General Studies 2023 GS Paper I 10 marks 150 words Compulsory Discuss

Q4

Discuss the consequences of climate change on the food security in tropical countries. (Answer in 150 words) 10

हिंदी में प्रश्न पढ़ें

उष्णकटिबंधीय देशों में खाद्य सुरक्षा पर जलवायु परिवर्तन के परिणामों की विवेचना कीजिए। (उत्तर 150 शब्दों में दीजिए)

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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' requires a balanced examination of multiple consequences rather than mere listing. Structure as: brief introduction defining food security dimensions → body covering 3-4 interconnected consequences (crop yields, water stress, nutritional security, livelihood vulnerability) → conclusion with forward-looking observation on adaptation urgency.

Key points expected

Impact on agricultural productivity: altered monsoon patterns, heat stress on staple crops (rice, wheat, maize) in tropical belts
Water security nexus: glacial melt affecting river basins (Ganga, Indus), groundwater depletion from erratic rainfall
Nutritional dimension: decline in micronutrient density (protein, zinc, iron) in CO2-enriched atmosphere affecting tropical populations
Livelihood and economic access: climate-induced migration, loss of farmer incomes, food price volatility in import-dependent tropical nations
Regional specificity: differentiated vulnerability of Indian subcontinent, Sub-Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia with distinct agro-ecological zones
Feedback loops: pest/disease proliferation, post-harvest losses from humidity extremes compounding production shortfalls

Evaluation rubric

Dimension	Weight	Max marks	Excellent	Average	Poor
Demand-directive understanding	20%	2	Treats 'discuss' as requiring interconnected analysis of consequences across multiple food security dimensions (availability, access, utilization, stability), not isolated bullet points; shows awareness that tropical countries face unique compound risks	Lists climate impacts without explicitly linking to food security framework; treats consequences as separate rather than interconnected	Misinterprets directive as 'enumerate' or 'describe'; provides generic climate effects without food security context; confuses tropical with global impacts
Content depth & accuracy	20%	2	Accurately cites specific mechanisms (e.g., temperature-rice sterility threshold at 35°C, CO2 fertilization-nutrient dilution paradox); distinguishes between tropical monsoon-dependent and equatorial humid systems	Broadly accurate but lacks specificity; mentions 'crop failure' and 'drought' without tropical crop or regional precision; conflates climate variability with climate change	Scientifically inaccurate claims (e.g., uniform warming benefits, polar ice affecting tropics directly); confuses food security with food production alone
Structure & flow	20%	2	Logical progression from production → economic access → nutritional outcomes; smooth transitions between tropical sub-regions; 150-word discipline with no structural padding	Functional structure but choppy transitions; either too dense or padded with generic statements; word count slightly off	Disorganized listing without thematic grouping; abrupt jumps between unrelated points; severe under/over-length indicating poor time management
Examples / case-law / data	20%	2	Precise Indian/subcontinental examples: Odisha heat waves affecting rice transplanting, Kerala flood-agriculture losses 2018-2022, IPCC AR6 tropical yield projections; or comparable African/SE Asian specificity	Vague references to 'Indian farmers' or 'African droughts' without specificity; no data or temporal anchoring	No tropical examples; uses temperate zone cases (European heat waves, California droughts); fabricated statistics
Conclusion & analytical edge	20%	2	Synthesizes into actionable insight: adaptation-agriculture nexus, climate-resilient varieties, or South-South cooperation; acknowledges tropical countries' limited historical emissions creating equity dimension	Generic restatement of 'climate change is bad for food security'; no forward-looking element or policy implication	Missing conclusion; ends mid-argument; or introduces new major point in final sentence; fatalistic tone without analytical closure

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