Syllabus- India- Agriculture and Irrigation – Major Food and Non-Food crops, Agro Climatic Regions, Green Revolution, recent trends in Agriculture; Major Irrigation Projects and Command Area Development.
Number of questions-
Mains: 02, Prelims – 10 – Mains Questions of the day-
1.Agriculture economists have suggested that the best chance of Crop Diversification is through animal agriculture or animal husbandry. Discuss.
Introduction: –
Write briefly about Crop Diversification.
Body: –
Write about the benefits associated to the Crop Diversification.
Conclusion: –
- There are some challenges associated with it which can’t be ignored, crop diversification provides an opportunity to double farmer’s income and create food security for the nation.
- Therefore, the government must promote crop diversification by purchasing crops produced other than wheat and rice at Minimum Support Price. This could also help conserve the dwindling supply of underground water.
- Agricultural emissions can also be limited through:
- Smarter livestock handling
- Technology-enabled monitoring of fertilizer application
- Simple changes in field layout and other
- More efficient agricultural techniques.
Content: –
Crop Diversification: –
- Crop diversification refers to the addition of new crops or cropping systems to agricultural production on a particular farm taking into account the different returns in socio-economic and environmental terms.
- Due to diverse set of climates, soil types and cultures, India has diverse range of cropping systems.
- Major cropping systems in India are:
- Sequential-cropping
- Mono-cropping
- Intercropping
- Relay Cropping
- Mixed-cropping and
- Alley cropping.
- Many farmers also use the mixed crop-livestock system to increase their standards of living and income.
- Animal husbandry or Animal Agriculture is the branch of science dealing with the practice of breeding, farming and care of farm animals (live stocks) such as cattle, dogs, sheep and horses by humans for advantages.
- It refers to livestock raising and selective breeding. It is a branch of agriculture.
Benefits of Crop Diversification:
- Increase Income on Small Land Holding:
- At present, 70-80% farmers have land below 2hectares. To overcome this, existing cropping patterns must be diversified with high value crops such as maize, pulses, etc.
- The Government of Haryana has also supported this by announcing that farmers switching to other alternate crops instead of paddy will be paid incentives.
- Economic Stability:
Crop diversification can better tolerate the ups and downs in price of various farm products and it may ensure economic stability of farming products.
- Mitigating Natural Calamities:
- Sudden adverse weather conditions like erratic rainfall, drought, hail, incidence of insect and pest disease.
- Under this situation, crop diversification through mixed cropping may be useful.
- Balance Food Demand:
- Most of the Indian population suffers from malnutrition.
- Most of the girl children have anemia.
- Including crops like pulses, oilseed, horticulture, and vegetable crops can improve socio economic status by adding quality to the food basket and also improve soil health with the aim of food safety and nutritional security.
- The Government has now targeted to increase the area under pulses and oilseeds through National Food Security Mission (NFSM).
- Conservation:
- Adoption of crop diversification helps in conservation of natural resources like introduction of legume in rice-wheat cropping system, which has the ability to fix atmospheric Nitrogen to help sustain soil fertility.
- Soil Health Card (SHC) provides information to farmers on nutrient status of their soil along with recommendations on appropriate dosage of nutrients to be applied for improving soil health and its fertility.
2.Micro-irrigation industry play an essential role in water-resource management in Agriculture. Despite several benefits, it is currently struggling to survive. Discuss.
Introduction: –
Write on the use % of water in Agriculture. Why micro irrigation is important?
Body: –
- Briefly mention the advantages of micro advantages.
- Mention the Challenges faced by Micro-irrigation industry in India.
Conclusion: –
- Micro-irrigation can be the stepping stone for achieving the goal of making farming sustainable, profitable and productive.
- However, ‘per drop more crop’ can only be achieved by deploying advanced and efficient irrigation technologies. These can only be achieved by eliminating delays, discretion and red tapism.
Content: –
Micro-Irrigation:
- It is a modern method of irrigation by which water is irrigated through drippers, sprinklers, foggers and by other emitters on the surface or subsurface of the land.
- Sprinkler irrigation and drip irrigation are the commonly used micro-irrigation methods.
Water condition in India: –
- Declining Water Availability:
- India first entered the league of water-deficient countries in 2011.
- India’s per capita water availability is estimated at 1,428 kilolitres per year.
- A nation with annual water availability of below 1,700 kilolitres per head is considered water deficient.
- It has one of the fastest shrinking water pools among G-20 economies.
Significance of Micro-Irrigation:
- Micro-irrigation ensures water use efficiency as much as 50- 90%.
- Water savings in comparison with flood irrigation are at 30-50%, with an average of 32.3%.
- Electricity consumption falls significantly.
- Adoption of micro-irrigation results in savings on fertilizers.
- Increase in the average productivity of fruits and vegetables.
- It leads to overall enhancement of farmers’ income.
Challenges Faced by Micro-Irrigation Industry: –
- Slower Adoption Pace for Drip Method of Irrigation (DMI):
- The Task Force on Micro-Irrigation in India estimated India’s total drip irrigation potential stands at 27 million hectares.
- However, the area under drip-irrigation accounts for a mere 4% of gross irrigated area and about 15% of its total potential (2016-17).
- Moreover, the adoption of DMI is also concentrated only in a few States.
- Issues Associated to Irrigation-Related Schemes:
Irresponsibility by State Governments:
- In most Indian states (with Gujarat and Tamil Nadu being the major exceptions), the scheme is operational only for a few months in a year.
- Despite the availability of funds, scheme applications are processed only at the end of a financial year, done typically to achieve pre-set targets in what is famously known as the ‘March rush’.
- As a result of this narrow window, only a handful of farmers can apply.
Delays in the Reimbursement of Subsidies:
- This funds are transferred to vendors only after due diligence.
- There is no fixed timeline for the inspection and testing of the installed system for transferring subsidies.
- Financial Difficulties:
- The farmers often face difficulty in getting necessary support from financial services.
- It was reported that a lower adoption rate for micro-irrigation was due to the reduction in budget.
- Availability of Power:
Despite having respective welfare schemes in place, electricity is still beyond the reach of every farmer.
Overall, Price controls and bureaucratic delays in scheme enrolment, lack of field reviews and the delays in reimbursement of subsidies, etc., have pushed this industry to the brink of collapse despite its importance.
Prelims Questions of the day: –
1. Which of the following is the commercial crop in India?
- Mustard
- Rice
- Maize
- Wheat
Answer: A
Explanation: –
- Two-thirds of India’s population is engaged in agricultural activities.
- It is a primary activity, which produces food grains and raw materials for industries.
- India is geographically a vast country so it has various food and non-food crops which are cultivated in three main cropping seasons which are rabi, kharif and zaid.
- Major crops can be classified into-
- Food crops- Rice, Wheat, Millets, Maize and Pulses.
- Cash crops- Sugarcane, Oilseeds, Horticulture crops, Tea, Coffee, Rubber, Cotton, Jute, mustard etc. are common profitable cash crops cultivated. With an increase in productivity of certain crops, especially sugar, the government aids the cultivation in providing incentives.
2. Which of the following state produces the largest quantity of pulses?
- Maharashtra
- Uttar Pradesh
- Madhya Pradesh
- Rajasthan
Answer: C
Explanation: –
- Main growing areas of pulses in India are Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Rajasthan.
- Madhya Pradesh is the leading state in India in pulses, in terms of cultivated area and productivity.
3. Which of the following is the Rabi crop?
- Mustard
- Moong
- Vegetables
- Cotton
Answer: A
Explanation:
- The main crops of the rabi season include wheat, maize, gram, sesame, mustard, peas, oats, jowar, bajra. Rabi sowing begins in October and concludes in mid-November.
- Sugarcane plantation for rabi commences from December.
4.Which of the following agency is responsible for procurement, distribution and storage of food grain production in India?
- Ministry of Agriculture
- Food Corporation of India
- NAFED
- TRIFED
Answer: B
Explanation: –
- Food Corporation of India (FCI) is a Public Sector Undertaking, under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution.
- FCI is a statutory body set up in 1965 under the Food Corporations Act 1964.
- It was established against the backdrop of major shortage of grains, especially wheat.
- It has primary duty to undertake procurement, store, move/transport, distribute and sell food grains and other foodstuffs.
5.Who approves the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) of sugarcane?
- Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs
- Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices
- Directorate of Marketing and Inspection, Ministry of Agriculture
- Agricultural Produce Market Committee
Answer: A
Explanation:
- Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) has been determined on the recommendation of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) and approved by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA).
- CACP is an attached office of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. It is an advisory body whose recommendations are not binding on the Government.
- CCEA is chaired by the Prime Minister of India.
6.In which year was the concept of MSP introduced in India?
- 1966
- 1950
- 1947
- 2000
Answer: – A
Explanation:
- The concept first began in 1966 with the Green Revolution for wheat.
- Though it is not legally mandated to do so, the government currently announces MSP for 22 major agricultural commodities each year.
7.Who recommends the Minimum Support Price for the crops?
- Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs
- Parliament of India
- Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices
- NITI Ayog
Answer: C
Explanation:
- MSP has been determined on the recommendation of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) and approved by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA).
- CACP is an attached office of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. It is an advisory body whose recommendations are not binding on the Government.
- CCEA is chaired by the Prime Minister of India.
8.Which of the following country largest user of groundwater in the world?
- China
- Japan
- Russia
- India
Answer: D
Explanation:
- India is the largest user of groundwater in the world, extracting groundwater to the tune of 253 billion cubic meter (bcm) per year.
- It is about 25% of the global groundwater extraction.
9.Which of the following scheme is related to sustainable management of groundwater?
- Jal Jeevan Mission-Har Ghar Jal
- The ‘Jal Shakti Abhiyan’
- Atal Bhujal Yojana
- Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana
Answer: -C
Explanation: –
- The Atal Bhujal Yojana: It is funding from World Bank, for sustainable management of ground water with community participation is being taken up in the identified over-exploited and water stressed areas fall in the States of Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.
- It seeks to revive village-level Water User Associations (WUAs).
- The scheme will strengthen the financial state of the WUAs, including allowing these bodies to retain a significant portion of irrigation fees.
10.Which of the following is the first largest agro-based industries in India?
- Cotton
- Textile
- Sugar industry
- Food Processing Industry.
Answer: B
Explanation: –
Textile-Industry:
- The textile industry is the largest agro-based industry and happens to be the largest industry in India, accounting for around 20% of industrial output.
- It offers employment for over 20 million individuals and contributes nearly 33% to the total exports.
- The Indian textile industry contributes 5% of the global trade in textiles.