UPSC Prelims 2024 CSAT Paper II · Q2 of 79 Comprehension medium

Passage

Directions for the following 4 (four) items : Read the following two passages and answer the items that follow the passages. Your answers to these items should be based on the passages only. Passage—1 According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, one-third of food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted globally. Food is lost or wasted throughout the supply chain, from initial agricultural production to final household consumption. The increasing wastage also results in land degradation by about 45%, mainly due to deforestation, unsustainable agricultural practices, and excessive groundwater extraction. The energy spent over wasted food results in about 3·5 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide production every year. Decay also leads to harmful emissions of other gases in the atmosphere. Addressing the loss and wastage of food in all forms is critical to complete the cycle of food sufficiency and food sustainability.

Based on the above passage, the following assumptions have been made : 1. The food distribution mechanism needs to be reimagined and made effective to reduce the loss and wastage of food. 2. Ensuring the reduction of wastage and loss of food is a social and moral responsibility of all citizens. Which of the assumptions given above is/are valid?

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

Why the answer is (c)

• The passage states that food is lost or wasted throughout the supply chain, from initial agricultural production to final household consumption.

• Since the loss occurs across the entire chain, it implies that the current distribution and handling mechanisms are ineffective and need to be reimagined to address these losses, validating Assumption 1.

• The passage highlights that food wastage leads to severe environmental consequences, including 45% land degradation and 3.5 billion tonnes of CO2 emissions.

• It explicitly states that addressing this loss is 'critical to complete the cycle of food sufficiency and food sustainability.'

• Given the critical nature of food sufficiency and the shared environmental impact, ensuring the reduction of wastage is presented as a collective duty, validating Assumption 2 as a social and moral responsibility.

• Therefore, both assumptions are valid based on the text's emphasis on systemic issues and the critical need for sustainability.

Why the other options are wrong

(a) 1 only
This option is incorrect because it ignores the passage's statement that addressing food loss is critical for food sufficiency and sustainability, which implies a broader social and moral responsibility beyond just mechanism changes.
(b) 2 only
This option is incorrect because it overlooks the passage's detail that food is lost throughout the supply chain, which necessitates reimagining the distribution mechanism to reduce these losses.
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
This option is incorrect because the passage explicitly links food wastage to critical issues of sustainability and sufficiency, supporting both the need for better mechanisms and a collective responsibility.

Asked in the CSAT Paper II of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2024, held on 16 June 2024. Question and answer key: Union Public Service Commission. Explanation: UPSC Answer Check.

Reading the answer is not the same as getting it right under a clock. Practise this question with UPSC's negative marking, and anything you miss goes into an error notebook until you get it right twice.

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