Passage

Passage-2 A diversity of natural assets will be needed to cope with climate change and ensure productive agriculture, forestry, and fisheries. For example, crop varieties are needed that perform well under drought, heat, and enhanced CO₂. But the private-sector and farmer-led process of choosing crops favours homogeneity adapted to past or current conditions, not varieties capable of producing consistently high yields in warmer, wetter, or drier conditions. Accelerated breeding programmes are needed to conserve a wider pool of genetic resources of existing crops, breeds, and their wild relatives. Relatively intact ecosystems, such as forested catchments, mangroves, wetlands, can buffer the impacts of climate change. Under a changing climate, these ecosystems are themselves at risk, and management approaches will need to be more proactive and adaptive. Connections between natural areas, such as migration corridors, may be needed to facilitate species movements to keep up with the change in climate.

With reference to the above passage, the following assumptions have been made : 1. Diversification of livelihoods acts as a coping strategy for climate change. 2. Adoption of monocropping practice leads to the extinction of plant varieties and their wild relatives. Which of the above assumptions is/are valid?

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2 ✓ UPSC's answer
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Why the answer is (c)

• The passage states that a diversity of natural assets is needed to cope with climate change, implying that diversification of livelihoods (relying on varied assets) is a valid coping strategy, validating Assumption 1.

• The text notes that private-sector and farmer-led processes favor homogeneity, which risks the loss of genetic resources; thus, the adoption of monocropping (homogeneity) leads to the extinction of plant varieties and wild relatives, validating Assumption 2.

• Since both assumptions are directly supported by the logic that diversity is required for resilience and homogeneity leads to loss of genetic resources, both are valid.

• Therefore, the correct option is (c) Both 1 and 2.

Why the other options are wrong

(a) 1 only: This option is incorrect because Assumption 2 is also valid, as the passage links homogeneity (monocropping) to the risk of losing genetic resources.
(b) 2 only: This option is incorrect because Assumption 1 is also valid, as the passage explicitly states that a diversity of natural assets is needed to cope with climate change.
(d) Neither 1 nor 2: This option is incorrect because both assumptions are valid based on the passage's emphasis on the need for diversity and the risks of homogeneity.

Asked in the CSAT Paper II of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2018, held on 3 June 2018. Question and answer key: Union Public Service Commission. Explanation: UPSC Answer Check.