Traditional Wisdom and Modern Innovations

Class 7 Social Science · Chapter 13: The Story of Indian Farming · NCERT Exploring Society: India and Beyond section 13.5

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Farmers have built up vast practical knowledge: terrace farming on hill slopes, mixed home gardens like Goa's kulāgar, and caring for cattle as part of the farm. The ICAR recorded about 5,000 traditional practices and found most of them scientifically sound. In the 1960s–70s India faced food shortages. The Green Revolution, led by scientists such as M. S. Swaminathan, brought high-yielding seeds, more irrigation, chemical fertilisers and pesticides, and machines. India became self-sufficient in wheat and rice.

But over decades, heavy chemical use weakened soil, groundwater fell and pollution harmed bees, rivers and health. So many farmers now turn to sustainable farming: organic methods, compost and neem-based pest control. Sikkim became the world's first fully organic state in 2014. The FAO lists Indian heritage farming systems such as Kashmir's saffron, Koraput's forest farming in Odisha and Kuttanad's below-sea-level farming in Kerala. New ideas like hydroponics grow plants in nutrient water without soil.

Explore: benefit or problem of the Green Revolution?

1. Sort each effect.

Remember

• Traditional practices like terrace farming and mixed gardens are often scientifically sound.
• The Green Revolution brought food self-sufficiency but harmed soil and water; sustainable and organic farming are growing.

Quick check

Which state became fully organic in 2014?

1. Sikkim
2. Punjab
3. Haryana
4. Bihar

Think about it

Can a farm use both traditional wisdom and modern science? Give an example.

Practice

Practise with fresh questions at three levels (easy, medium, hard), some answered hands-on, with hints and worked answers. Get 4 of your last 5 right to finish the topic.