Which among the following is/are the objective(s) of the Rainfed Area Development (RAD) initiative under the National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) ? 1. Encouraging monoculture in rainfed areas 2. Increasing rice cultivation in irrigated regions 3. Enhancing productivity and minimising climatic risks through Integrated Farming Systems (IFS) Select the answer using the code given below :
- (a) 1 only
- (b) 1 and 2
- (c) 2 and 3
- (d) 3 only ✓ UPSC's answer
Why the answer is (d)
• Rainfed Area Development (RAD) is a component of the National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA), one of the missions under the National Action Plan on Climate Change.
• Its aim is to make rainfed farming resilient by promoting Integrated Farming Systems that combine crops with horticulture, livestock, fisheries and agro-forestry so that a farmer's income does not collapse if one activity fails — statement 3 is correct.
• Statement 1 is wrong: RAD explicitly discourages monoculture, which increases climatic risk, in favour of diversified systems.
• Statement 2 is wrong: RAD targets rainfed regions; expanding rice in irrigated tracts is outside its scope and contrary to its water-conserving purpose.
• Hence 3 only.
Why the other options are wrong
- (a) 1 only
- RAD discourages monoculture; it promotes diversified integrated farming.
- (b) 1 and 2
- Both 1 and 2 contradict RAD's purpose of resilient, diversified rainfed farming.
- (c) 2 and 3
- Statement 2 is wrong: RAD does not target irrigated rice; it targets rainfed areas.
Asked in the GS Paper I of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2026, held on 24 May 2026. Question and answer key: Union Public Service Commission. Explanation: UPSC Answer Check.