Daily Quiz – 22nd Feb 2024

Agriculture is a land-based activity. The quality and size of land have a direct bearing on the productivity of agriculture.

Statement I is correct: Generally, Gross cropped area will be more than Net Sown area. For example, according to the Agricultural Statistics at a Glance 2022, the Gross cropped area of India in 2019-20 was 211.4 million hectares, while the Net sown area was 139.9 million hectares. This shows that Gross cropped area was about 44% more than Net sown area in India. This fact generally stands true all over the world.

Statement II is correct and explains statement I: Gross Cropped Area represents the total area sown once and/or more than once in a particular year, i.e. the area is counted as many times as there are sowings in a year. This total area is also known as total cropped area or total area sown.

Net Area Sown represents the total area sown with crops and orchards. Area sown more than once in the same year is counted only once in Net Sown Area.

Therefore, Statement-II correctly explains the difference between Gross cropped area and Net sown area.

Fertigation is a method that combines irrigation and fertilization, where fertilizers or nutrients are dissolved in water and applied to the plants through the irrigation system. Fertigation is a method of fertilizer application in which fertilizer is incorporated within the irrigation water by the drip system. In this system fertilizer solution is distributed evenly in irrigation. The availability of nutrients is very high therefore the efficiency is greater. In this method liquid fertilizer as well as water soluble fertilizers are used. By this method, fertilizer use efficiency is increased from 80 to 90 per cent. Some of the disadvantages of fertigation are:

Option 1 is correct: Fertigation reduces water wastage and evaporation by applying water directly to the root zone of the plants. This also prevents runoff and erosion of the soil.

Option 2 is correct: Fertigation improves the growth and quality of the crops by providing optimal and balanced nutrient supply. Fertigation also reduces the incidence of pests and diseases by avoiding wetting the foliage. All these factors lead to an increase in crop yield.

Option 3 is incorrect: Fertigation requires a sophisticated and expensive system of pipes, valves, pumps, injectors, filters, and controllers. Fertigation also needs regular maintenance and monitoring to avoid clogging, leakage, or malfunctioning of the system. Thus, it requires high maintenance, and it is usually costly which increases the overall cost of agriculture.

Option 4 is correct: Fertigation supplies nutrients and water near the root zone, which can help crops absorb more nutrients. Fertigation can help crops absorb nutrients at the right time and in the right amount. It can help synchronize nutrient supply and crop nutrient requirements.

A Genetically Modified (GM) or transgenic crop is a plant that has a novel combination of genetic material obtained through modern biotechnology mainly using recombinant DNA (rDNA) technology. Acts and rules that regulate GM crops in India include: Environment Protection Act, 1986 (EPA); Biological Diversity Act, 2002; Plant Quarantine Order (Regulation of Import into India), 2003; GM policy under Foreign Trade Policy; Food Safety and

Standards Act, 2006; Drugs and Cosmetics Rule (8th Amendment), 1988 Option 1 is incorrect: The Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 does not regulate GM crops. It is a legislation that aims to protect the wildlife and biodiversity of India. It provides for the establishment of national parks, sanctuaries, conservation reserves, and community reserves, and prohibits the hunting, trade, and commercial exploitation of wild animals and plants, except with a valid permit.

Option 2 is correct: Plant Quarantine Order, 2003 is the order that regulates the import and export of plants and plant products, including GM crops, to prevent the introduction and spread of pests and diseases. The order requires a phytosanitary certificate from the exporting country and a no objection certificate from the GEAC for any GM crop import or export.

Option 3 is correct: Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 is the legislation that establishes the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) as the statutory body to ensure the safety and quality of food in India. The act requires the approval of the GEAC and the FSSAI for any GM food or feed and mandates the labelling of any GM food or ingredient.

Option 4 is correct: Environment Protection Act, 1986 (EPA) is the umbrella legislation that regulates the environmental aspects of GM crops, such as biosafety, risk assessment, and liability. The EPA empowers the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) to take punitive actions against any violations of the rules and guidelines

Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC): This is the apex body under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) that is responsible for the assessment and approval of proposals related to the release of GM organisms and products into the environment, including experimental field trials and commercial cultivation. Codex Alimentarius guidelines: These are the international standards and guidelines for food safety and quality, developed by the Codex Alimentarius Commission, a joint body of the Food and

Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

1) India follows the Codex guidelines for the assessment of GM food and feed, as well as the labelling and traceability of GM products

The Government of India sets the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for agricultural commodities, which is purchased directly from farmers. This rate ensures farmers receive a minimum profit for their produce if the open market price is lower than the cost incurred. The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare's Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) recommends the MSP, which is issued prior to the sowing season.

Statement 1 is correct. Private buyers are not legally bound to purchase agricultural produce at the MSP set by the government. They are free to negotiate prices with farmers based on market demand, quality of produce, and other factors. Therefore, private buyers can indeed purchase agricultural produce below or even above the MSP if both parties agree to the terms.

Statement 2 is incorrect. The MSP is not legally enforceable in India. While the government announces MSPs for various crops to provide farmers with remunerative prices, there is no specific law that mandates private buyers or government to adhere to MSPs. Therefore, MSPs are not legally enforceable, and farmers may sometimes face challenges in getting MSPs for their produce.

Statement 3 is correct. The procurement policy of the Government of India (GOI) for paddy and wheat is open-ended, meaning that any quantity of these crops offered by farmers meeting specified criteria is purchased at Minimum Support Price (MSP).