Rural Livelihoods

Q20. Thulasi get paid little less than what labourers get in her home village, but she prefers to work on Ramalingam’s land. Why?

Ans. Unlike others, he does not go looking for cheaper labour from other villages. She can depend on him to call her whenever there is work.

Q21. List some of the activities that poor families in rural areas often do for the household apart from farming.

Ans. Poor families in rural areas often spend a lot of time every day collecting firewood, getting water and grazing their cattle.

Q22. For at least about four months during the monsoon, fishermen cannot go to the sea. Why?

Ans. Every year, for at least about four months during the monsoon, they cannot go to the sea because this is when the fish breed.

Q23. Why fishermen are forced to sell the fish to the trader?

Ans. During monsoon fishermen survive by borrowing from the trader. Because of this, later on they are forced to sell the fish to that trader, and cannot do their auction.

Q24. Under what circumstance farmers are unable to pay back their loans?

Ans. Crop failure due to bad quality of seeds, pests attack and delay in monsoon bring tough time for the farmers. Due to this farmers sometimes are unable to pay back their loans.

Q25. Why do people in many rural areas travel or migrate during particular seasons?

Ans. Not being able to earn money throughout the year forces people in many rural areas to travel long distances in search of work. This travel, or migration, takes place during particular seasons.

Q26. Imagine you are a member of a fishing family and you are discussing whether to take a loan from the bank for an engine. What would you say?

Ans. I would say it is better to take loan from bank than to go to money lenders. Money lenders charges high interest rates which cause distress among the poor people.

Q27. What are the problems faced by the fishermen during the monsoon season?

Ans. During the monsoon season, the fishermen cannot go to the sea because this is when the fish breed. These months are the most difficult ones. They survive by borrowing money from traders.

Q28. What work does Sekar do for a living?

Ans. Sekar own only two acres of land. He grows paddy with help of his family members. He also works in Ramalingam's rice mill. He helps him collect paddy from other farmers in the neighbouring villages. He also has a hybrid cow, whose milk he sells in the local milk cooperative.

Q29. What are the reasons of crop failure?

Ans. The major reasons of crop failure are:

                          i.        If the seeds are not of good quality.

                         ii.        If pests attack the crop.

                       iii.        If the monsoon does not bring enough rain.

Q30. You have probably noticed that people in Kalpattu are engaged in a variety of non-farm work. List five of these.

Ans. Non-farm work

                          i.        Making baskets, utensils, pots, bricks, bullock-carts etc.

                         ii.        Blacksmiths

                       iii.        Teachers

                       iv.        Washermen

                         v.        Weavers

Q31. How terrace farming is done?

Ans. In terrace farming, land on a hill slope is made into flat plots and carved out in steps. The sides of each plot are raised in order to retain water. This allows water to stand in the field, which is best for rice cultivation.

Q32. In what ways would her way of earning a living have been different if Thulasi owned some farm land? Discuss.

Ans. If Thulasi owned some farm land, she would have cultivated her field. There would have been possibility of earning more by selling the produce and her life would have been more comfortable.