Agriculture for Prelims

How are crops procured? – UPSC Prelims

How are crops procured? Objective: The Government policy of procurement of Food Grains has broad objectives of ensuring MSP to the farmers and availability of food grains to the weaker sections at affordable prices. It also ensures effective market intervention thereby keeping the prices under check and also adding to the overall food security of the country. …

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Wheat Crop in India – UPSC Prelims

Wheat Crop in India: Suitable Conditions: Wheat is a rabi crop that requires a cool growing season and bright sunshine at the time of ripening. Temperature: Between 10-15°C (Sowing time) and 21-26°C (Ripening & Harvesting) with bright sunlight. Rainfall: Around 75-100 cm. Soil Type: Well-drained fertile loamy and clayey loamy (Ganga-Satluj plains and black soil region of the Deccan). Top …

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Sugarcane Crop in India – UPSC Prelims

Sugarcane Crop in India: Suitable Conditions: Temperature: Between 21-27°C with hot and humid climate. Rainfall: Around 75-100 cm. Soil Type: Deep rich loamy soil. Top Sugarcane Producing States: Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Bihar. India is the second largest producer of sugarcane after Brazil. It can be grown on all varieties of soils ranging from sandy loam to clay loam given these …

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Seed Village Programme (Beej Gram Yojana) – UPSC Prelims

Seed Village Programme: It was launched by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare in 2014-15. The programme is a key component of the Sub-Mission on Seeds & Planting Materials. Aim: To upgrade the quality of farmer’s saved seeds. Under this programme, financial assistance for distribution of foundation/certified seeds at 50% of seed cost for cereal crops and 60% for …

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National Beekeeping & Honey Mission – UPSC Prelims

National Beekeeping & Honey Mission(NBHM) National Beekeeping & Honey Mission(NBHM) was launched by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare as part of the AtmaNirbhar Bharat scheme. Aim: To promote & develop scientific beekeeping in the country to achieve the goal of ‘Sweet Revolution’. Implementation: The mission is implemented through the National Bee Board (NBB). Further, It …

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Saffron Cultivation – UPSC Prelims

Saffron: Saffron is a plant whose dried stigmas (thread-like parts of the flower) are used to make saffron spice. Saffron cultivation is believed to have been introduced in Kashmir by Central Asian immigrants around the 1st Century BCE. It has been associated with traditional Kashmiri cuisine and represents the rich cultural heritage of the region. It is a very precious and costly product. In …

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Natural Farming – UPSC Prelims

What is Natural Farming? Natural Farming can be defined as “chemical-free farming and livestock-based”. It is a diversified farming system that integrates crops, trees and livestock, allowing the optimum use of functional biodiversity. Natural Farming has many indigenous forms in India, the most popular one is practised in Andhra Pradesh called Zero Budget Natural Farming(ZBNF). What …

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Jhum Cultivation – UPSC Prelims

Jhum Cultivation is also known as shifting cultivation. It is a slash-and-burn agricultural practice that is widely practiced among the indigenous communities of Northeast India. Under this cultivation, the farmers grow the crops by first clearing the land of trees and vegetation and burning them thereafter. The burnt soil contains potash which increases the nutrient …

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Rashtriya Kamdhenu Aayog – UPSC Prelims

Rashtriya Kamdhenu Aayog (RKA) Rastriya Kamdhenu Aayog is an agency under the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying) established for the protection of cows. It has been constituted to organize animal husbandry on modern and scientific lines and to take steps for preserving and improving breeds, and prohibiting the slaughter of cows and …

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