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Read the following passage and answer the item that follow.
Your answer to this item should be based on the passage only.
Agriculture in India needs to become more sustainable even as small and marginal farmers struggle to build resilience against many threats. First, they remain price-takers and economically vulnerable, beholden to traders who set prices, and with limited opportunities to sell at a time of their choice (due to poor storage). Further, decades of intensive agriculture have added to water stress and declining soil health. Farmers rely on groundwater for more than 60% of irrigation needs. Chemical fertilizers, once a boon to boost soil nutrients, have been applied so intensively (particularly urea) that the long-term health of soils is now of deep concern.
Q. Which among the following is the most logical, rational and critical inference that can be made from the above passage?
  • a)
    Agricultural policies in India have prioritized productivity in place of sustainability
  • b)
    Agricultural policies in India have favoured small and marginal farmers over the bigger farmers
  • c)
    Agricultural policies in India have favoured large farmers over small and medium farmers
  • d)
    Agricultural policies in India leave a lot to be desired
Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?
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Verified Answer
Read the following passage and answer the item that follow.Your answe...
The passage focuses on bringing out the lack of sustainable practices in Indian agriculture which are creating several issues. All the examples given above are examples of measures undertaken to boost productivity at the expense of sustainability. Hence A is the correct answer.
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Most Upvoted Answer
Read the following passage and answer the item that follow.Your answe...
Understanding the Inference from the Passage
The passage discusses the challenges faced by small and marginal farmers in India, emphasizing the need for sustainable agricultural practices. The correct inference is that agricultural policies in India have prioritized productivity over sustainability.

Key Points Supporting Option 'A'
- **Economic Vulnerability**: The passage mentions that small farmers are "price-takers" and are economically vulnerable due to their dependence on traders for pricing, indicating a lack of supportive policies for their sustainability.
- **Environmental Concerns**: It highlights the adverse effects of intensive agriculture practices, such as water stress and declining soil health, suggesting that the focus has been on immediate productivity rather than long-term sustainability.
- **Dependence on Groundwater**: The reliance on groundwater for over 60% of irrigation needs indicates that policies have not effectively addressed sustainable water management, further demonstrating a lack of emphasis on sustainable agricultural practices.
- **Chemical Fertilizer Usage**: The excessive application of chemical fertilizers, particularly urea, raises concerns about long-term soil health, pointing to a prioritization of short-term productivity gains over sustainable methods.

Conclusion
Overall, the passage clearly illustrates that while the goal of increased productivity has been met, it has come at the cost of environmental sustainability and the welfare of small farmers. This context solidifies option 'A' as the most logical inference drawn from the information presented.
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Directions for the following 7 (seven) items: Read the following two passages and answer the items that follow each passage. Your answers to these items should be based on the passages only.Passage -1The law in many parts of the world increasingly restricts the discharge of agricultural slurry into watercourses. The simplest and often the most economically sound practice returns the material to the land as semisolid manure or as sprayed slurry. This dilutes its concentration in the environment to what might have occurred III a more primitive and sustainable type of agriculture and converts pollutant into fertilizer. Soil microorganisms decompose the organic components of sewage and slurry and most of the mineral nutrients become available to be absorbed again by the vegetation.The excess input of nutrients, both nitrogen and phosphorus - based, from agricultural runoff (and human sewag e) has caused many healthy oligotrophic lakes (low nutrient concentrations, low plant productivity with abundant water weeds, and clear water) to change to eutrophic condition where high nutrient inputs lead to high phytoplankton productivity (sometimes dominated by bloomforming toxic species). This makes the water turbid, eliminates large plants and, in the worst situations, leads to anoxia and fish kills; so called cultural eutrophication. Thus, important ecosystem services are lost, including the provisioning service of wild-caught fish and the cultural services associated with recreation.The process of cultural eutrophication of lakes has been understood for some time. But only recently did scientists notice huge dead zones in the oceans near river outlets, particularly those draining large catchment areas such as the Mississippi in North America and the Yangtze in China. The nutrient-enriched water flows through streams, rivers and lakes, and eventually to the estuary and ocean where the ecological impact may be huge, killing virtually all invertebrates and fish in areas up to 70,000 km2 in extent. More than 150 sea areas worldwide are now regularly starved of oxygen as a result of decomposition of algal blooms, fuelled particularly by nitrogen from agricultural runoff of fertilizers and sewage from large cities. Oceanic dead zones are typically associated withindustrialized nations and usually lie off- countries that subsidize their agriculture, encouraging farmers to increase productivity and use more fertilizer.Q.According to the passage, why should the discharge of agricultural slurry into watercourses be restricted?1. Losing nutrients in this way is not a good practice economically.2. Watercourses do not contain the microorganisms that can decompose organic components of agricultural slurry.3. The discharge may lead to the eutrophication of water bodies.

Passage -1The law in many parts of the world increasingly restricts the discharge of agricultural slurry into watercourses. The simplest and often the most economically sound practice returns the material to the land as semisolid manure or as sprayed slurry. This dilutes its concentration in the environment to what might have occurred III a more primitive and sustainable type of agriculture and converts pollutant into fertilizer. Soil microorganisms decompose the organic components of sewage and slurry and most of the mineral nutrients become available to be absorbed again by the vegetation.The excess input of nutrients, both nitrogen and phosphorus - based, from agricultural runoff (and human sewag e) has caused many healthy oligotrophic lakes (low nutrient concentrations, low plant productivity with abundant water weeds, and clear water) to change to eutrophic condition where high nutrient inputs lead to high phytoplankton productivity (sometimes dominated by bloomforming toxic species). This makes the water turbid, eliminates large plants and, in the worst situations, leads to anoxia and fish kills; so called cultural eutrophication. Thus, important ecosystem services are lost, including the provisioning service of wild-caught fish and the cultural services associated with recreation.The process of cultural eutrophication of lakes has been understood for some time. But only recently did scientists notice huge dead zones in the oceans near river outlets, particularly those draining large catchment areas such as the Mississippi in North America and the Yangtze in China. The nutrient-enriched water flows through streams, rivers and lakes, and eventually to the estuary and ocean where the ecological impact may be huge, killing virtually all invertebrates and fish in areas up to 70,000 km2 in extent. More than 150 sea areas worldwide are now regularly starved of oxygen as a result of decomposition of algal blooms, fuelled particularly by nitrogen from agricultural runoff of fertilizers and sewage from large cities. Oceanic dead zones are typically associated withindustrialized nations and usually lie off- countries that subsidize their agriculture, encouraging farmers to increase productivity and use more fertilizer.Q.What is the central theme of this passage?

Passage -1The law in many parts of the world increasingly restricts the discharge of agricultural slurry into watercourses. The simplest and often the most economically sound practice returns the material to the land as semisolid manure or as sprayed slurry. This dilutes its concentration in the environment to what might have occurred III a more primitive and sustainable type of agriculture and converts pollutant into fertilizer. Soil microorganisms decompose the organic components of sewage and slurry and most of the mineral nutrients become available to be absorbed again by the vegetation.The excess input of nutrients, both nitrogen and phosphorus - based, from agricultural runoff (and human sewag e) has caused many healthy oligotrophic lakes (low nutrient concentrations, low plant productivity with abundant water weeds, and clear water) to change to eutrophic condition where high nutrient inputs lead to high phytoplankton productivity (sometimes dominated by bloomforming toxic species). This makes the water turbid, eliminates large plants and, in the worst situations, leads to anoxia and fish kills; so called cultural eutrophication. Thus, important ecosystem services are lost, including the provisioning service of wild-caught fish and the cultural services associated with recreation.The process of cultural eutrophication of lakes has been understood for some time. But only recently did scientists notice huge dead zones in the oceans near river outlets, particularly those draining large catchment areas such as the Mississippi in North America and the Yangtze in China. The nutrient-enriched water flows through streams, rivers and lakes, and eventually to the estuary and ocean where the ecological impact may be huge, killing virtually all invertebrates and fish in areas up to 70,000 km2 in extent. More than 150 sea areas worldwide are now regularly starved of oxygen as a result of decomposition of algal blooms, fuelled particularly by nitrogen from agricultural runoff of fertilizers and sewage from large cities. Oceanic dead zones are typically associated withindustrialized nations and usually lie off- countries that subsidize their agriculture, encouraging farmers to increase productivity and use more fertilizer.Q.The passage refers to the conversion of pollutant to fertilizer. What is pollutant and what is fertilizer in this context?

Passage -1The law in many parts of the world increasingly restricts the discharge of agricultural slurry into watercourses. The simplest and often the most economically sound practice returns the material to the land as semisolid manure or as sprayed slurry. This dilutes its concentration in the environment to what might have occurred III a more primitive and sustainable type of agriculture and converts pollutant into fertilizer. Soil microorganisms decompose the organic components of sewage and slurry and most of the mineral nutrients become available to be absorbed again by the vegetation.The excess input of nutrients, both nitrogen and phosphorus - based, from agricultural runoff (and human sewag e) has caused many healthy oligotrophic lakes (low nutrient concentrations, low plant productivity with abundant water weeds, and clear water) to change to eutrophic condition where high nutrient inputs lead to high phytoplankton productivity (sometimes dominated by bloomforming toxic species). This makes the water turbid, eliminates large plants and, in the worst situations, leads to anoxia and fish kills; so called cultural eutrophication. Thus, important ecosystem services are lost, including the provisioning service of wild-caught fish and the cultural services associated with recreation.The process of cultural eutrophication of lakes has been understood for some time. But only recently did scientists notice huge dead zones in the oceans near river outlets, particularly those draining large catchment areas such as the Mississippi in North America and the Yangtze in China. The nutrient-enriched water flows through streams, rivers and lakes, and eventually to the estuary and ocean where the ecological impact may be huge, killing virtually all invertebrates and fish in areas up to 70,000 km2 in extent. More than 150 sea areas worldwide are now regularly starved of oxygen as a result of decomposition of algal blooms, fuelled particularly by nitrogen from agricultural runoff of fertilizers and sewage from large cities. Oceanic dead zones are typically associated withindustrialized nations and usually lie off- countries that subsidize their agriculture, encouraging farmers to increase productivity and use more fertilizer.Q.According to the passage, what are the effects of indiscriminate use of fertilizers?1. Addition of pollutants to the soil and water.2. Destruction decomposer of microorganisms in soil.3. Nutrient enrichment of water bodies.4. Creation of algal blooms.

Passage -1The law in many parts of the world increasingly restricts the discharge of agricultural slurry into watercourses. The simplest and often the most economically sound practice returns the material to the land as semisolid manure or as sprayed slurry. This dilutes its concentration in the environment to what might have occurred III a more primitive and sustainable type of agriculture and converts pollutant into fertilizer. Soil microorganisms decompose the organic components of sewage and slurry and most of the mineral nutrients become available to be absorbed again by the vegetation.The excess input of nutrients, both nitrogen and phosphorus - based, from agricultural runoff (and human sewag e) has caused many healthy oligotrophic lakes (low nutrient concentrations, low plant productivity with abundant water weeds, and clear water) to change to eutrophic condition where high nutrient inputs lead to high phytoplankton productivity (sometimes dominated by bloomforming toxic species). This makes the water turbid, eliminates large plants and, in the worst situations, leads to anoxia and fish kills; so called cultural eutrophication. Thus, important ecosystem services are lost, including the provisioning service of wild-caught fish and the cultural services associated with recreation.The process of cultural eutrophication of lakes has been understood for some time. But only recently did scientists notice huge dead zones in the oceans near river outlets, particularly those draining large catchment areas such as the Mississippi in North America and the Yangtze in China. The nutrient-enriched water flows through streams, rivers and lakes, and eventually to the estuary and ocean where the ecological impact may be huge, killing virtually all invertebrates and fish in areas up to 70,000 km2 in extent. More than 150 sea areas worldwide are now regularly starved of oxygen as a result of decomposition of algal blooms, fuelled particularly by nitrogen from agricultural runoff of fertilizers and sewage from large cities. Oceanic dead zones are typically associated withindustrialized nations and usually lie off- countries that subsidize their agriculture, encouraging farmers to increase productivity and use more fertilizer.Q.What is/are the characteristics of a water body with cultural eutrophication?1. Loss of ecosystem services2. Loss of flora and fauna3. Loss of mineral nutrients

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Read the following passage and answer the item that follow.Your answer to this item should be based on the passage only.Agriculture in India needs to become more sustainable even as small and marginal farmers struggle to build resilience against many threats. First, they remain price-takers and economically vulnerable, beholden to traders who set prices, and with limited opportunities to sell at a time of their choice (due to poor storage). Further, decades of intensive agriculture have added to water stress and declining soil health. Farmers rely on groundwater for more than 60% of irrigation needs. Chemical fertilizers, once a boon to boost soil nutrients, have been applied so intensively (particularly urea) that the long-term health of soils is now of deep concern.Q. Which among the following is the most logical, rational and critical inference that can be made from the above passage?a) Agricultural policies in India have prioritized productivity in place of sustainabilityb) Agricultural policies in India have favoured small and marginal farmers over the bigger farmersc) Agricultural policies in India have favoured large farmers over small and medium farmersd) Agricultural policies in India leave a lot to be desiredCorrect answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?
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Read the following passage and answer the item that follow.Your answer to this item should be based on the passage only.Agriculture in India needs to become more sustainable even as small and marginal farmers struggle to build resilience against many threats. First, they remain price-takers and economically vulnerable, beholden to traders who set prices, and with limited opportunities to sell at a time of their choice (due to poor storage). Further, decades of intensive agriculture have added to water stress and declining soil health. Farmers rely on groundwater for more than 60% of irrigation needs. Chemical fertilizers, once a boon to boost soil nutrients, have been applied so intensively (particularly urea) that the long-term health of soils is now of deep concern.Q. Which among the following is the most logical, rational and critical inference that can be made from the above passage?a) Agricultural policies in India have prioritized productivity in place of sustainabilityb) Agricultural policies in India have favoured small and marginal farmers over the bigger farmersc) Agricultural policies in India have favoured large farmers over small and medium farmersd) Agricultural policies in India leave a lot to be desiredCorrect answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer? for UPSC 2024 is part of UPSC preparation. The Question and answers have been prepared according to the UPSC exam syllabus. Information about Read the following passage and answer the item that follow.Your answer to this item should be based on the passage only.Agriculture in India needs to become more sustainable even as small and marginal farmers struggle to build resilience against many threats. First, they remain price-takers and economically vulnerable, beholden to traders who set prices, and with limited opportunities to sell at a time of their choice (due to poor storage). Further, decades of intensive agriculture have added to water stress and declining soil health. Farmers rely on groundwater for more than 60% of irrigation needs. Chemical fertilizers, once a boon to boost soil nutrients, have been applied so intensively (particularly urea) that the long-term health of soils is now of deep concern.Q. Which among the following is the most logical, rational and critical inference that can be made from the above passage?a) Agricultural policies in India have prioritized productivity in place of sustainabilityb) Agricultural policies in India have favoured small and marginal farmers over the bigger farmersc) Agricultural policies in India have favoured large farmers over small and medium farmersd) Agricultural policies in India leave a lot to be desiredCorrect answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer? covers all topics & solutions for UPSC 2024 Exam. Find important definitions, questions, meanings, examples, exercises and tests below for Read the following passage and answer the item that follow.Your answer to this item should be based on the passage only.Agriculture in India needs to become more sustainable even as small and marginal farmers struggle to build resilience against many threats. First, they remain price-takers and economically vulnerable, beholden to traders who set prices, and with limited opportunities to sell at a time of their choice (due to poor storage). Further, decades of intensive agriculture have added to water stress and declining soil health. Farmers rely on groundwater for more than 60% of irrigation needs. Chemical fertilizers, once a boon to boost soil nutrients, have been applied so intensively (particularly urea) that the long-term health of soils is now of deep concern.Q. Which among the following is the most logical, rational and critical inference that can be made from the above passage?a) Agricultural policies in India have prioritized productivity in place of sustainabilityb) Agricultural policies in India have favoured small and marginal farmers over the bigger farmersc) Agricultural policies in India have favoured large farmers over small and medium farmersd) Agricultural policies in India leave a lot to be desiredCorrect answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?.
Solutions for Read the following passage and answer the item that follow.Your answer to this item should be based on the passage only.Agriculture in India needs to become more sustainable even as small and marginal farmers struggle to build resilience against many threats. First, they remain price-takers and economically vulnerable, beholden to traders who set prices, and with limited opportunities to sell at a time of their choice (due to poor storage). Further, decades of intensive agriculture have added to water stress and declining soil health. Farmers rely on groundwater for more than 60% of irrigation needs. Chemical fertilizers, once a boon to boost soil nutrients, have been applied so intensively (particularly urea) that the long-term health of soils is now of deep concern.Q. Which among the following is the most logical, rational and critical inference that can be made from the above passage?a) Agricultural policies in India have prioritized productivity in place of sustainabilityb) Agricultural policies in India have favoured small and marginal farmers over the bigger farmersc) Agricultural policies in India have favoured large farmers over small and medium farmersd) Agricultural policies in India leave a lot to be desiredCorrect answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer? in English & in Hindi are available as part of our courses for UPSC. Download more important topics, notes, lectures and mock test series for UPSC Exam by signing up for free.
Here you can find the meaning of Read the following passage and answer the item that follow.Your answer to this item should be based on the passage only.Agriculture in India needs to become more sustainable even as small and marginal farmers struggle to build resilience against many threats. First, they remain price-takers and economically vulnerable, beholden to traders who set prices, and with limited opportunities to sell at a time of their choice (due to poor storage). Further, decades of intensive agriculture have added to water stress and declining soil health. Farmers rely on groundwater for more than 60% of irrigation needs. Chemical fertilizers, once a boon to boost soil nutrients, have been applied so intensively (particularly urea) that the long-term health of soils is now of deep concern.Q. Which among the following is the most logical, rational and critical inference that can be made from the above passage?a) Agricultural policies in India have prioritized productivity in place of sustainabilityb) Agricultural policies in India have favoured small and marginal farmers over the bigger farmersc) Agricultural policies in India have favoured large farmers over small and medium farmersd) Agricultural policies in India leave a lot to be desiredCorrect answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer? defined & explained in the simplest way possible. Besides giving the explanation of Read the following passage and answer the item that follow.Your answer to this item should be based on the passage only.Agriculture in India needs to become more sustainable even as small and marginal farmers struggle to build resilience against many threats. First, they remain price-takers and economically vulnerable, beholden to traders who set prices, and with limited opportunities to sell at a time of their choice (due to poor storage). Further, decades of intensive agriculture have added to water stress and declining soil health. Farmers rely on groundwater for more than 60% of irrigation needs. Chemical fertilizers, once a boon to boost soil nutrients, have been applied so intensively (particularly urea) that the long-term health of soils is now of deep concern.Q. Which among the following is the most logical, rational and critical inference that can be made from the above passage?a) Agricultural policies in India have prioritized productivity in place of sustainabilityb) Agricultural policies in India have favoured small and marginal farmers over the bigger farmersc) Agricultural policies in India have favoured large farmers over small and medium farmersd) Agricultural policies in India leave a lot to be desiredCorrect answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?, a detailed solution for Read the following passage and answer the item that follow.Your answer to this item should be based on the passage only.Agriculture in India needs to become more sustainable even as small and marginal farmers struggle to build resilience against many threats. First, they remain price-takers and economically vulnerable, beholden to traders who set prices, and with limited opportunities to sell at a time of their choice (due to poor storage). Further, decades of intensive agriculture have added to water stress and declining soil health. Farmers rely on groundwater for more than 60% of irrigation needs. Chemical fertilizers, once a boon to boost soil nutrients, have been applied so intensively (particularly urea) that the long-term health of soils is now of deep concern.Q. Which among the following is the most logical, rational and critical inference that can be made from the above passage?a) Agricultural policies in India have prioritized productivity in place of sustainabilityb) Agricultural policies in India have favoured small and marginal farmers over the bigger farmersc) Agricultural policies in India have favoured large farmers over small and medium farmersd) Agricultural policies in India leave a lot to be desiredCorrect answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer? has been provided alongside types of Read the following passage and answer the item that follow.Your answer to this item should be based on the passage only.Agriculture in India needs to become more sustainable even as small and marginal farmers struggle to build resilience against many threats. First, they remain price-takers and economically vulnerable, beholden to traders who set prices, and with limited opportunities to sell at a time of their choice (due to poor storage). Further, decades of intensive agriculture have added to water stress and declining soil health. Farmers rely on groundwater for more than 60% of irrigation needs. Chemical fertilizers, once a boon to boost soil nutrients, have been applied so intensively (particularly urea) that the long-term health of soils is now of deep concern.Q. Which among the following is the most logical, rational and critical inference that can be made from the above passage?a) Agricultural policies in India have prioritized productivity in place of sustainabilityb) Agricultural policies in India have favoured small and marginal farmers over the bigger farmersc) Agricultural policies in India have favoured large farmers over small and medium farmersd) Agricultural policies in India leave a lot to be desiredCorrect answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer? theory, EduRev gives you an ample number of questions to practice Read the following passage and answer the item that follow.Your answer to this item should be based on the passage only.Agriculture in India needs to become more sustainable even as small and marginal farmers struggle to build resilience against many threats. First, they remain price-takers and economically vulnerable, beholden to traders who set prices, and with limited opportunities to sell at a time of their choice (due to poor storage). Further, decades of intensive agriculture have added to water stress and declining soil health. Farmers rely on groundwater for more than 60% of irrigation needs. Chemical fertilizers, once a boon to boost soil nutrients, have been applied so intensively (particularly urea) that the long-term health of soils is now of deep concern.Q. Which among the following is the most logical, rational and critical inference that can be made from the above passage?a) Agricultural policies in India have prioritized productivity in place of sustainabilityb) Agricultural policies in India have favoured small and marginal farmers over the bigger farmersc) Agricultural policies in India have favoured large farmers over small and medium farmersd) Agricultural policies in India leave a lot to be desiredCorrect answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer? tests, examples and also practice UPSC tests.
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