Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Agriculture Revision notes for UPSC Prelims 2020
Compiled by Ramsundar M., IFS B. Tech Horticulture
Inside
Parts Content Page number
I Overview of Indian Agriculture 3
1 In News 7
2 Schemes 15
3 Institutions 26
4 Key concepts 30
Agri for prelims 2020 www.agademy.in 2 of 45
I. OVERVIEW OF AGRICULTURE AND ALLIED SECTORS
• The share of agriculture, forestry & fishing sector in GVA has seen a steady decrease over the years from 15.4 percent in 2015-16 to 14.4 per cent in 2018-19.
• GVA at Basic Prices for 2019-20 from the ‘Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing’ sector is estimated to grow by 2.8 %.
• In 2018-19, growth rate of the sector is estimated at 2.9%, as compared to 5% in 2017-18.
• Meanwhile, the share of workers who are dependent on agriculture has decreased at a lower rate from 70% in 1951 to 55% in 2011.
• The share of the fisheries in GVA has increased by 0.1 per cent points during the three years from 0.8 per cent in 2014-15 to 0.9 per cent in 2017-18.
• The share of the livestock in GVA has remained around 4 per cent from 2012-13 to 2017-18.
• The fisheries sector has shown a rapid growth from 4.9 per cent in 2012-13 to 11.9 per cent in 2017-18.
Gross Capital Formation A comparison of the share of public and private investment in Gross Capital Formation in agriculture and allied sectors shows that while the share of public investment in agriculture and allied sectors registers an increase from 2014-15 and maintains an upward trend till 2016-17, the share of private investment in GCF shows a decline during this period. Gross Capital Formation (GCF) in agriculture and allied sectors as a percentage of GVA saw a rise to 17.7 per cent in 201314 but declined thereafter to 15.2 per cent in 2017-18.
Agri for prelims 2020 www.agademy.in 3 of 45
Pattern of Agricultural Landholdings As per Phase-I results of the Agriculture Census, 2015-16, the number of operational holdings, i.e. land put to agricultural use, has increased to 14.6 crore in 2015-16 from 13.8 crore in 2010-11, thereby registering an increase of 5.3 per cent. The area operated by the marginal and small holdings increased from 38.9 per cent in 2000-01 to 47.4 percent in 2015-16, while that of the large holdings decreased from 37.2 per cent to 20 percent during this period. Trend of Expenditure on Agriculture Research & Education There has been an increasing trend in the expenditure on agricultural research and education as a percentage of total agricultural GVA with an exception of 2017-18. 0.37 percent of Agriculture GVA is spent on Agriculture Research & Education in 2018-19. The Committee on Doubling Farmers’ Income (Chaired by ________, 2018) observed that the expenditure on agricultural research in India has remained around 0.3-0.4% of the agriculture GDP since 2001. The share of agricultural research in agriculture GDP is much higher in Brazil (1.8%), Mexico (1.05%), Malaysia (0.99%), and China (0.62%). It observed that in the high income countries, the share stands at 3.01%. The Committee recommended that expenditure on agricultural research should be increased to upto one per cent of agriculture GDP. The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has been allocated Rs 4,869 crore for the year 2019-20. This is 3.7% lower than the revised estimate of 2018-19. The allocation is primarily for salaries, pensions and administrative expenses and support for different schemes under ICAR. Horticulture Horticulture Between 2001-02 and 2017-18, production of horticulture crops increased from 146 million tonnes to 312 million tonnes. This implies that the horticulture production increased at an average rate of 4.9%. Production of foodgrains increased at a rate of 1.7% during the same period.
Agri for prelims 2020 www.agademy.in 4 of 45
In 2017-18, fruits and vegetables contributed to 31% and 59% of the total horticultural production. The National Mission on Horticulture seeks to promote horticulture by providing availability of quality inputs such as planting material, and post-harvest interventions such as reduction in losses and access to markets. Overview of Finances The Ministry has been allocated Rs 1,38,564 crore in 2019-20. Allocation to the Ministry accounts for 5% of the central government’s budget 2019 -20. This allocation is 82.9% higher than the revised estimate for 2018-19. This increase is due to the allocation of Rs 75,000 crore to PM-KISAN (income support scheme for farmers), which was announced in the 2019-20 interim budget. More than 77% of the Ministry’s budget is proposed to be spent on three schemes under this Department: PM-KISAN (54%), the Interest Subsidy scheme (13%), and Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (10%). Women Farmers The share of operational holdings cultivated by women has increased from 11.7 per cent in 2005-06 to 13.9 percent in 2015-16. The marginal and small holdings operated by women farmers together constitute 27.9 percent of total operational holdings cultivated by women.
Agri for prelims 2020 www.agademy.in 5 of 45
Snippets of Budget 2020
● The Finance Minister said that more than Rs 2.83 lakh crore would be spent on Agriculture, Rural Development, Irrigation and allied activities as farmers and rural poor continue to remain the key focus of the Government.
● Agriculture credit target for the year 2020-21 has been set at Rs 15 lakh crore. All eligible beneficiaries of PM-KISAN will be covered under the KCC scheme.
● Proposal to expand PM-KUSUM to provide 20 lakh farmers for setting up stand-alone solar pumps and for another 15 lakh farmers to solarise their grid-connected pump sets.
● Setting up of efficient warehouses at the block/taluk level and in the Horticulture sector with focus on “one product one district” for better marketing and export.
● Foot and Mouth disease, brucellosis in cattle and also peste des petits ruminants(PPR) in sheep and goats to be eliminated by 2025.
● Coverage of artificial insemination to be increased from the present 30% to 70%
● MGNREGS to be dovetailed to develop fodder farms, doubling of milk processing capacity from 53.5 million MT to 108 million MT by 2025 to be facilitated.
● On the Blue Economy, raising fish production to 200 lakh tonnes is proposed by 2022-23.
● Youth to be involved in fishery extension through 3477 Sagar Mitras and 500 Fish Farmer Producer Organisations.
● Fishery exports hoped to be raised to Rs 1 lakh crore by 2024-25. Deen Dayal Antyodaya Yojana- for alleviation of poverty, half a crore households are mobilized with 58 lakh SHGs and it will be further expanded.
Agri for prelims 2020 www.agademy.in 6 of 45
1. IN NEWS 1.1 National Rice Research Institute (NRRI) developed High-protein rice varieties and two climate-smart varieties For the first time in the world, the Institute recently released two high-protein rice varieties (CR Dhan 310, CR Dhan 311) and two climate-smart varieties (CR Dhan 801 and CR Dhan 802), which are tolerant to both submergence and drought and few biotic stresses to face the challenges of climate change. NRRI is the nodal agency for planning, implementation and monitoring of _____________________ (BGREI) programme which is being implemented in 118 districts of seven Eastern states. 1.2 Agricultural Marketing and Farmer Friendly Reforms Index NITI Aayog developed the first ever ‘Agriculture Marketing and Farmer Friendly Reforms Index’ to sensitise States about the need to undertake reforms in three key areas of agriculture market, land lease and forestry on private land (felling and transit of trees). The aim of the index is to induce healthy competition between States. ____ state ranks first in the Index. 1.3 Centre for Climate Change • National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), an apex
institution for agricultural financial development in India, has launched Centre for Climate Change in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.
• It is the first of its kind centre in South East Asia. It focuses on climate oriented action.
1.4 Kisan Credit Cards to Dairy and Fishery Producers Budget 2018-19 has given a big boost to rural economic activities apart from agriculture with major initiatives for dairies, food processing, horticulture, aquaculture and animal husbandry which will help in doubling the farmers’ income by 2022.
Agri for prelims 2020 www.agademy.in 7 of 45
By extending the Kisan Credit Card facility to Dairy and Fisheries will enhance their credibility and encourage them to work more efficiently. 1.5 Fall Armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) Fall Armyworm (FAW) was discovered in Karnataka this July. The invasive pest is native of _____ was observed by us in maize hybrids . The fall armyworm’s head has a predominant white, inverted “Y”-shaped suture between the eyes and four dark spots forming a square on the second to last segment. Host Plants Field crops are frequently injured, including alfalfa, barley, Bermuda grass, buckwheat, cotton, clover, corn, oat, millet, peanut, rice, ryegrass, sorghum, sugar beet, Sudan grass, soybean, sugarcane, timothy, tobacco and wheat. Damage symptoms 1. Feeding in the whorl of corn often produces a characteristic row of perforations
in the leaves. (pin holes, small to medium elongated holes, parallel shot holes, and irregular shaped holes on leaves)
2. Presence of chewed up frass material and fecal pellets in the leaf whorl, drooping of leaves portion above the feeding area, and feeding on tassel.
Control measuressuggestedby ICAR
• The ICAR scientists told farmers to set up 5 pheromone traps in the infested area & also in areas that could be affected by FAW. They must be there both in crop season and off season too.
• The ICAR also suggested farmers and other stakeholders to explore for Fall Armyworm population following a ‘W’ path in a particular field as soon as maize seedlings come out.
Agri for prelims 2020 www.agademy.in 8 of 45
• Deep ploughing is suggested before sowing as this would expose FAW pupae to predators.
• Timely sowing is advised. Evade staggered sowings. Intercropping of maize with suitable pulse crops that are vogue in a particular region.
• By growing ornamental flowering plants as an intercrop will help in increasing natural enemies. Also balanced application of fertilisers & cultivation of maize hybrids with tight husk cover will decrease ear damage by Fall Armyworm.
• Hand picking & destruction of egg masses & neonate larvae in mass by crushing or immersing in kerosine water will be helpful.
1.5.1 Project SAFFAL to safeguard farmers against Fall armyworm Project Safeguarding Agriculture & Farmers against Fall Armyworm (Project SAFFAL) is a multi-year project aims at safeguarding agriculture and farmers against fall armyworm in India. The project SAFFAL is conceptualized by the South Asia Biotechnology Centre (SABC) and supported by FMC India Pvt Limited and is implemented in collaboration with key stakeholders from agricultural value chains who may be potentially impacted due to the rapid spread of Fall Armyworm in India and across Asia. The project SAFFAL aims at developing a suite of techniques, good agricultural practices and control measures along with educational material for various stakeholders to enhance farmers’ preparedness to tackle the menace of fall armyworm. 1.6 Formalin as adulterant in fish As many as 11 out of 30 samples of fish purchased from Chintadripet and Kasimedu, the two major fish markets in Chennai, on two different days have tested positive for formalin. This was the first time samples of fish in Tamil Nadu have tested positive for formalin. Formalin which is _________ in water is a common adulterant in fish. The underlying motive of using formalin on fish is to extend the storage life of fresh or chilled fish and to artificially improve the sensory attributes i.e. appearance, so as to give a facade of fresh fish. In most cases, the traders use formaldehyde to prevent the spoilage and keep fish in marketable conditions.
Agri for prelims 2020 www.agademy.in 9 of 45
The Central Institute of Fisheries Technology (CIFT) has developed a kit for easy and quick detection of adulterants in domestically marketed fish. 1.7 Mycotoxins Mycotoxins are naturally occurring toxins produced by certain moulds (fungi) and can be found in food. The most commonly observed mycotoxins that present a concern to human health and livestock include aflatoxins, ochratoxin A, patulin, fumonisins, zearalenone and nivalenol/deoxynivalenol. High traces of aflatoxins, capable of causing cancer, have been detected in chilli samples collected from various places in Guntur city.Guntur chilli is famous in the international market for its pungency and unique flavour. Further, a group of scientists, from the Indian Institute of Toxicology Research in ____, found zearalenone in 70 (60 percent) of 117 samples of loose unbranded maize, oats, rice and wheat bought from city markets. Zearalenone is a toxin produced by soil fungi and has been known to contaminate cereals during pre-harvest and post-harvest activities. Several studies have indicated that zearalenone disrupts the endocrine system, interfering with the normal patterns of hormones. The Food Safety Standards Authority of India does not have limits for zearalenone. Besides the EU, countries such as China, Japan and South Korea have prescribed permissible limits for the toxin in various foods. 1.8 Agriculture census Agriculture Census in India coordinated by the ______ Division of the Ministry of Agriculture requires a high degree of coordination, technical expertise, statistical control and supervision over the States. The Agriculture Census is restricted to information on the number of operational holdings and the area operated thereof with attendant details on tenure, land use, irrigation, cropping pattern and scatteredness of holdings. The census does
Agri for prelims 2020 www.agademy.in 10 of 45
not go into yield and production aspects which are of immediate interest for Agriculture policies and are thus covered under current Agriculture Statistics. The Agriculture Census in India is carried out at an interval of ___ years during each plan period although World Census of Agriculture (WCA) of ___ are in favour of conducting Agriculture Census once in ten years. Operational Holdings The basic unit of collecting data in the Agriculture Census is the `Agriculture Operational Holding’ as distinct from `Ownership Holding’. This is so as the operational holding is the fundamental unit of decision making in agricultural planning. The operational holdings correspond to who actually cultivates the land rather than ownership. Findings of Agriculture Census 2015-16 • The number of small and
marginal agricultural land holdings in the country (known as operational holdings) has registered a marginal increase in 2015-16 compared to 2010-11, according to the tenth agricultural census. This means that there are more people who now own smaller parcels of agricultural land.
• The percentage of land holders who are women has increased from 12.79% in 2010-11 to 13.87% in 2015-16, with a corresponding increase of 1.2 percentage points in the operated area. This shows that more and more females are participating in the management and operation of agricultural lands.
• Small and marginal holdings (Below two hectares) constituted 86.21% of the total land holdings, an increase of 1.2 percentage points compared to 2010-11.Large land holdings account for only 9% of the total operational area.
Agri for prelims 2020 www.agademy.in 11 of 45
1.9 Zero budget Natural Farming The Food and Agriculture Organisation calls it Zero budget farming, is a set of farming methods that involve zero credit for agriculture and no use of chemical fertilisers. Padmashree Awardee Subhash Palekar is the man behind Zero Budget Natural Farming Method.
• Zero budget farming model promises to cut down farming expenditure drastically and ends dependence on loans.
• It also reduces dependence on purchased inputs as it encourages the use of own seeds and locally available natural fertilizers.
• Farming is done in sync with nature not through chemical fertilisers. The main aim of Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) is the elimination of chemical pesticides and promotion of good agronomic practices and also to sustain agriculture production with eco-friendly processes in tune with nature and to produce chemical free agricultural produce. Soil fertility & soil organic matter is restored by pursuing ZBNF. Less water is required under ZBNF. ZBNF is a climate friendly agriculture system. To know more about ZBNF visit http://www.agademy.in/2019/08/insights-into-zero-budget-natural-farming/ 1.10 Farmer’s Science Congress
● 107th edition of Indian Science Congress (ISC) was inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi on January 3, 2020 at University of Agricultural Sciences.
● The Farmer's Science Congress was inaugurated for the first time in the history of ISC.
● This event highlighted the importance of farmer’s innovations and their scientific validity.
Agri for prelims 2020 www.agademy.in 12 of 45
● Farmers can be benefitted from FSC and said that innovators from different parts of the country can share their experiences and learn from each other. Scientist-farmer interactions can boost innovations to the next level and this can benefit the people in general.
1.11. 8th International Conference on Agricultural Statistics (ICAS-VIII) The 8th International Conference on Agricultural Statistics (ICAS-VIII) is being held from 18th to 21st November 2019 in New Delhi. Organised by: Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare in collaboration with the _______________ ministry, International Statistical Institute - Committee on Agricultural Statistics (ISI-CAS), Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) and various other organizations. Theme: Statistics for Transformation of Agriculture to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
Desert Locust – Some facts
● The Desert Locust is considered the most destructive migratory pest in the world.
● A small swarm covering one square kilometer can eat the same amount of food in one day as 35,000 people.
● There are potentially severe consequences for the region where nearly 12 million people are coping with severe acute food insecurity and many rely on agriculture for their survival.
● A new generation of locusts is expected to hatch in February ● With new swarms expected in early April that would coincide with the
next season of planting.
But why does the desert locust go gregarious, when the vast majority of grasshopper species remain solitarius? That might have something to do with the dry environments these species call home. Desert locusts only lay eggs in moist soil, to keep them from drying out. When heavy rains come in to saturate the desert, locusts—even the opportunists—breed like mad and fill the soil with their eggs, perhaps 1,000 per square meter of soil. When those eggs hatch, they’ll have plenty of vegetation to eat, until things dry up once again.
Agri for prelims 2020 www.agademy.in 13 of 45
As soon as things start getting crowded, desert locusts become gregarious and migrate away in search of more food. By doing so in swarms, the locusts find safety in numbers—any individual is less likely to get eaten. But for farmers in surrounding countries, the locusts’ new found mobility can spell ruin. Source: https://www.ecologise.in/2020/02/11/the-terrifying-science-behind-the-locust-plagues-of-africa/ 1.12. 2020 as the International Year of Plant Health (IYPH) In December 2018, the United Nations General Assembly declared 2020 as the International Year of Plant Health (IYPH) with a unanimous vote and mandated FAO, in collaboration with the _____ , to facilitate its implementation. To raise global awareness on how protecting plant health can help end hunger, reduce poverty, protect the environment, and boost economic development. “PROTECTING PLANTS, PROTECTING LIFE” is the slogan. About IPPC: The International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) is an intergovernmental treaty signed by over 180 countries, aiming to protect the world's plant resources from the spread and introduction of pests, and promoting safe trade. The Convention introduced International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPMs) as its main tool to achieve its goals, making it the sole global standard setting organization for plant health. The IPPC is one of the "Three Sisters" recognized by the World Trade Organization's (WTO) Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS) Agreement, along with the Codex Alimentarius Commission for food safety standards and the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) for animal health standards.
Agri for prelims 2020 www.agademy.in 14 of 45
2. Schemes 2.1 Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay SanraksHan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA) PM-AASHA will provide MSP assurance to farmers. MSP is the price at which the government agencies purchase farmers’ produce of certain notified crops. Components of PM-AASHA The new Umbrella Scheme includes the mechanism of ensuring remunerative prices to the farmers and is comprised of • Price Support Scheme (PSS), • Price Deficiency Payment Scheme (PDPS) • Pilot of Private Procurement & Stockist Scheme (PPPS). In the Price Support Scheme (PSS), physical procurement of pulses, oilseeds and Copra will be done by Central Nodal Agencies with the proactive role of State governments. It is also decided that in addition to NAFED, the Food Corporation of India (FCI) will take up PSS operations in states /districts. The procurement expenditure and losses due to procurement will be borne by Central Government as per norms. Under Price Deficiency Payment Scheme (PDPS), it is proposed to cover all oilseeds for which MSP is notified. In this direct payment of the difference between the MSP and the selling/modal price will be made to pre-registered farmers selling his produce in the notified market yard through a transparent auction process. All payment will be done directly into the registered bank account of the farmer. This scheme does not involve any physical
Agri for prelims 2020 www.agademy.in 15 of 45
procurement of crops as farmers are paid the difference between the MSP price and Sale/model price on disposal in the notified market. The support of the central government for PDPS will be given as per norms. Cabinet has also decided that participation of the private sector in procurement operations needs to be piloted so that on the basis of learnings the ambit of private participation in procurement operations may be increased. The selected private agency shall procure the commodity at MSP in the notified markets during the notified period from the registered farmers in consonance with the PPSS Guidelines, whenever the prices in the market fall below the notified MSP and whenever authorized by the state/UT government to enter the market and maximum service charges up to 15% of the notified MSP will be payable. 2.1.1 Issues with respect to MSP
• Low awareness among farmers before the sowing season (according to NITI Aayog, 62% of the farmers were informed of MSPs after the sowing season)
• While MSPs are announced for 23 crops every year, public procurement is limited to a few such as paddy, wheat, and, to a limited extent, pulses.
• The procurement is also largely from a few states. Three states (Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, and Punjab) which produce 45% of the wheat in the country account for 81% of its procurement.
• Long distances to the procurement centres, • Increasing cost of transportation for farmers • Inadequate storage capacity
2.2 PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana (PMKSNY) Under the Scheme, Rs 6,000 will be given per year to small and marginal ______ farmer families with the aim of supplementing their financial needs in procuring inputs for appropriate crop health and yields.It will be given in three installments of Rs.2000 each. Earlier, only small and marginal landholder farmer families, i.e. families with total cultivable landholding of up to two hectares, were eligible for the scheme. In May 2019, the Union Cabinet approved extension of the scheme to all farmer families irrespective of their size of landholdings.
Agri for prelims 2020 www.agademy.in 16 of 45
The State Government and UT Administration will identify the farmer families which are eligible for support as per scheme guidelines. The scheme implemented through DBT, will transfer the amount directly to the bank account of the beneficiary, thereby eliminating middlemen and corruption. The beneficiaries are identified by states based on their land records. The scheme does not cover landless agricultural labourers who form 55% of the agricultural workers in the country . PM KISAN is a Central Sector scheme / Centrally Sponsored Scheme ? 2.3 Agriculture Export Policy, 2018 The Union Cabinet approved the Agriculture Export Policy, 2018 in December 2018. The policy aims to double agricultural exports from the present USD 30 billion to USD 60 billion by 2022. It also aims to diversify the export basket and export destinations, and increase exports of high value and value-added products, with focus on perishables. The policy proposes strategic and operational recommendations, which include: (i) greater involvement of state governments in exports, (ii) infrastructure and logistics support, (iii) focus on export clusters, (iv) private investments in production and processing, and (v) strong quality measures. The Union Cabinet also approved the establishment of a Monitoring Framework to oversee the implementation of the policy. It comprises representatives of several ministries and concerned state governments, with the Ministry of______ as the nodal agency. Which state government has launched its own Agri Export Policy ?
Agri for prelims 2020 www.agademy.in 17 of 45
Read more: http://imotforum.com/2019/05/india-first-agricultural-export-policy-analysis-suggestions/ 2.4 Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana The scheme covers all farmers, including tenant farmers and sharecroppers, who are growing notified crops in notified areas.
● The PMFBY will replace the existing two schemes National Agricultural Insurance Scheme as well as the Modified NAIS.
● There will be a uniform premium of only ___ % to be paid by farmers for all Kharif crops and ___% for all Rabi crops. In case of annual commercial and horticultural crops, the premium to be paid by farmers will be only ___%. The premium rates to be paid by farmers are very low and balance premium will be paid by the Government to provide full insured amount to the farmers against crop loss on account of natural calamities.
● There is no upper limit on Government subsidy. Even if the balance premium is 90%, it will be borne by the Government.
● The use of technology will be encouraged to a great extent. Smartphones will be used to capture and upload data of crop cutting to reduce the delays in claim payment to farmers. Remote sensing will be used to reduce the number of crop cutting experiments.
Issues with respect to PMFBY
• Lack of awareness about crop insurance among farmers was the major factor for not insuring their crops. Less than 5% of the agricultural households cultivating major crops, such as rice and wheat, insured crops.
• PMFBY is mandatory for farmers with loans and optional for those without loans. The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (2017) observed a low coverage of farmers without loans under the previous crop insurance schemes.
• The Standing Committee on Agriculture (2017) observed that the state governments are not readily accepting and adopting use of technology for assessing yield loss. It also observed that crop cutting experiments are not being carried out diligently.
• Delayed settlement of claims for which operational guidelines have been modified that insurance companies pay interest in case of delay.
Agri for prelims 2020 www.agademy.in 18 of 45
2.5 Interest Subvention Scheme As per recent guidelines of GoI for the year 2017-18 and 2018-19, Interest Subvention of 2% per annum is provided to Public Sector Banks, Private Sector Banks (in respect of loans given by their rural and semi urban branches), Cooperative Banks and Regional Rural Banks on their own funds used for short term crop loans upto Rs.3 lakh per farmer provided the lending institutions make available short-term credit at the ground level at 7% per annum to farmers. In addition, ___ % Interest Subvention as an incentive to prompt payee farmers is given. Thus the prompt paying farmers are getting short term crop loans @4% per annum from various banks. The benefit of interest subvention will be available to small and marginal farmers having Kisan Credit Card for a further period of upto six months after the harvesting of the crop at the same rate as available to crop loan against Negotiable Warehouse Receipts issued for the produce stored in warehouses accredited with Warehousing Development Regulatory Authority. To provide relief to farmers affected by natural calamities, an interest subvention of 2 per cent per annum will be made available to banks for the first year on the restructured loan amount. Such assistance is provided from __________ fund (NDRF). Such restructured loans will attract a normal rate of interest from the second year onwards as per the policy laid down by the RBI. Interim Budget proposed to provide the benefit of __% interest subvention to the farmers pursuing the activities of animal husbandry and fisheries, who avail loan through Kisan Credit Card (KCC). 2.6 Crop Residue Management Scheme In pursuance to Budget 2018 announcement a new Central Sector Scheme on ‘Promotion of Agricultural Mechanization for In-Situ Management of Crop Residue in the States of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and NCT of Delhi’ for the period from 2018-19 to 2019-20. (100% Central Share) The Scheme has the following components
Agri for prelims 2020 www.agademy.in 19 of 45
1. Establish Farm Machinery Banks for Custom Hiring of in-situ crop residue management machinery (like Happy seeder)
2. Financial Assistance to farmers for Procurement of Agriculture Machinery and Equipment for in-situ crop residue management
3. Information, Education and Communication for awareness on in-situ crop residue management.
Read more about Stubble management at http://imotforum.com/2017/11/when-crops-become-fireworks-stubble-burning-delhi-pollution-solution/ 2.7 Operation GREENS Operation Greens was announced in the Budget speech of 2018-19 with an outlay of Rs 500 crores to stabilize the supply of ___, ____ and ___(TOP) crops and to ensure availability of TOP crops throughout the country round the year without any price volatility. Its operations will be handled by _____ Ministry. Ministry declared a two pronged strategy for operationalization of the scheme which comprises of 1. Short term Price Stabilisation Measures consisting of a provision of 50% of the
subsidy on Transportation of Tomato Onion Potato(TOP) Crops from production to storage and Hiring of appropriate storage facilities for TOP Crops;
2. Long Term Integrated value chain development projects like Capacity Building
of FPOs & their consortium, Quality production, Post-harvest processing facilities, Agri-Logistics, Marketing / Consumption Points, Creation and Management of e-platform for demand and supply management of TOP Crops.
The Ministry declared that organisations eligible for the grant would include State Agriculture and other Marketing Federations, Farmer Producer Organizations (FPO), cooperatives, companies, Self-help groups, food processors, logistic operators, service providers, supply chain operators, retail and wholesale chains and central and state governments and their entities/organizations.
Agri for prelims 2020 www.agademy.in 20 of 45
2.8 Rashtriya Kamdhenu Aayog Establishment of Rashtriya Kamdhenu Aayog for Conservation protection and development of cows and their progeny was announced in Interim budget 2019. The Rashtriya Kamdhenu Aayog will work in collaboration with Veterinary, Animal Sciences or Agriculture University or departments or organizations of the Central/State Government engaged in the task of research in the field of breeding and rearing of cows, organic manure, biogas etc. 2.8 Krishi Kalyan Abhiyaan Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare has launched the Krishi Kalyan Abhiyaan from 1st June, 2018 till 31st July, 2018 so as to aid, assist and advise farmers on how to improve their farming techniques and raise their incomes, as a part of doubling the farmers’ income by 2022. The Krishi Kalyan Abhiyaan will be undertaken in 25 Villages with more than 1000 population each in Aspirational Districts identified in consultation with Ministry of Rural Development as per directions of NITI Aayog and the overall coordination and implementation is being done by Krishi Vigyan Kendras. The activities of the scheme is listed below:- ● Distribution of Soil Health Cards to all farmers ● 100% coverage of bovine vaccination for Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) in each village ● 100% coverage of Sheep and Goat for eradication of Peste des Petits ruminants (PPR) ● Distribution of Mini Kits of pulses and oilseeds to all ● Distribution of Horticulture/ Agro Forestry/ Bamboo plant @ 5 per family (location appropriate) ● Making 100 NADAP Pits in each village ● Artificial insemination promotion ● Demonstration programmes on Micro- irrigation & integrated cropping practice.
Agri for prelims 2020 www.agademy.in 21 of 45
2.9 Atal Bhujal Yojana This scheme involves recharging Ground Water , reviving surface water bodies and making sufficient water storage facilities for Agricultural purposes. The scheme is sponsored by the Central Government along with ______ Bank. It also focuses on Community participation and to create awareness of the depleting ground water resource. The Scheme is implemented by ________ ministry. 2.10 Soil Health Card (SHC) scheme SHC is a printed report that a farmer gets for each of his holdings. It will define the status of soil with respect to 12 parameters namely • Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium (Macronutrients) ; • Sulphur (Secondary nutrient) ; Zinc, Iron, Copper, Manganese, Boron (Micro
– nutrients) ; and • pH Acidity/ Alkalinity/ Neutrality), Electrical Conductivity, Organic
Carbon (Physical parameters). Based on this, the SHC will also indicate fertiliser recommendations and soil amendment required for the farm in the long run. A farmer will get the soil card once every __ years. 2.10.1 Soil Health and Fertilizer status Prices of urea are controlled by the government, whereas the prices of P and K fertilisers are market driven.This has led to the lower prices of urea (N) over the years, whereas market prices of P and K fertilisers have remained higher. This is one of the reasons for imbalanced use of nutrients as urea is used more than other fertilisers. While the recommended ratio of use of the N, P, and K fertilisers is 4:2:1, this ratio in India in 2016-17 was at 6.7:2.7:1. Use of soil health cards has helped farmers substantially reduce the cost of production and achieve higher production, thereby increasing farm income up to
Agri for prelims 2020 www.agademy.in 22 of 45
Rs 30,000 per acre, depending on the crop, according to a government study, conducted by the National Productivity Council (NPC). 2.11. Kisan Credit card scheme Kisan Credit Card (KCC) scheme meets the financial requirements of farmers at various stages of farming. The scheme aims at providing adequate and timely credit support from the banking system under a single window with flexible and simplified procedure to the farmers for their cultivation and other needs as indicated below: • To meet the short term credit requirements for cultivation of crops; • Post-harvest expenses; • Produce marketing loan; • Consumption requirements of farmer household; • Working capital for maintenance of farm assets and activities allied to agriculture.
• Investment credit requirement for agriculture and allied activities. The KCC scheme also provides the facility of ATM enabled RuPay Card, one-time documentation, built-in cost escalation in the limit and any number of drawls within the limit. Eligibility The farmers eligible under the KCC scheme include small farmers, marginal farmers, sharecroppers, oral lessee and tenant farmers. The Self Help Groups
Agri for prelims 2020 www.agademy.in 23 of 45
(SHGs) or Joint Liability Groups (JLGs) are also eligible for availing benefits under the said scheme. In the 2018 Budget, the Government announced the facility of extension of Kisan Credit Card scheme (KCC) to Animal Husbandry and Fisheries. 2.12 Neem Coating of Urea As per the interim report of study by DAC&FW in 2016, the benefits of use of Neem Coated Urea are as under: • Improvement in soil health • Reduction in usage of plant protection chemicals • Reduction in pest and disease attack • An increase in yield of paddy, sugarcane, maize, soybean, Tur/Red Gram • Diversion towards non-agricultural purposes is negligible. • Due to slow release of Nitrogen, Nitrogen Use Efficiency (NUE) of Neem Coated
Urea increases resulting in reduced consumption of NCU as compared to Normal urea.
Nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) is the fraction of applied nitrogen that is absorbed and used by the plant However, the Department of fertilisers under _____ ministry is responsible for implementation of the scheme. 2.13 PM Kisan Maan Dhan Yojana – Farmers Pension Scheme The scheme has been envisioned with an aim to improve the life of small and marginal farmers of the country. Under the PM-KMY, which was announced during the Budget 2019-20, a monthly pension of Rs ____ will be provided to eligible farmers on attaining the age of 60. The scheme is voluntary and contributory for farmers in the entry age group of 18 to 40 years and a monthly pension of Rs. 3000/- will be provided to them on attaining the age of 60 years. The farmers will have to make a monthly contribution of Rs.55 to Rs.200, depending on their age of entry, in the Pension Fund till they reach the retirement date i.e. the age of 60 years.
Agri for prelims 2020 www.agademy.in 24 of 45
The Central Government will also make an equal contribution of the same amount in the pension fund. The spouse is also eligible to get a separate pension of Rs.3000/- upon making separate contributions to the Fund. The Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) shall be the Pension Fund Manager and responsible for Pension pay out. The beneficiaries may opt voluntarily to exit the Scheme after a minimum period of 5 years of regular contributions. On exit, their entire contribution shall be returned by LIC with an interest equivalent to prevailing saving bank rates. 2.14 Sugar export policy for evacuation of surplus stocks The surplus stock of 162 LMT of sugar would create downward pressure throughout the season on sugar prices affecting liquidity of the sugar mills thereby leading to accumulation of cane price arrears of farmers. To deal with this situation, the Government has buffer stock of 40 LMT of sugar for one year from 1st August, 2019. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has given its approval for providing a lump sum export subsidy at Rs. 10,448 per MT to sugar mills for the sugar season 2019-20. The lump sum export subsidy will be provided for expenses on marketing costs including handling, upgrading and other processing costs, costs of international and internal transport and freight charges on export of up to 60 Lakh Metric Tonne (LMT) of sugar limited to Maximum Admissible Export Quantity (MAEQ) allocated to sugar mills for the sugar season 2019-20. The subsidy would be directly credited into farmers’ account on behalf of mills against cane price dues and subsequent balance, if any, would be credited to mill’s account. The subsidy shall be in conformity with the provisions of Article 9.1 (d) & (e) of Agreement on Agriculture (AoA) and thus WTO compatible. What is Sugar Season ? Get to know about Agriculture and WTO.
Agri for prelims 2020 www.agademy.in 25 of 45
3. Institutions 3.1 KVK (abbreviate _______) A KVK can be created under a variety of host institutions including agricultural universities, state departments, ICAR institutions, other educational institutions or NGOs. A KVK must own about 20 hectare of land for the purpose of testing advanced agricultural technologies. The KVK scheme is 100% financed by the Govt. of India. KVK is in fact an agricultural extension centre in our country. The meaning of KVK is ‘farm science centre’. Usually associated with local agricultural universities, these centres serve as the vibrant link between the Indian council of agricultural research and farmers , and aim to apply agricultural research and development in a localised ambience. ICAR has 11 Agricultural Technology Application Research institutes (ATARIs) throughout the country and all the Krishi Vigyan Kendras fall under ATARI. The objective of the ATARI is to plan, monitor, evaluate and guide the programmes of the KVK and judge the performance of KVKs from time to time. KVK, is an integral part of the National Agricultural Research System (NARS), aimed at assessment of location specific technology modules in agriculture and allied enterprises, through technology assessment, refinement and demonstrations. Click here to - Know more about KVK 3.2 Farmers Producer Organisation (FPO) It is one type of PO where the members are farmers. Small Farmers’ Agribusiness Consortium (SFAC) is providing support for promotion of FPOs. PO is a generic name for an organization of producers of any produce, e.g., agricultural, non-farm products, artisan products, etc. A Producer Organisation (PO) is a legal entity formed by primary producers, viz. farmers, milk producers, fishermen, weavers, rural artisans, craftsmen. A PO can be a producer company, a cooperative society or any other legal form which provides for sharing of profits/benefits among the members.
Agri for prelims 2020 www.agademy.in 26 of 45
Essential features of a PO 1. It is formed by a group of producers for either farm or non-farm activities. It is
a registered body and a legal entity. 2. Producers are shareholders in the organization. 3. It deals with business activities related to the primary produce/product. 4. It works for the benefit of the member producers. 5. A part of the profit is shared amongst the producers. 6. Rest of the surplus is added to its owned funds for business expansion. Each PO will have an elected Board of Management / Board of Directors as per the bye-laws. The Board can engage professionals to manage its affairs. In the initial years, professional and managerial assistance is usually extended by the Producer Organisation Promoting Institute. As the leaders of the PO gain experience, they should take over the affairs of the PO completely. Budget 2018 Proposes 100% tax deduction to Farmer Producer Companies having annual turnover up to Rs.__ crores in respect of their profit derived from such activities for a period of five years from financial year 20 18-19. Earlier, 100% deduction is allowed in respect of profit of co-operative societies which provide assistance to its members engaged in primary agricultural activities.
Agri for prelims 2020 www.agademy.in 27 of 45
3.3 National Innovations on Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA) National Innovations on Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA) is a network project of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) launched in February, 2011. The project aims to enhance resilience of Indian agriculture to climate change and climate vulnerability through strategic research and technology demonstration. The research on adaptation and mitigation covers crops, livestock, fisheries and natural resource management. The project consists of four components viz. Strategic Research, Technology Demonstration, Capacity Building and Sponsored/Competitive Grants. 3.4 Warehousing Development and Regulatory Authority It comes under the Department of Food and Public Distribution of ________ ministry. The mission of Warehousing Development and Regulatory Authority (WDRA) is to regulate and ensure implementation of the provisions of the Warehousing (Development and Regulation) Act, 2007 for the development and regulation of warehouses, Regulations of Negotiability of Warehouse Receipts and promote orderly growth of the warehousing business. Electronic Negotiable Warehousing Receipt (eNWR) System and WDRA Portal has been launched to transform the process of registration of warehouses online and to issue e-NWR instead of paper-NWR which will be a more credible financing tool. 3.5 The Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) The Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) functions in the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC). As per Environment Protection Act, 1986, it is responsible for appraisal of activities involving large scale use of hazardous microorganisms and recombinants in research and industrial production from the environmental angle. The committee is also responsible for appraisal of proposals relating to release of genetically engineered (GE) organisms and products into the environment including experimental field trials.
Agri for prelims 2020 www.agademy.in 28 of 45
GEAC is chaired by the Special Secretary/Additional Secretary of MoEF&CC and co-chaired by a representative from the Department of Biotechnology (DBT). Presently, it has 24 members and meets every month to review the applications. 3.6 IRRI South Asia Regional Centre (IRRI SARC) Prime Minister of India inaugurated IRRI South Asia Regional Centre (IRRI SARC) in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh on December 29, 2018. This is also the first educational and training hub of the IRRI outside Philippines. IRRI SARC facilities include the Centre of Excellence in Rice Value Addition (CERVA), a suite of modern laboratories where rice grains are assessed for quality and nutritional value and sensory evaluations for grain taste, texture, and aroma are conducted; on-site facilities. The International Rice Research Institute IRRI is an independent, nonprofit, research and educational institute, founded in 1960 by the Ford and Rockefeller foundations with support from the Philippine government. The institute, headquartered in _______, has offices in 17 rice-growing countries in Asia and Africa. IRRIis the world’s premier research organisation dedicated to reducing poverty and hunger through rice science; improving the health and welfare of rice farmers and consumers; and protecting the rice-growing environment for future generations. Working with in-country partners, IRRI develops advanced rice varieties that yield more grain and better withstand pests and disease as well as flooding, drought, and other harmful effects of climate change.
Agri for prelims 2020 www.agademy.in 29 of 45
4. Key concepts 4.1 Integrated Farming System (IFS) Integrated Farming System (IFS) for enhancing productivity and minimizing risks associated with climatic variabilities. Under this system, crops/cropping system is integrated with activities like horticulture, livestock, fishery, agro-forestry, apiculture etc. to enable farmers to mitigate the impacts of drought, flood or other extreme weather events with the income opportunity from allied activities during crop damage. A judicious mix of two or more components using cardinal principles of minimum competition and maximum complementary with advanced agronomic management tools aiming for sustainable and environment friendly improvement of farm income, family nutrition and ecosystem services. COMPONENTS OF INTEGRATED FARMING SYSTEM
1. Crops, livestock, birds and trees are the major components of any IFS.
2. Crop may have subsystem like monocrop, mixed/intercrop, multi-tier crops of cereals, legumes (pulses), oilseeds, forage etc.
3. Livestock components may be milch cow, goat, sheep, poultry, bees. 4. Tree components may include timer, fuel, fodder and fruit trees.
4.2 Soil salinity, Alkalinity (sodicity) and Soil Acidity Saline soils : Soils that contain a harmful amount of salt (Ca, K, Mg, Na) are often referred to as salty or saline soils. Crops do not grow well on these soils because salt causes a reduction in the rate and amount of water that the plant roots can take up from the soil (changes in
Agri for prelims 2020 www.agademy.in 30 of 45
osmotic pressure between roots and soil - broad topic not necessary for UPSC prelims). Second, some salts are toxic to plants when present in high concentration. Improvement of a saline soil implies the reduction of the salt concentration of the soil to a level that is not harmful to the crops. More water is applied to the field than is required for crop growth. This additional water infiltrates into the soil and percolates through the rootzone. During percolation, it takes up part of the salts in the soil and takes these along to deeper soil layers. In fact, the water washes the salts out of the rootzone. This washing process is called as L_______ . Sodic soils: Where the concentration of sodium salts is high relative to other types of salt, a sodic soil may develop. Sodic soils are characterized by a poor soil structure: they have a low infiltration rate, they are poorly aerated and difficult to cultivate. Improvement of sodic soils implies the reduction of the amount of sodium present in the soil. This is done in two stages. Firstly, chemicals (such as gypsum), which are rich in calcium, are mixed with the soil; the calcium replaces the sodium. Then, the replaced sodium is leached from the rootzone by irrigation water. Acidic soils: Acid soils are those that have a pH value of less than 5.5 for most of the year. They are associated with a number of toxicities (Aluminum) as well as deficiencies (Molybdenum) and other plant restricting conditions. It is a measure of hydrogen ion concentration in an aqueous solution and ranges in soils from 3.5 (very acid) to 9.5 (very alkaline). Soil acidity is due to leaching of (soil) salts due to rainfall or excessive irrigation, addition of acidic fertilisers, etc., Incorporation of lime or dolomite into it is a measure of hydrogen ion concentration in an aqueous solution and ranges in soils from 3.5 (very acid) to 9.5 (very alkaline).the upper cultivable soil layer is an effective method for amelioration of acid soils. Liming raises the pH of acid soil.
Agri for prelims 2020 www.agademy.in 31 of 45
4.3 Organic soil carbon The carbon that is fixed by plants is transferred to the soil via dead plant matter including dead roots and leaves. This dead organic matter creates a substrate which soil microorganisms respire back to the atmosphere as carbon dioxide or methane depending on the availability of oxygen in the soil. Soil organic carbon can also be oxidized by combustion and returned to the atmosphere as carbon dioxide. Soil organic carbon improves the physical properties of the soil. It prevents nutrient leaching and is integral to the organic acids that make minerals available to plants. It also buffers soil from strong changes in pH. Why is SOC important ? Loss of soil organic carbon is one of the principal signs of land degradation, and land degradation is one of the leading challenges for sustainable development, biodiversity conservation, and mitigating and adapting to climate change. It is defined as a reduction or loss of the biological or economic productivity and complexity of land. In drylands, land degradation is known as desertification. 4.4 Rainfed farming The term Rainfed farming is used to describe farming practices that rely on rainfall for irrigation. About 61 per cent of India’s farmers rely on rain-fed agriculture and 55 per cent of the gross cropped area is under rain-fed farming.
Constituents Dryland farming
Rainfed farming
1. Rainfall (mm) < 750 >75 2. Moisture Shortage Enough /
Sufficient 3. Growing
season <200 >200
4. Growing regions
Arid and Semiarid & up
lands of sub humid & humid
regions.
Humid and sub humid regions.
Agri for prelims 2020 www.agademy.in 32 of 45
5. Cropping system
Single crop or intercropping
Intercropping or double
cropping. 6. Constraints Wind and water
erosion Water erosion
The first-ever rain-fed atlas of the country released by Revitalising Rain-fed agriculture Network, captured the rich agri bio-diversity and socio-economic conditions of farmers living in these regions. This should be utilized in scientific planning of these areas to develop ‘area specific’ farming systems to make agriculture sustainable and profitable. National Rainfed Area Authority (NRAA) was established as per decision of Cabinet on 3rd November 2006 as an expert body of Ministry of Agriculture to provide the much needed knowledge inputs regarding systematic up-gradation and management of the country's dry land and rainfed agriculture. The CEO of NRAA is ______ and he headed the committee to ________. 4.5 Conservation Agriculture Conservation agriculture is based on three principles: 1. Minimising soil disturbance 2. maintaining a continuous soil cover of organic mulch and/or plants and 3. cultivating diverse plant species. Eliminating or minimising tilling or ploughing avoids disturbing and breaking up the topsoil structure, as well as reduces emissions from farm machinery. This has been found to keep the soil more stable, increase drainage, slow down runoff, and drastically reduce pollution of nearby water sources. The economic benefits of conservation agriculture have been established in various systems around the world, from smallholder agricultural systems in Latin America and sub-Saharan Africa to large-scale commercial production systems in Brazil and Canada. Currently, about 1.8 million km2 of croplands are under conservation agriculture, representing about 12.5% of global cropland extent, an increase of nearly 70% since 2008.
Agri for prelims 2020 www.agademy.in 33 of 45
4.6 Zero tillage Tillage is agricultural land preparation through mechanical agitation which includes digging, stirring and overturning. Zero tillage is the process where the crop seed will be sown through drillers without prior land preparation and disturbing the soil where previous crop stubbles are present. Zero tillage not only reduces the cost of cultivation it also reduces the soil erosion, crop duration and irrigation requirement and weed effect which is better than tillage. Zero Tillage (ZT) also called No Tillage or Nil Tillage. Advantages of zero tillage 1. Reduction in the crop duration and thereby early cropping can be obtained to
get higher yields. 2. Reduction in the cost of inputs for land preparation and therefore a saving of
around 80%. 3. Residual moisture can be effectively utilized and the number of irrigations can
be reduced. 4. Dry matter and organic
matter get added to the soil.
5. Environmentally safe - Greenhouse effect will get reduced due to carbon sequestration.
6. No tillage reduces the compaction of the soil and reduces the water loss by runoff and prevents soil erosion.
Agri for prelims 2020 www.agademy.in 34 of 45
4.7 Hydroponics and Soil less Farming Soilless farming is the technique of cultivating plants by eliminating traditional soil media and using other substrates (like coco peat, gravel, etc.,) instead. This can be performed under controlled environment and can be established anywhere independent of land availability and soil fertility. Hydroponics is one such technique, the other types are _________ Hydroponics is a technique of growing plants in nutrient solution with or without use of any artificial medium. The roots of the plants are kept immersed in the nutrient solution so that the plants receive all micro and macro nutrients through the nutrient solution. Why hydroponics? • Hydroponically grown plants have faster growth, that reduces crop duration, as
the root tips are directly into the nutrient rich solution, they get what they need more easily than plants grown in soil.
• These plants are free from troublesome weeds, many soil borne pests and diseases so there is no need for any harmful insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, etc.
• Higher yield can be obtained in smaller areas with good quality produce. • Off season production is possible through this system. • Arable land is decreasing worldwide, this offers an opportunity. Note: Aquaculture is the breeding, rearing, and harvesting of fish, shellfish, algae, and other organisms in all types of water environments. BUT Aquaponics refers to any system that combines conventional aquaculture with hydroponics in a symbiotic environment. 4.8 Status of GM Crops in India According to WHO, Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) can be defined as organisms (i.e. plants, animals or microorganisms) in which the genetic material
Agri for prelims 2020 www.agademy.in 35 of 45
(DNA) has been altered in a way that does not occur naturally by mating and/or natural recombination. Bt cotton is not a failure in India. The productivity of cotton increased from 191kg per hectare in 2002-03 to 477 kg per hectare in 2017-18 and the production of cotton has been increased from 86.21 lakh bales in 2002-03 to 348.88 lakh bales in 2017-18 due to adoption of Bt. cotton in the Country. The main purpose of Bt cotton was to control bollworms to enhance yield and production of cotton in the country. Bt cotton effectively controls bollworms, especially Helicoverpa armigera, thus preventing yield losses from an estimated damage of 30% to 60% each year in India. The biggest gain from the technology is in the form of reduced insecticide usage for bollworm control. Yields are estimated to have increased at least by 30% due to effective protection from bollworm damage. Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) has developed the first genetically-modified (Bt) cotton seed varieties that can be reused, resulting in saving of input cost to farmers. The new cotton variety PAU Bt 1, F1861 and RS 2013 is among few others identified by Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) for cultivation in the North region. GM mustard (DMH-11) is a technology to create mustard hybrids. Being a self-pollinator, mustard is difficult to hybridise through conventional methods. Genetic modification allows different parents to be combined easily, helping yields go up substantially. The herbicide glyphosate is only used for selection of hybrids and is not meant for farmer fields. Dhara Mustard Hybrid (DMH -11), the transgenic mustard in question, had been developed by a team of scientists at Delhi University led by former vice-chancellor Deepak Pental under a government-funded project.
Agri for prelims 2020 www.agademy.in 36 of 45
The moratorium on Bt brinjal is the unfortunate step taken by the government in 2010 and has crippled the entire field of research and development with transgenic crops. Bangladesh has used India’s data to successfully cultivate Bt brinjal, despite all the negative propaganda. Reports indicate that as many as 6,000 Bangladeshi farmers cultivated Bt brinjal in 2017. The saga of unapproved HTBt cotton The herbicide tolerant (HT) Bt cotton seeds are not approved by the regulatory agencies in India. Yet, in 2017, a team from the Department of Biotechnology found that around 15% of the cotton being grown in Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Telangana had the HT gene. At least a few lakh farmers have surreptitiously tried out the unapproved HTBt cotton. They have even named it to be “chor Bt”! This is the largest field trial of a GM crop possible. The new HT characteristic makes the plant tolerant to herbicides, enabling farmers to spray herbicides to quickly and cheaply eliminate the weeds that compete with the plants for soil nutrients and moisture. NITI Aayog backs GM crops NITI Aayog in its three year agenda document mentions that Genetically modified (GM) seeds have emerged as a powerful new technology promising high productivity, improved quality and lower use of fertilisers, weedicides and pesticides in the last one to two decades. Know more about debate of GM Crops http://www.agademy.in/2018/12/safety-of-gm-crops-prof-swaminathan-vs-principal-scientific-adviser-news-analysis/ 4.9 Cost concepts used for calculating MSP There are several cost concepts that the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) considers while recommending MSPs of 23 crops. Cost A2 - These are the costs the farmer actually pays out of his/her pocket for buying various inputs ranging from seeds to fertilisers to pesticides to hired labour to hired machinery or even leased-in land.
Agri for prelims 2020 www.agademy.in 37 of 45
Cost A2 +FL - In agriculture, farmers also use a lot of family labour and if their cost is imputed and added to cost A2, that concept is called cost A2+FL. Cost C2 - the Comprehensive cost (cost C2), it includes imputed costs of family labour, imputed rent of owned land and imputed interest on owned capital. National commission on farmers headed by M.S Swaminathan recommended a 50 per cent margin over C2, which is also being the demand of the farmers.
4.10 Precision farming
Precision agriculture is a site specific crop management approach in view of utilizing the fullest resources at required level. Thus reducing the input cost, causing no sound damage to the environment and also attributing better market to the farm produces.
Precision farming technologies have now been developed to spatially vary nutrients within a field based on various information sources (soil properties maps, terrain attributes, remote sensing, yield maps, etc.).
Precision agriculture involves the integration of the modern technologies (including GIS, GPS and RS) to allow farm producers to manage within field variability to maximize the benefit cost ratio.
Variable rate technology (VRT) available with farm implements, such as fertilizer applicators and yield monitors, has evolved rapidly and has fostered the growth of precision agriculture. For example, chlorophyll meters, a recent development in agriculture, are used for corrective nitrogen (N) management where N fertilizers are applied based only on crop needs to ensure increase in fertilizer use efficiency and return on fertilizer investment. Also Read : Role of ICT in Indian Agriculture
Agri for prelims 2020 www.agademy.in 38 of 45
4.11 Impact of Climate Change on Agriculture Agriculture sector in India is vulnerable to climate change. Higher temperatures tend to reduce crop yields and favour weed and pest proliferation. Climate change can have negative effects on irrigated crop yields across agro-ecological regions both due to temperature rise and changes in water availability. Rainfed agriculture will be primarily impacted due to rainfall variability and reduction in the number of rainy days. Analysis of impact of climate change under ___________________________________ (NICRA) project has found that climate change is expected to affect yields, particularly in crops like rice, wheat and maize. Government of India has initiated various actions to mitigate effects of climate change:
• Varieties and cultivars tolerant to abiotic stresses are developed under the strategic research component of NICRA.
• The technology demonstrations aim at enhancing the adaptive capacity of the farmers and also to cope with climate variability in the vulnerable districts to achieve climate resilient agriculture. Under NICRA, climate resilient technology demonstrations are implemented in 151 climatically vulnerable districts of the country.
• District Agriculture Contingency Plans have been prepared by ICAR-CRIDA, Hyderabad for 648 districts in the country to address the adverse weather conditions.
Must Read : Is Climate change a long term threat in doubling farmers' income? Economic survey digs out : http://imotforum.com/2018/01/economic-survey-climate-change-doubling-farmers-income-agriculture/
Agri for prelims 2020 www.agademy.in 39 of 45
4.12 Biofertilizers Biofertilizers are products of beneficial microorganisms which increase agricultural production by way of nutrient supply especially nitrogen and phosphorus. Biofertilizers can fix atmospheric nitrogen for plant use and can mobilise an unavailable phosphorus pool which can be used by plants. These biofertilizers are inexpensive, simple to use and have no problem with environmental pollution.
Use of biofertilizers not only help in sustaining productivity and soil health but also in reducing subsidy burden on the government by reducing the consumption of chemical fertilizers.
Biofertilizers help in different ways to increase the crop yields some of which are:
1. Biofertilizers provide various nutrients to plants like N, P, K, etc. either by fixing the elemental form (N) or by solubilising the unavailable nutrients from a larger root area.
2. Biofertilizers not only provide nutrients to plants but also protect plants from plant diseases as they secrete many antibiotic compounds which suppress the growth of disease-causing pathogens.
3. It also secretes some plant growth promoting hormones like auxins and gibberellic acid which makes the plant healthy.
4. Many biofertilizers like VAM and PGPR also help plants in avoiding water stress by secreting some polysaccharide which helps in soil aggregation and conserving moisture for longer times.
Agri for prelims 2020 www.agademy.in 40 of 45
5. Once the biofertilizers are established in the field after 2-3 years of continuous application, the dose of biofertilizers may be reduced. Which reduces the cost of inputs in due time.
4.13 Watershed Management
Watershed is defined as a geo-hydrological unit draining to a common point by a system of drains. Watershed is the land and water area, which contributes runoff to a common point.
A watershed is an area of land and water bounded by a drainage divide within which the surface runoff collects and flows out of the watershed through a single outlet into a larger river (or) lake.
Objectives of watershed management
The different objectives of watershed management programmes are:
1. To control damaging runoff and degradation and thereby conservation of soil and water.
2. To manage and utilize the runoff water for useful purposes.
3. To protect, conserve and improve the land of watershed for more efficient and sustained production.
4. To check soil erosion and to reduce the effect of sediment yield on the watershed.
5. To improve and increase the production of timber, fodder and wildlife resources.
6. To enhance the groundwater recharge, wherever applicable.
(erstwhile) Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP) is implemented by __________ Department of ________ Ministry. The main objective of IWMP is to restore ecological balance by harnessing, conserving and developing degraded natural resources such as soil, vegetative cover and water. _____ scheme
Agri for prelims 2020 www.agademy.in 41 of 45
has been launched to amalgamate various ongoing water management schemes in which IWMP is also subsumed.
4.14 Soil and water conservation structures/ techniques Contour bunding: Contour bunding (or contour bundling) involves the placement of lines of stones along the natural rises of a landscape. These techniques help to capture and hold rainfall before it can become runoff. They also inhibit wind erosion by keeping the soil heavy and moist. If it is cultivated then it is called Contour farming. Contour farming can help absorb the impact of heavy rains, which in straight-line planting often wash away topsoil. Terracing: It involves the creation of multiple levels of flat ground that appear as long steps cut into hillsides. The technique slows the pace of runoff, which reduces soil erosion and retards overall water loss. Windbreaks: Involve the establishment of lines of fast-growing trees planted at right angles to the prevailing surface winds. They are primarily used to slow wind-driven soil erosion but may be used to inhibit the encroachment of sand dunes. Strip cropping: It is a practice of growing field crops in narrow strips either at right angles to the direction of the prevailing wind, or following the natural contours of the terrain to prevent wind and water erosion of the soil. Strip cropping involves planting crops in strips across the slope, with alternate strips of grain and/or forage crops. The strip crops check the surface runoff and force them to infiltrate into the soil, thereby facilitating the conservation of rain water. Cover Crop: It means plants or a green manure crop grown for seasonal soil protection or soil improvement. Cover crops help control soil movement and protect the soil surface between crops. Cover crop reduces wind erosion by
Agri for prelims 2020 www.agademy.in 42 of 45
shielding the soil with vegetation and anchoring the soil with roots. Eg. Soyabean, cowpea, oats. (Here note the difference with Green manure; Green manure is created by leaving uprooted or sown crop parts to wither on a field so that they serve as a mulch and soil amendment. The plants used for green manures often cover crops grown primarily for this purpose. Eg for green manure plants sunn hemp, dhaincha, pillipesara, cluster beans and Sesbania rostrata. Now it is important to understand Green leaf manuring. Application of green leaves and twigs of trees, shrubs and herbs collected from elsewhere is known as green leaf manuring. Forest tree leaves are the main sources for green leaf manure. Eg. Pongamia, Neem, Mahua. 4.15 Biotechnology concepts: Any technological application that uses biological systems, living organisms, or derivatives thereof, to make or modify products or processes for specific use. Biotechnology is not only GM crops / technology, it is much more than that. Applications of Biotechnology
● Development of plant and animal products with enhanced quantity and quality (like GM crops) – Agricultural Biotechnology
● Development of improved medicines (such as antibiotics and recombinant vaccines) – Medical biotechnology
● Bioremediation to clean up soil and water – Environmental Biotechnology ● Production of useful industrial products (like Bioethanol) – Industrial
Biotechnology Plant tissue culture is the culture and maintenance of plant cells or organs in sterile, nutritionally and environmentally supportive conditions (in vitro). Plant cell and tissue culture include the cultural techniques for regeneration of functional plants from embryonic tissues, tissue fragments, calli, isolated cells, or protoplasts. Know more @ http://agritech.tnau.ac.in/bio-tech/biotech_tc_notes.html A Genetically Modified or transgenic plant is a plant that has a novel combination of genetic material obtained through the use of modern biotechnology. A transgenic crop plant contains a gene or genes which have been artificially introduced instead of the plant acquiring them through pollination. These genes are
Agri for prelims 2020 www.agademy.in 43 of 45
introduced with a view to expressing a novel trait which is not normally found normally in the given species. (like pest resistance in Bt cotton) Bt is a short form for common soil-inhabiting bacteria called Bacillus thuringiensis. Bt also refers to insecticide products made from these bacteria. Bt is widely distributed - found in many soils around the world. Some strains of Bt kill insects with toxins called insecticidal crystal proteins or delta endotoxins. This group of toxins is considered relatively harmless to humans and most non-pest species. However, other toxins produced by Bt have a broader spectrum of toxicity. Cloning is the process of taking genetic information from one living thing and creating identical copies of it. The copied material is called a clone. Geneticists have cloned cells, tissues, genes and entire animals. Genetic engineering, also called recombinant DNA technology, involves the group of techniques used to cut up and join together genetic material, especially DNA from different biological species, and to introduce the resulting hybrid DNA into an organism in order to form new combinations of heritable genetic material. (Genetic material from bacteria Bt has been transferred to plants – Genetic engineering) Genome editing (also called gene editing): These technologies allow genetic material to be added, removed, or altered at particular locations in the genome. Several approaches to genome editing have been developed. A recent one is known as CRISPR-Cas9. 4.16 Food fortification Food fortification – also known as food enrichment – is when nutrients are added to food at higher levels than what the original food provides. This is done to address micronutrient deficiencies across populations. Biofortification is the idea of breeding crops to increase their nutritional value. This can be done either through conventional selective breeding, or through genetic engineering.
Agri for prelims 2020 www.agademy.in 44 of 45
● Example for traditional fortification
is iodised salts, fortified oils and flours.
● Examples for Biofortification by traditional breeding methods are CR Dhan 310 (protein rich rice variety), Bhu Sona (β-carotene sweet potato rich variety) both released by ICAR.
● Now an example for Biofortification by biotechnological methods is Golden Rice. Golden rice is genetically modified in order to produce beta carotene, which is not normally produced in rice.
Note: Food additives are substances added to food to preserve flavor or enhance its taste, appearance, or other qualities. Eg. Pickling, salting, etc.,
******************** Thanks for Reading. Hope it was helpful for you. Agriculture is an extensive subject and it couldn’t be covered in one document. This is my attempt to help you with a few concepts of agriculture that might be important for the Prelims 2020 exam. All topics are chosen based on its presence in News and previous - Let's hope for the best. Thanks to the Agademy.in website for publishing it on their website. All the best !
- Ramsundar IFS **********************
FOLLOW US for regular updates on Agriculture. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imot_agri_alerts/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IgnitedmindsIMoT/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/IgnitdMind_IMOT Telegram channel: https://telegram.me/imot_agriforum
Agri for prelims 2020 www.agademy.in 45 of 45
