Agriculture 2022 Paper I 50 marks Discuss

Q2

(a) Write the various factors responsible for soil pollution. How organic and natural farming can play role in minimizing soil pollution ? (20 marks) (b) What is the significance of Direct Seeded Rice (DSR) and System of Rice Intensification (SRI) ? Describe the package of practices for direct seeded rice. (20 marks) (c) Discuss various steps for long term conservation of forest flora and fauna. (10 marks)

हिंदी में प्रश्न पढ़ें

(a) मृदा प्रदूषण के लिए उत्तरदायी विभिन्न कारकों को लिखें । मृदा प्रदूषण को कम करने में जैविक एवं प्राकृतिक खेती कैसे भूमिका निभा सकती है ? (20 अंक) (b) धान की सीधी बुवाई (डी.एस.आर.) एवं धान सघनता पद्धति (एस.आर.आई.) का क्या महत्व है ? सीधी बुवाई वाले धान की कृषि कार्यप्रणाली का वर्णन करें । (20 अंक) (c) वनों में वनस्पति एवं जीव समूहों के दीर्घकालिक संरक्षण हेतु विभिन्न चरणों की विवेचना करें । (10 अंक)

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Directive word: Discuss

This question asks you to discuss. The directive word signals the depth of analysis expected, the structure of your answer, and the weight of evidence you must bring.

See our UPSC directive words guide for a full breakdown of how to respond to each command word.

How this answer will be evaluated

Approach

The directive 'discuss' demands a critical examination with balanced arguments across all three parts. Allocate approximately 40% of time and words to part (a) given its 20 marks and analytical depth required on soil pollution factors and farming solutions; 35% to part (b) for explaining DSR/SRI significance and detailing the package of practices; and 25% to part (c) for conservation strategies. Structure with a brief composite introduction, clearly demarcated sub-sections for (a), (b), and (c), and a synthesizing conclusion linking sustainable agriculture to forest conservation.

Key points expected

  • Part (a): Classification of soil pollution factors into agricultural (excess fertilizers, pesticides, monocropping), industrial (heavy metals, effluents), and urban (sewage, solid waste) sources with specific examples like arsenic in West Bengal groundwater or Punjab's cancer belt
  • Part (a): Distinction between organic farming (external organic inputs permitted) and natural farming (self-sustaining, no external inputs) as per Subhash Palekar's ZBNF and their mechanisms for soil health restoration through carbon sequestration, microbial diversity enhancement, and elimination of synthetic chemicals
  • Part (b): Comparative significance of DSR (water saving 25-30%, labor reduction, methane emission reduction) versus SRI (yield enhancement 20-50%, water productivity improvement, root growth promotion) with context of India's rice-wheat belt and water-stressed regions
  • Part (b): Detailed package of practices for DSR including land preparation (leveling, puddling avoidance), seed treatment, sowing methods (drilling/broadcasting), weed management (pre-emergence herbicides like Pendimethalin), nutrient management, and water scheduling
  • Part (c): Multi-pronged long-term conservation strategies including in-situ (protected areas, biosphere reserves, sacred groves) and ex-situ (seed banks, cryopreservation, botanical gardens) approaches with specific reference to Indian initiatives like CAMPA, National Afforestation Programme, and Wildlife Protection Act amendments
  • Part (c): Community-based conservation (Joint Forest Management, Van Panchayats), landscape connectivity through wildlife corridors, and integration of traditional ecological knowledge with modern science for sustainable forest management

Evaluation rubric

DimensionWeightMax marksExcellentAveragePoor
Concept correctness25%12.5Precise scientific definitions: for (a) distinguishes point vs. non-point pollution sources, explains heavy metal bioaccumulation and soil pH alteration; for (b) accurately contrasts anaerobic conditions in traditional transplanting vs. aerobic DSR, clarifies SRI's four key principles (young seedlings, wide spacing, intermittent irrigation, mechanical weeding); for (c) correctly differentiates alpha, beta, gamma diversity and explains minimum viable population conceptsBasic definitions present but conflates organic and natural farming as synonymous, treats DSR and SRI as interchangeable water-saving methods, lists conservation steps without ecological rationale; minor scientific inaccuracies in explaining nutrient cycling or population geneticsFundamental conceptual errors: confuses soil pollution with soil degradation types, describes SRI as merely a seed variety, presents conservation as only tree planting; misrepresents core agricultural or ecological principles
Quantitative reasoning15%7.5Specific data integration: for (a) cites fertilizer consumption trends (India's NPK use ~28 million tonnes annually), heavy metal contamination thresholds (CPCB standards for Cd, Pb, As); for (b) quantifies DSR water savings (1200-1500 liters/kg rice vs. 2500-3000 in transplanting), SRI yield advantages (8-12 tonnes/ha vs. 5-6 conventional), seed rate reduction (8-10 kg/ha vs. 25-30 kg); for (c) references forest cover statistics (FAO/ISFR reports), species extinction rates, protected area coverage percentagesGeneral quantitative awareness without precision: mentions 'water saving' or 'higher yield' without figures, rough forest cover estimates without source attribution; understands relative magnitudes but lacks specific benchmarksNo quantitative dimension or grossly inaccurate figures; invents statistics without plausible basis; confuses absolute and relative measurements
Indian context examples20%10Rich geographically distributed examples: for (a) references Punjab's Malwa belt (uranium/pesticide residues), Kerala's Endosulfan tragedy, Andhra Pradesh's non-pesticidal management success; for (b) cites DSR adoption in Haryana (pilot districts like Karnal), SRI spread in Tamil Nadu (Thanjavur), Odisha (WASSAN NGO model), Bihar's 'SRI Kisan' programme; for (c) names specific success stories like Periyar Tiger Reserve, Great Indian Bustard conservation in Rajasthan, community reserves (Kachchh), Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers Act implementationGeneric Indian references without specificity: mentions 'Green Revolution states' or 'Western Ghats' without pinpointing locations; aware of PM-KUSUM or National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture but lacks implementation details; forest examples limited to Project Tiger or Jim CorbettEntirely generic or inappropriate examples; uses foreign case studies as primary illustrations; confuses Indian policy initiatives (e.g., conflates NMSA with NAPCC)
Diagram / process20%10Clear process illustrations: for (a) soil pollution pathway diagram showing pollutant source→transport→receptor chain, or comparative table of organic vs. natural farming practices; for (b) step-wise DSR cultivation calendar (land preparation→sowing→critical irrigation stages→harvest), or SRI plant geometry diagram showing 25cm×25cm spacing; for (c) landscape-level conservation model showing core-buffer-corridor zones, or flowchart of ex-situ conservation protocolsMentions diagrams without actually describing them in answer, or presents poorly structured tables; describes processes in linear text without visual organization; attempts one relevant diagram but with missing componentsNo diagrammatic or tabular representation; purely narrative description of processes; diagrams described are irrelevant or technically incorrect
Policy / extension angle20%10Comprehensive policy integration: for (a) links to Soil Health Card Scheme, Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana, National Programme for Organic Production certification, Fertilizer Control Order amendments; for (b) connects DSR to National Food Security Mission (rice), PM-AASHA procurement implications, custom hiring centers for drum seeders; SRI to ATMA extension reforms; for (c) analyzes Wildlife Protection Act 1972 (as amended), Forest Rights Act 2006, CAMPA fund utilization, Green India Mission targets, Nagoya Protocol on ABS, with critical assessment of implementation gapsLists relevant schemes without analytical depth: names PKVY or GIM without explaining operational mechanisms; aware of policy existence but misses inter-scheme synergies; no critical evaluation of extension effectiveness or policy limitationsPolicy vacuum or outdated references; confuses central and state subject jurisdictions; proposes impractical extension recommendations without institutional feasibility assessment

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