Insights IAS APEC 2021 Agriculture - Thanmay Sir

Why we should study agriculture?

Around 20 marks in Prelims and 100 marks in Mains
Becoming more important, especially since 2018
How to study agriculture for Prelims?
PYQs
CA
Economic Survey and Budget
India Year Book
Govt. Schemes
NCERTs
ICAR
TNAU
Mains
Vikaspedia, Arthapedia, Wikipedia
Ministry of Agriculture; Ministry of FPI
Geography
Economy
Yojana, Kurukshetra etc.
Not useful
Themes
Agri Finance
Agri Marketing
CCEA
CACP
Agri Practices - New Technologies
Crops
Geography and Economy - Trends in crop cultivation - data from agri
websites/Economic Survey
Sugarcane
Inputs
Seeds
Fertilisers
Pesticides
Schemes and Organisations
Miscellaneous
Agriculture and Pollution
Water
Irrigation related Govt. Schemes
Soil
Multidisciplinary approach
Science - news etc.
 Geography - crops etc.
Economy - MSP, WTO etc.
Environment - pollution etc.
Basic aspects of Agriculture
Agriculture is cultivation of soil to produce crops and to rear animals
Agri is a state subject - Entry 14 of State List
Markets and Fairs - Entry 28 - APMC Act (it mandates farmers to sell
their commodity only in designated Mandis)
Land is also a state subject - Entry 18 of State List
Concurrent List - Entry 33 - empowers Parliament to facilitate trade across
states or within the states
Farm Produce (Trade and Facilitation) Act, 2020
3 agri seasons (July - June)
Monsoon (reversal of trade winds)
Kharif
July - Oct/Nov
Onset of monsoon
Rice, Cotton, Groundnut, Maize, Pearl millet etc.
Dominating crops - Rice>Pulses>Coarse cereals>Oilseeds
Rabi
Nov - March
Wheat, Barley, Mustard, Lintel Seeds etc.
Dominating crops - Wheat>Pulses>Oilseeds>Coarse cereals
Largest contributing states in terms of area under Rabi
cultivation - MP>Rajasthan
Zaid
Summer Season
Watermelon, Cucumber, Muskmelon etc.
Food grain production
291 million tonnes (2019-20) - 215 million tonnes (2016-17)
Cereals
Grasses
Rich in carbohydrates
Rice, Wheat etc.
Pulses
Plants
Proteins
Toor, Green Gram etc.
2017-18
Kharif - 49% of total food production (67% in 1970)
Rabi - 51% of total food production (33% in 1970) - 22% lesser
area than Kharif
Area
Total geographical area - 349 million hectares
Net sown area - 140 million hectares
 Irrigated area - 65 million hectares
Rice>Wheat>Coarse cereals>Pulses
Rice - WB>Haryana>UP
Wheat - UP>Haryana>Punjab
Pulses - MP
Ministries
Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare
3 Depts
Department of Agriculture, Co-operation and Farmers
Welfare (most powerful dept.)
Directorate of Economics and Statistics under it
calculates overall food production in India -
multiple estimates
Department of Animal Husbandry and Fisheries
Department of Agriculture Research and Education
ICAR and KVK
Ministry of Commerce - agri exports
Ministry of Water Resources
GEAC - MoEFCC - gives approval for GM crops
Agri Regions
Rice region
Wheat region
Temperate region
UP - potato etc.
Millet region (includes oilseeds, pulses)
South India - Karnataka
Plantation region
Tea, Coffee etc.
Agri is a primary activity - extraction of resources directly from nature
(mining etc.)
Manufacturing and food processing (secondary)
Services (tertiary)
Basic facts of agriculture
Employs 55% of population (disguised unemployment)
Contributes 17% to GDP
Gross capital formation - 15%
Growth rate - 3% (FPI - 10% - sunrise industry)
Refer to Ashok Dalwai Committee recommendations (on doubling
farmers’ income) and Niti Aayog Strategy for New India @75
86% of farmers - small and marginal landholders (<2 ha of land)
Avg landholding of farmer in Nagaland - 5 ha (highest in India) - 0.18
ha in Kerala (least in India)
Largest area under cultivation - UP>Bihar
 Irrigation
Tubewell
Micro
Sprinkler
Drip
Canal
Tanks
Well
India is the largest producer and exporter of cereal crops
Largest exporter of rice
Largest producer of milk - highest population of buffaloes and bovines
India is second in production of rice, wheat (China is first)
India’s productivity is way below China
Pulses
Protein rich food grains
Leguminous plants (nitrogen fixation on their own - bacteria present at
their root nodules)
India - largest producer, consumer and importer of pulses
Eg. gram (40% of total production of pulses), tur/arhar, green gram,
horse gram, black-eyed gram etc.
MP>RJ - Central India region mainly
Season: Rabi (60% of total pulse production)
MSP and buffer stock - Yes
Rained farming system
 Oilseeds
Eg. groundnut, mustard, soybean, sunflower, sesame etc.
Yellow revolution
India imports nearly 70% of edible oil - 80% of imported edible oil is
palm oil (from Indonesia and Malaysia mainly)
Edible oil production: Gujarat>RJ>MP
Gujarat - groundnut
RJ - rapeseed
MP - soybean
Agri Credit
72% of agri credit comes from institutional lenders (nearly 75% of it is
given by SCBs - then, cooperative banks and RRBs)
28% from non-institutional lenders
Agri is a priority sector - lending
2019-20 - 13 lakh crores worth loans given to farmers - 80% of them
are short term loans
Farm insurance - around 35% - eg. PMFBY
Agri exports and imports
2.5% of world’s exports and 1.5% of world’s imports
12% of overall exports by India (value)
APEDA - Ministry of Commerce
Composition of exports
Marine products (20% of overall value of exports - W.Europe
and SE Asia)>Buffalo meat (18% - W.Europe)>Basmati rice
(UAE)
Composition of Imports
Vegetable oils (50% - Indonesia and Malaysia)>pulses(20% -
Myanmar)>fresh fruits
Most of the commodities don’t have quantitative restrictions for
imports and exports
FDI in Agriculture
Ministry of Commerce
100% FDI automatic route in FPI
100% FDI is allowed in plantation sector; seeds and plants (R&D)
FDI allowed in floriculture, horticulture, apiculture, animal husbandry
(controlled environment)
Crops
Factors affecting crop cultivation
Soil
Temp
Moisture
Nutrients
Region
Important crops cultivated in India - conditions
https://www.drishtiias.com/to-the-points/paper3/cropping-
patterns-and-major-crops-of-india-part-one
 https://www.drishtiias.com/to-the-points/paper3/cropping-
patterns-and-major-crops-of-india-part-two
Types of Farming
Subsistence Farming
For consumption and livelihood - dominating practice in India
(because of small landholding)
Characteristics
Traditional
Family members are involved
Labour intensive
Less usage of electricity and fertilisers
Traditional seeds
Types
Intensive Subsistence Farming
Cropping intensity (=number of crops cultivated in a
piece of land per annum) is high
Highly labour dependant
Shifting Cultivation
Felling of trees (in a forest) to cultivate crops
After 2-3 years, soil will lose its fertility - then, they shift
to another patch
Cycle
Primitive
Largely practised in NE region - Nagaland>Mizoram
Regional names
N.E - Jhum
Kerala - Poonam
Chattisgarh - Deepa
AP and Telangana - Podu
Thee’s no significant advantage
Disadvantages
Deforestation - loss of biodiversity
Soil erosion
Nomadic Herding
Rising of livestock in field
Primitive
Himalayas
Trbes: Bakarwal, Gaddi
Commercial Farming
For market - ether domestic or int'l
Characteristics
Huge capital
Mechanisation (Technology)
Hybrid Seeds
Extension services (R&D support)
 Types
Commercial grain farming
Crop cultivation for market
Plantation crops
Features
>50 ha
High capital
Labour intensive
Productivity is relatively low compared to
commercial grain farming
High scope for food processing
Eg. tea, coffee, rubber, banana, tobacco,
sugarcane etc.
Mixed Farming
Cropping Pattern
Temporal and spatial arrangement of crops in a particular area
Intercropping and Mixed Cropping
Intercropping
Growing two or more crops simultaneously with definite row
arrangement on the same field at the same time
Sowing difference
Not practised in India much
Advantages
Harvesting is quite easy
Fertilisers can be easily administered
Management of pests is quite easy
Mixed Cropping
Growing two or more crops simultaneously without definite row
arrangement on the same field at the same time
Mixing of seeds
Advantages
Cultivation of food and fodder crops
Nutrient management
Reduce crop loss
Maintenance of pH level in soil (acidity and alkalinity) - helps in
arresting soil degradation
Mixed Farming
Cultivation of crops and rearing of livestock for commercial or self
consumption
Multi-tier Cropping
Principle of 'maximum utilisation of solar energy’ based on height and
growth cycle of crop
Eg. coconut, banana, spices (black pepper) OR banana, papaya, pineapple
etc.
Monocropping
Single crop at a time in a field eg. Wheat, Rice etc.
Crop Rotation
Periodic change in crops in a definite pattern

Advantages
Effective utilisation of soil nutrients
Plant nutrients
Macro - N, P, K
Micro - Mg, Na, Cu, Fe
Pulses - help in fixation of N
New Technologies in Farming | Unconventional Farming Practices
Reasons
High productivity
Environmental sustainability
Less input cost
Sustainable Sugarcane Initiative (SSI)
Sugarcane - usual procedure - ratooning (agricultural practice of
harvesting a monocot crop by cutting most of the above-ground
portion but leaving the roots and the growing shoot apices intact so
 as to allow the plants to recover and produce a fresh crop in the next
season)
Features
In SSI, only 400 kg/ha - hence, less competition for nutrients
and sunlight - less input cost - normal procedure requirement
of 4000 kg/ha sugarcane seedlings
Intercropping
Seedlings grown in nursery and shifted to farm
Height - around 14 ft
High productivity
Sucrose content is very high
System of Rice Intensification (SRI)
Grid pattern - one seedling at one node
No flooding of farmland
Advantages
Efficient use of water - less water required
Less input cost
High productivity
Less scope for anaerobic respiration which happens largely
when farm field is filled with water
Hydrogen Agriculture System
Employs SAP (Super absorbent polymer) - additive - biodegradable
- cheap - remains for at least 4-5 years - mixed with soil
Golden Rice and Super Rice
Super Rice
Characteristics
Drought resistant
High yielding
Not susceptible to pest attacks/diseases
Not GM
Mycorrhizal technology
Mycorrhiza
Symbiotic association between a green plant and a fungus.
Plant makes organic molecules such as sugars by
photosynthesis and supplies them to the fungus, and the
fungus supplies to the plant water and mineral nutrients,
such as phosphorus, taken from the soil.
Rhizosphere - narrow region of soil or substrate that is directly
influenced by root secretions and associated soil microorganisms
Advantages
N fixation - supply of nutrients
Reclamation of wasteland
Reduce alkalinity in soil
Increases fertility of soil
Zero Tillage | Minimum Tillage
Tillage is the agricultural preparation of soil by mechanical agitation
 of various types - purpose - control weeds - nutrient management
Zero tillage - there’s no tillage of land
Advantages
Reduced input cost
Soil moisture is retained in farm field - less irrigation
Mulching - cover bare soil with organic materials (eg.
crop residue) - so that moisture will not escape from the
soil
Retain soil biodiversity
Less labour intensive
Carbon sequestration - fixation of C
High productivity in the long run
Disadvantages
Soil pathogens (harmful bacteria) may increase in the long run
Organic Farming
Sikkim - first organic State in India
Normal farming
HYV or GM crops
Chemical/Synthetic fertilisers
Chemical pesticides
Organic farming
Doesn’t use any chemical fertilisers and pesticides
Manure (vermicompost, cow dung, crop residue etc.), bio
fertilisers and traditional seeds
Methods - mulching, intercropping, multi-tier cropping, zero
tillage etc.
Maintain agro-biodiversity to improve productivity
Disadvantages
Labour intensive
Less skill
Products are expensive
Productivity is low at initial stages
Zero Budget Natural Farming
Use of cow dung, cow urine, jaggery, traditional seeds
Methodology
Beejamrutha
Beeja = seeds
Treatment of seeds with cow urine (it has traditional value
and medicinal properties)
Jeevamrutha
Cow dung, cow urine, crop residue - jaggery is added to
it - fermentation
Soil mulching
Soil moisture
Andhra Pradesh Govt - took concrete steps to become 1st ZBNF
State in India
 Precision/Smart Agriculture
IT + Agriculture
IT enabled farms - sensors - satellite images - drones - machines etc.
Continuous monitoring of pH level, moisture and nutrients in soil, pest
attacks/diseases - data - single system
Disadvantages
Capital intensive
Not suitable for small and marginal landholders
Not suitable for countries like India
Vertical Farming
Inside room environment
Artificial light - vary wavelength to maximise growth
Nutrient medium (water + nutrients) - hydroponics
Highly productive
Eco-friendly
Largely restricted to fruits and vegetables which are of high demand
in the market (because growing them is economically feasible)
Disadvantages
Capital intensive
Requires skills
Energy intensive
Doesn’t provide food security to the masses
Agriculture related developments in independent India
Land Reforms
Redistribution of land from big landowners/zamindars to
tenants/landless labourers etc.
Pre-independence - zamindars were actual owners of land
Post-independence - 1st generation reforms
Committee formed under J.C. Kumarappa
Abolition of zamindars
Cultivators directly paid taxes to the State
Tenancy reforms
Earlier tenancy system
No security of tenure
Confiscation of tenancy
Eviction from farmland
Tenancy reforms
Security of tenure
Transfer of ownership
Ceiling limits
On no. of acres that can be owned by
household/individual
Not uniform - varied from State to State
Consolidation of landholdings
Largely implemented in States such as Kerala, WB
 2nd generation reforms (1990s)
Digitisation of land records
E-format - central server - decentralisation of data
Telangana and Maharashtra - pioneers
Model Agricultural Land Leasing Act, 2016
NITI Aayog
Legalises leasing in India
Automatic resumption of ownership
Tenant - access to institutional credit and insurance
Land dispute tribunals at State level - their decision is
final - no appeal
Model Contract Farming Act, 2018
Contract farming - concurrent list
Pre-harvest agreement b/w producer and buyer -
regarding price and volume
Pre-harvest and post-harvest (whole cycle of agricultural
production)
Out of the ambit of APMC
Stockpile agro commodities - Essential Commodities Act
wouldn’t apply to them
Free to decide the price
Court of law
Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land
Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013
Replaces Land Acquisition Act, 1894
Social Impact Assessment
Compensation - 2 times the market rate in urban area
and 4 times the market rate in rural areas
Consent
70% consent in PPP projects
80% consent in private projects
Exemptions
Green Revolution
Background
Primitive
Traditional seeds
Devoid of fertilisers
Absence of assured irrigation
Low agricultural productivity
Wars with China (1962) and Pakistan (1965)
Realisation of the necessity of ‘food self-sufficiency’
Food security
Availability - at all times irrespective of drought etc.
Affordability
Accessibility
 Led by M.S. Swaminathan in India
Characteristics
Largely restricted to wheat and rice
Inputs
High yielding variety (HYV) seeds
Assured irrigation
Subsidised fertilisers, pesticides and power
Regions
Western UP, Punjab and Haryana
Outcomes
Food self-sufficiency
High productivity
Yield has increased by 30% (because of HYV seeds,
moisture supply etc.)
Food security
Disadvantages
Regional disparities - largely restricted to northern parts of India
Only rich farmers benefited from it (they had the capability to
purchase HYV seeds and fertilisers)
Mechanisation process - hasn’t improved the employability of
agricultural sector in rural areas
Environmental degradation
Leaching
Soil alkalinity
Soil degradation
Increased use of pesticides and fertilisers decreases soil
biodiversity (helpful bacteria are killed) - varied pH level
(acidic or alkaline - doesn’t help germination of seeds)
Sustainable Green Revolution
Use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides are discouraged
Promotion of use of farm saved seeds OR certified seeds from
govt agencies
Bringing Green Revolution to Eastern Region
Emphasis on rice
Liberalisation, Privatisation, Globalisation (LPG) Reforms and
Agriculture
Liberalisation
Opening up different sectors or parts of economy to private
players (domestic or int’l)
Privatisation
Disinvestment - private players will run the erstwhile
established govt. companies
Globalisation
Exchange of goods and services between nation states
Huge inflow of foreign and domestic capital - concentrated in 2
sectors - manufacturing and services
 Impact on Agriculture
Rural employment - decreased - rural-urban migration
Disguised employment - decreased
Feminisation of agriculture - increased
Mechanisation of agriculture - increased (because LPG
reforms brought in technology)
Cultivation of cash crops - increased (because of access to
global markets)
Farmer suicides - increased (because of price volatility and
various global factors)
Agricultural Inputs
Types of inputs
Seeds
Fertilisers and pesticides
Irrigation
Agri Credit
Agri extension services (R&D support)
Power
Soil
Seeds
2 types of seeds
Certified seeds
Adherence to certain standards - Indian Minimum Seed
Certification Standards, 1980
Farm saved seeds
Traditional seeds - borrow the seeds from previous agri
cycle
Issues
Productivity
Quality
They don’t carry out seed treatment
They don’t adhere to any seed standard,
with respect to
Productivity (history); and
Minimum moisture content
Not largely resistant towards various diseases
Indian Seeds Act, 1966
Provides overall framework to maintains seed quality
Provides for the establishment of seed testing laboratories,
seed development agencies in states
In India, both private parties and govt. corporations (eg. Seed
Corporation of India) produce seeds - have to meet certain standards
- then they become certified seeds
National Seed Policy, 2002 | National Water Policy, 2012 | National
Policy for Farmers, 2007
Seed replacement rate
Ratio of certified seeds used in India / farm saved seeds used
in India
Increased seed replacement rate indicates higher productivity
GM crops and hybrid crops
GM crops
Edit the gene/DNA
Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) -
regulator
Hybrid crops
No alteration of gene
Cross breeding of different varieties of the same crop eg.
rice
High productivity
Seed certification
Concepts related to seeds
Breeder Seeds
New seeds - exclusive rights
Foundation Seeds
Seed Corporation of India - has access to them
Certified Seeds
Farmers have access to them

Seed Village Concept

Farm saved seeds in a village or a group of villages
Saving of traditional seeds - distribution among the
communities
Current Affairs
Global Seed Vault
Established near North Pole - Arctic Region - Svalbard -
by Norway Govt., Crop Trust and Nordic Genetic
Resource Centre
Aim: To preserve seeds for “Doomsday"
Cryo preservation - low temp.
 Indian Seed Vault
Established in Chang La, Ladakh
Fertilisers
2 types
Bio fertilisers
Consists of living organisms (algae, fungi or bacteria)
- eg. azolla, azotobacter, anabaena, nostoc, rhizobium,
cyanobacteria) - N fixation - provide natural nutrients to
plants
Advantages
N fixation
pH level maintenance
Reclamation of wasteland
Soil moisture retention
Soil biodiversity
Negligible disadvantages
Chemical/synthetic fertilisers
Fertiliser industry - part of 8 core industries
Eg. urea, potash, potassium, DAP, SSP etc. - around 25
fertilisers
1970s - gulf oil crisis - fertiliser prices have increased -
govt. started providing subsidies on fertilisers since then
Highest subsidies - food subsidy (PDS)>fertilisers
Urea
Most used fertiliser in India
Per ton - market cost is around Rs. 20,000 -
provided by govt at around Rs. 5000-6000
Why is it cheap?
Price of urea is controlled by govt.
40-45% of N (macro nutrient - primarily
needed by the plant)
Market rate itself is cheaper in comparison
to other fertilisers
Because of high usage of urea, NPK ratio in soil
has varied tremendously
Ideal ratio - 4:2:1
Actual ratio - 8:3:1
Neem coated urea
Why?
Urea - diverted - plywood industry -
feed to animals etc.
Coating of neem - it becomes useless
in other industries - diversion has
become zero now
Normal urea - N exposed to sunlight -
degraded/decomposed quickly
 Neem coated urea - proportion of
release of N has reduced - slow and
steady release of nutrients to the
soil/plant - plants can extract
nutrients for a longer period of time -
longer shelf life - reduced input cost
CCEA - headed by PM - determines fertiliser subsidies
Also determines MSP, FRP, buffer stocks
Nutrient Based Subsidy
Applicable to fertilisers other than urea
Subsidy provided based on nutrient content
present in the fertilisers
Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT)
Farmer - purchase of urea through PoS machine -
at subsidised price
Company receives subsidy - sale records at PoS
machines - earlier, subsidy provided based on
output of the companies
Less pilferage
City Compost Scheme
Irrigation
Tubewell (46%) - dominating form - followed by canal (24%)
Flood irrigation
Limitations
Leaching
Low water efficiency
High power consumption
Micro Irrigation
Drip Irrigation and Sprinkler Irrigation
Drip Irrigation
Outlets - release water in drops - right next to the roots
Advantages
Higher water use efficiency (in comparison to
sprinkler irrigation) - moisture can only be taken by
roots
Lower power consumption - lower input
cost
Salinity issue (leaching) can be avoided
Fertigation (administration of fertilisers in liquid
form) is possible - less fertiliser input - reduced
input cost
Disadvantages (also applicable to sprinkler irrigation)
High input cost
Regular maintenance
Sprinkler Irrigation
Jets at designated locations
 Practised in all types of soil except clay soil
Advantages
Water use efficiency
Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY)
Traditional forms of irrigation
Kul Irrigation
HP and few parts of western Himalayas
Exploit glaciers to irrigate their lands
Bamboo Drip Irrigation
NE parts of India
Exploit springs (water sources)
Pesticides
Facts
Maharashtra - highest consumption of pesticides
Punjab - per hectare highest consumption of pesticides
Crops which use lot of pesticides - cotton>paddy>wheat
Regulation
Insecticides Act, 1978
Agricultural Credit/Finance
Agriculture - comes under priority sector lending
NABARD
1970s
Its functions were earlier performed by RBI (Dept. of Agri.
Credit)
Apex body to control/regulate agri/rural credit in India
Functions
Regulation
RRBs, cooperatives and other financial institutions
which offer credit to rural population
Refinance
Finance
Micro Irrigation Fund, Long Term Irrigation Fund,
Warehouses (set up by State Govts)
Kisan Vikas Patra
1988 - reintroduced in 2014
Saving instrument issued by Govt.
Maturity period (min. 5 yrs) - decent interest amount
Not exempted from taxation - not a tax saving instrument
Only individuals can invest
Not exclusively used for agri and allied activities - discretion of
govt.
Kisan Credit Card
Short term loan (up to 1 year)
Eligibility: Farmers, Sharecroppers, Tenants etc.
Agri CIBIL Score - based on extent of landholdings and
 income
Payment in instalments - minimal interest
Validity - 5 years
Stipulated no. of withdrawals allowed
Can be used for any purpose
Agriculture and Research (Extension Services)
Lab to land - educate farmers on agri practices, new technologies etc.
Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)
Apex research organisation
Statutory body - established under Societies Registration Act,
1860
Autonomous body
Functions
Research
Education
Runs and recognises universities
Imparts agri education in India
Conducts exams for research fellows in agricultural
universities
Funding: Dept of Agricultural Research and Education
Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs)
Bridge b/w ICAR and farmers

Can be set up by State Govts, private organisations, NGOs,

SHGs
Functions
Technology demonstrator
Capacity building
Awareness generation
DD Kisan | Kisan Call Centre
DD Kisan
Dedicated channel meant for educating farmers
Prasar Bharati - 2015
Kisan Call Centre
Address grievances of farmers
Available in all scheduled languages
FarmerZone Platform
Ministry of Science and Technology
Platform where various stakeholders come and discuss
different issues related to agriculture
 Stakeholders - scientists, farmers, policy makers,
officials etc.
Agriculture and Statistics
Agriculture Census
Agri sector
Dept. of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers’ Welfare
1970 - recent one in 2015 - every 5 years
Data captured
Landholdings - caste, sex, extent
Income level of farmers
Cropping patterns
Livestock Census
Dept. of Animal Husbandry
1919-20 - 2018 - 20th Livestock Census - not conducted regularly
Sheep, goats, cattle, poultry, turkey, stray dogs etc.
20th Livestock Census
Online enumeration of livestock was conducted - National
Informatics Centre (NIC) - Android based mobile application
Breed based census
Data
Cattle>Goats>Buffaloes
Cattle: UP>Rajasthan
Agroforestry
Cultivation of trees and crops
Individual initiative (social forestry - community initiative)
Advantages
Additional income
Arrests soil erosion
Recycling of nutrients
Water conservation
Soil biodiversity
Improves productivity of farm
National Agroforestry Policy 2014
Ministry of Agriculture
India is the first country to have a dedicated agroforestry policy
Provides for the establishment of National Agro Forestry Board
It ensures quality seed/sapling supply
Credit and insurance to farmers
Market access to trees/timber out of farmland
Agricultural Marketing
Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC)
Intra-state trade - state subject
Statutory Committee
Formed under state laws
It consists of farmers, traders, govt. officials
 It manages APMC Mandis
Farmers are mandated to do their wholesale sale only in
designated APMC Mandis
Trading of agriculture, horticulture and livestock
Functions
Regulation of market
Collection of APMC charges
Facilitate price discovery (through elimination of middlemen)
Provision of infrastructure (eg. godown, washroom etc.)
Issues
Largely dominated by middlemen
Farmers don’t have freedom to sell their commodities
elsewhere
Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation)
Act, 2020
Concurrent List - Entry 33
Farmers aren’t bound to sell their produce in designated APMC
Mandis
APMC cannot impose charges on sales which happen outside APMC
notified markets
Facilitates barrier-free intra-state and Inter-state trade
Issues
Middlemen
Distress sale
APMC
Infrastructure
Better price discovery - fair price
Wastage
Value addition
e-National Agriculture Market (e-NAM)
Pan-India agri trading portal
Connects APMCs and other regulated markets in India
Trader can purchase the commodities online
Farmer can also sell the commodities online
Not a substitution for APMC
Implemented by SFAC (Small Farmers Agribusiness Consortium) -
NBFC registered under RBI - provides capital to farmers to start agri
business
AGMARKNET
Agriculture Market Information Network
Pan-India Web portal - disseminates agri related info to farmers,
traders and general public
Price and volume of commodities
Food Grain Management in India
Components
Procurement
 FCI
Private players eg. rice mill owners
State Agencies
Storage
Central Pool - FCI
Distribution
Process
Farmer - sale of commodities at MSP - procurement by FCI - at
APMC - procured food grains will then be stored in private/govt.
godowns - buffer stock - FCI will give it to State Govts. at Central
Issue Price - distribution through PDS - fair price shops - at
subsidised prices - National Food Security Act, 2013 - ration cards
Significance
Food security
Affordability
Accessibility
Availability
National Food Security Act, 2013
Legal entitlement - access to food grains
Coverage - 75% of rural population - 50% of urban population
5 kg / per person / per month - subsidised prices
State Govt. will identify the beneficiaries
APL
BPL
AAY
Ration Card is defined under NFSA, 2013
'Ration shop' - defined under Essential Commodities Act, 1955
Mid Day Meal Scheme - children up to 14 years of age
Pregnant and lactating wome
If govt. is unable to provide food grains, it has to give food allowance
Food Corporation of India
Department of Food and Public Distribution, Ministry of Consumer
Affairs, Food and Public Distribution
Procurement, storage and transportation of food grains from surplus
to deficient areas
Minimum Support Price (MSP)
https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-
analysis/minimum-support-price
https://byjus.com/free-ias-prep/minimum-support-price-msp/
APMC
No quantitative restrictions
No legal backing - it’s a policy measure
It’s fixed before sowing season
Price assurance
Crops covered under MSP
23
 Cereals
Pulses
Oilseeds
Commercial crops

CCEA decides MSP - Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices

(CACP) gives the suggestions
Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP)
Attached Office of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers
Welfare
Statutory body
Advises the govt. on MSP - not binding
Factors considered by CACP
Cost of production
Domestic market condition
Int’l market condition
Fair and Remunerative Price
 Sugarcane
CCEA fixes the price - Sugarcane (Control) Order, 1966
Purchase by sugar mills
In addition to FRP, some states give incentives/additional price
support - State Advised Price
Buffer Stock
Storage/maintenance of food grain stock - to provide food grains to
PDS - to meet unforeseen situations - to offset price fluctuations
4th FYP
Determined on quarterly basis
Reviewed by CCEA every 5 years
One Nation-One Ration Card Scheme
PDS and FCI Reforms
Shanta Kumar Committee Recommendations
https://mrunal.org/2015/02/shanta-kumar-report-fci-
restructuring-buffer-stock-food-security.html
https://civils360.com/2019/09/18/shanta-kumar-committee-
recommendations/
Food Inflation
CPI - retail price level - CSO
WPI - Office of Economic Adviser, Ministry of Commerce and Industry
Consumer Food Price Index (CFPI)
Central Statistics Office (CSO) - Ministry of Statistics and Programme
Implementation
Measures change in price level of food commodities that we consume
CFPI (Urban)
CFPI (Rural)
CFPI (Combined)
Monthly basis
Food grains>Milk products>Vegerables>Oilseeds
Base Year: 2012
Price Stabilisation Fund
To ensure optimum price level of food commodities
Dept. of Consumer Affairs
100% centrally funded mechanism
Corpus
Interest free loans to FCI, State Govt. and other agencies to stabilise
price levels (import - storage of food grains during bumper crop -
release of food grains during shortage)
Essential Commodities Act, 1955
State Govt - implementation
Central Govt. - has the authority to amend the Act
Control production, import, export of notified commodities - to offset
price fluctuations and arrest illegal hoarding
Drugs, fertilisers, oilseeds, seeds, food grains, potato, onion, petrol
etc.
 2020 Amendment
Food grains, potato, onion, tomato etc. kept out of the Act -
regulation only under extraordinary circumstances
Can store these commodities without any quantitative
restrictions
Open Market Sale Scheme (OMSS)
FCI
Sale of food grains at predetermined prices in the open market at
different intervals - to arrest price rise
Market Intervention Scheme
Procure perishable agro commodities - fruits and vegetables - when
prices fall steeply
Ad-hoc scheme
Centre:States = 50:50
World Trade Organisation
1995 - Uruguay Round
Only int’l body which regulates int’l trade
Objective
Facilitate int’l trade
Establish fair marketing system without compromising the interests of
developing and LDCs
Agreement on Agriculture (1995)
Market Access
Trade facilitation
Tariff reduction
Tariff - import/export duties
Tariffication
Process of conversion of all non-tariff market protection
measures such as quotas, sanitary requirements,
licences etc. into the tariff equivalents.
WTO - restrictions - 2 types - quantitative and qualitative
(tariffs, phytosanitary measures etc.)
Exemption - Least Developed Countries
Domestic Support
Green Box
Subsidies for agri related R&D - education
Not trade distorting
Blue Box
Subsidies aiming towards limiting production
Not trade distorting
Amber Box
Subsidies/Price Support
Trade distorting
Eg. PDS, input subsidy, MSP etc.
Export Subsidies
 Subsidies given by developed countries to promote agro
exports
De Minimis Level
Peace Clause
Bali Package, 2013
No country would be legally barred from food security
programmes even if the subsidy breached the limits specified in
the WTO Agreement on Agriculture.
2015 Nairobi Ministerial Conference - countries agreed to eliminate
agri export subsidies in near future
Codex Alimentarius Commission
Joint initiative of FAO and WHO
Food safety standards - health, disease free, quality, phytosanitary -
observed by WTO to ensure food safety in imports, exports and
transportation of food products b/w countries
The Agreement on Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary
Measures (SPS) of WTO recognises Codex standards, guidelines and
recommendations as reference standards for international trade and
trade dispute settlement
WTO's Dispute Settlement Body
Agri Diseases
Fall Armyworm
Insect - invasive species - N. America
Maize crop - Karnataka
Locust Attack
FAO - 3 hot regions
Horn of Africa
Red Sea
S.W Asia
Iran, Pakistan, India
Insect - migratory species
India
4 types
Desert - most deadliest
Tree
Migratory
Bombay
Summer season
States
Rajasthan
Gujarat
Locust Warning Organisation (LWO) - Dept. of Agriculture,
Cooperation and Farmers Welfare
Foot and Mouth Disease
Food Processing
PM Kisan SAMPADA Yojana
Certification Marks
AGMARK
FPO
Geographical Indication
Silk Mark
India Organic
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)
Miscellaneous
Drought
No formal definition
Considered as a disaster - Supreme Court
State Govt has the final authority to declare drought in India - report
of DC/DM
All India Severe Drought Year (old nomenclature) and Deficient
Year (new nomenclature)
Declared by Indian Meteorological Dept., Ministry of Earth
Sciences
Long term average (LTA) of 50-100 yrs

Globally Important Agriculture Heritage Systems

3 in India
Saffron Heritage of India - Pampore Karewas, Kashmir
Koraput Traditional Agriculture - Koraput region, Orissa
Kuttanad Below Sea Level Farming System - Kuttanad region,
Kerala
Forest produce and minor forest produce
Forest produce - defined in Section 2(4) of Indian Forest Act, 1927
Minor forest produce - defined in Scheduled Tribes and Other
Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006
Commissions, Committees and Reports
National Commission on Farmers - MS Swaminathan
Ashok Dalwai Committee on doubling farmers' income
NITI Aayog Strategy for New India@75 - Agriculture
pp. 25-40
Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development
Authority (APEDA)
Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA)
National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP)
 Implemented by APEDA, Ministry of Commerce & Industries
Farmers Producers Organisation (FPO)
Sources
Parameters to be considered
Adds value to your preparation
Easy to revise
Easy to manage
Economy related sources: Arthapedia, Investopedia, Mrunal
Prelims
Knowledge | Skill
Agriculture Sources
Class Notes
Homework topics (make short notes on them)
PYQs - themes
Current Affairs
Insights IAS tests - solutions (only of uncovered topics)
Tests
Analysis is important
Static | Current
Factual | Conceptual
Know your strengths and weaknesses
Mains
Agriculture Sources
Vision VAM
Current Affairs
Notes
Mandatory
Short
Keywords and Dimensions
Mind Maps and Flowcharts
Helps you in recollecting points at a faster rate
Alternative: Topper’s Notes
Don’t spend too much time in making notes after Prelims
Answer Writing is important
50% of the time must be spent in answer writing after Prelims
Dimensions | Content (Data, Reports, Keywords etc.) | Presentation
Content
Impressive conclusion
Presentation
Aesthetic value
Handwriting
Diagrams, Maps, Graphs
Paragraph spacing
Sub-headings
 Underline important points
Themes
Art and Culture
Architecture
Buddhism and Jainism
Bhakti and Sufi Movements
Regional Bhakti saints - Kabir, Guru Nanak etc. - timelines -
Maharashtra, WB etc.
History
Timelines
Ancient and Medieval
Indus Valley Civilisation
Foreign trade - imports and exports
Administrative terms
Guptas, Mauryas, Southern Kingdoms (eg. Chalukyas,
Pallavas, Vijayanagara etc.)
Cultural contribution
Delhi Sultanate, Mughals
Cultural contribution
Administrative terms
Modern
Movements
Swadeshi, NCM, Salt Satyagraha, QIM
Tribal and Peasant Movements
Education, Press
Personalities
Women
Socio-religious reforms
Geography
Mapping
World
SE Asia, W. Asia, Central Asia, Europe
Places in news
Countries/regions surrounding seas
Water bodies
Important mountain ranges
Climatology
Emerging energy resources eg. shale gas, CBM etc.
Polity
Parliament
FRs
Judgments
DPSPs
President, Governor
Constitutional Bodies
 Historical Background
Important Bodies
NITI Aayog (in depth), EC
International Relations
Regional organisations (especially in which India is interested)
Reports and Indices
Publisher
Parameters (for important ones)
Other reports etc. published by important bodies
Economy
Five year plans
WTO
Imports and exports - data - trends
Source: Economic Survey
Budget
Money Market eg. commercial paper etc.
Agriculture
New technologies/practices eg. fertigation, ZBNF, vertical/organic
farming etc.
Food grain management
Agricultural marketing eg. MSP etc.
Agri inputs
Seeds and Fertilisers
Certification of agri products eg. organic etc.
Science and Technology
Genetic engineering
Space technology
Important Missions - India and Global
Emerging technologies eg. blockchain tech, AI etc.
Nanotechnology
Renewable energy
Health and diseases
Environment
Pollution
Acts
Int’l Conventions
Species
NPs, WLS
NE region
Imp. bodies eg. NGT, CPCB etc.
Miscellaneous
Defence