the land holdings are quite small in size due to the high population density in the region.

Wheat, cotton and sugarcane are the chief crops on the western side of the Ganga plain, while on the eastern side, rice, jute and sugarcane are important. In the Brahmaputra basin, rice, jute and tea are the important crops. Pulses, oilseeds, fruits and vegetables are also grown throughout the region.