Class 5th EVS Chapter 19 describes how farmers grow crops, the changes in farming practices over time, and the journey of a seed to the final product. The chapter also includes difficulties faced by the farmers while farming, the need for irrigation and fertilisers, and variation in crop production based on geographical location. Lastly, germination of seeds and dispersal of seeds are also mentioned in the text. The NCERT textbook (Looking Around) questions are answered in a simple and engaging manner. We also have related ‘Learning Concepts’, and interactive worksheets with solutions. Our ‘Learning Beyond’ segment caters to all the probable questions that the child might think out of curiosity. Download Chapter 19 A Seed Tells a Farmer’s Story in the PDF format for free.
The NCERT Solutions for Class 5 EVS Chapter 19 - A Seed Tells A Farmers Story are tailored to help the students master the concepts that are key to success in their classrooms. The solutions given in the PDF are developed by experts and correlate with the CBSE syllabus of 2023-2024. These solutions provide thorough explanations with a step-by-step approach to solving problems. Students can easily get a hold of the subject and learn the basics with a deeper understanding. Additionally, they can practice better, be confident, and perform well in their examinations with the support of this PDF.
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Students can access the NCERT Solutions for Class 5 EVS Chapter 19 - A Seed Tells A Farmers Story. Curated by experts according to the CBSE syllabus for 2023–2024, these step-by-step solutions make EVS much easier to understand and learn for the students. These solutions can be used in practice by students to attain skills in solving problems, reinforce important learning objectives, and be well-prepared for tests.
Have you eaten roti made from bajra and jowar? Did you like these?
Yes, I have eaten roti made from bajra and jowar. I found them different from those made from wheat. I liked these rotis.
[Students should mention their experience based on the above lines.]
Are rotis made in your home? From which grains are they made?
Yes, rotis are made in my home. They are usually made from wheat, but in winters we also use bajra, jowar, and ragi to make the rotis.
[Students should mention their experience based on the above lines.]
Can you recognise these grains?
Which are the different festivals related to farming celebrated in different seasons? Find out more about any one such festival and write in your notebook— The name of the festival, in which season is it celebrated, in which states of India, what special foods are made, is it celebrated only at home with the family, or together with many people?
The following festivals are related to the cultivation and harvesting of crops—
i) Lohri, ii) Makar Sankranti, iii) Bihu, iv) Pongal
Makar Sankranti is celebrated in the North Indian states. It marks the termination of the winter season and the beginning of the new harvest season. It is also called Uttarayan.
The dishes made on Makar Sankranti are til ladoo, chikki, and daal churma.
People celebrate Makar Sankranti with their friends, relatives and neighbours. Women apply mehendi, boys fly kites, and the older people sing traditional songs.
[Students should mention their experience based on the above lines.]
Talk to the elders in your family and find out if there were some special foods cooked earlier, that are not cooked any more.
Yes, there were special foods like bajra khichdi, baakli and lapsi, which are not cooked anymore.
[Students should mention their experience based on the above lines.]
Have they tried to look for some other work?
The following crops are grown in my area—
i) Wheat
ii) Rice
iii) Maize
iv) Bajra
v) There are mango farms in my area which are famous in the country.
[Students should mention their experience based on the above lines.]
In your house what is done to protect grains and pulses from insects?
My mother does the following things to protect grains and pulses from insects—
i) Dry them in the sun.
ii) Keep them in airtight containers.
iii) Add cloves and neem leaves to stop insects from entering the gunny bags containing grains and pulses.
[Students should mention their experience based on the above lines.]
Hasmukh said, “With profits from our fields, we can progress”. What is your understanding of ‘progress’?
Progress here stands for the financial benefits that can improve their lifestyle and lead a comfortable life. All comforts like personal car, good food, spacious house, and proper clothes depend on farmers' financial progress from their fields. Other than that, money is required to provide good education to their children
The bajra seed saw differences in the way Damjibhai and Hasmukh did farming (for example, in irrigation, ploughing, etc). What were these differences?
The differences noticed by the bajra seed are given below—
Damjibhai farming | Hasmukh’s farming |
---|---|
Traditional farming methods were used. | Modern farming methods were used. |
Fields were irrigated manually. | Fields were irrigated through canals. |
Bullocks were used for ploughing. | Tractors were used for ploughing. |
All types of crops were grown. | Only commercially important crops like cotton and wheat were grown. |
Natural fertilizers were used. | Chemical fertilizers were used. |
What kind of progress would you like to see in your area?
I would like to see progress in the following sectors in my area—
i) Better transport system.
ii) Advanced medical facilities.
iii) Proper schools in the locality.
iv) Space for playing and recreation.
[Students should mention their experience based on the above lines.]
The seeds were not sure that what Hasmukh was talking about was really progress. What do you feel?
I feel that the seeds were right. Hasmukh was looking for short-term profits, and for this, he was over-exploiting the fields. He did not realise that such practices would lead to a permanent loss in the form of reduced soil fertility. Also, using modern machines will lead to loss of livelihood for many people, which cannot be considered progress. Hence, it can be concluded that there should be a balance in the use of every resource available.
What can happen to Hasmukh’s farm after some years?
Hasmukh may face the following problems after some years—
i) Loss of fertility of soil due to continuous cultivation.
ii) Pollution of soil due to the accumulation of non-biodegradable chemicals present in the chemical fertilizers.
iii) Loss in the production of crops may lead to debts and other financial crises.
Damjibhai’s son Hasmukh chose to become a farmer like his father, Hasmukh’s son Paresh is not a farmer, but a truck driver. Why would he have done so?
Paresh must have chosen a different work due to the following reasons—
i) Agriculture depends on natural factors, and hence, financial benefits are not consistent.
ii) A lot of labour and resources are required for it.
iii) Strong investment is needed if one aims for high crop production, and for that, one needs financial stability.
Have there been any changes near your area, which may be difficult to call ‘progress’? What changes are these? What are the different opinions about them?
The jobs which are underpaid and not respected by society are taken up by the poor and uneducated people. Due to poverty and lack of education and skills, poor people get involved in these types of works.
Read the report from newspaper and discuss it.
Agriculture is dependent on various factors like rains, type of soil, availability of good quality seeds, usage of fertilizers, availability of modern machinery, irrigation facilities, etc. To carry out farming, many farmers take loans but cannot repay them as the produce is not enough to earn and repay. In this situation, the government should plan low interest loans so that the farmers are not overburdened by debt.
The government should think of ways where farmers are not solely dependent on the environmental factors for the produce. Moreover, during adverse conditions, the government should extend the time for repaying the loan without the interests so that farmers do not suffer.
Visit a farm near your area. Observe and talk to the people there. Write a report.
I visited a farm near my city that is open for ordinary people to enjoy and observe how a farm operates. The farm belongs to an affluent family that has hired around 15 people for working on the farm. The farm occupies a large area of land, and various trees like guava, mango, tamarind, custard apple, sweet lime, etc., are grown there. A small patch of land there is used to cultivate wheat and bajra during their respective seasons. They also grow vegetables.
Apart from various trees and plants, they have a small dairy farm where they have kept five buffaloes and five cows. These buffaloes and cows give milk and help in other works. People on the farm use the animal waste to produce biogas that is used for cooking, and the remaining waste is used as manure.
I discovered that they do not use any chemical fertilizers and pesticides at the farm. Everything there is grown organically.
I felt refreshed by spending the whole day on the farm, and my parents bought a variety of fruits and vegetables. By visiting the farm, I got inspired to make a kitchen garden of my own.