OPTIMA (Mains) 2020 – Day 13

OPTIMA (Mains) 2020

30 Days Revision and Writing Plan

DAY 13

Topic:

• Major Crops – Cropping Patterns in various parts of the country,
• Storage, Transport and Marketing of Agricultural Produce and Issues and Related Constraints
• Issues related to Direct and Indirect Farm Subsidies and Minimum Support Prices
• Issues related to Direct and Indirect Farm Subsidies and Minimum Support Prices; Public Distribution System – Objectives, Functioning, Limitations, Revamping; Issues of Buffer Stocks and Food Security; Technology Missions; Economics of Animal-Rearing.
• Food Processing and Related Industries in India- Scope’ and Significance, Location, Upstream and Downstream Requirements, Supply Chain Management.
• Land Reforms in India.

Total Marks 125 marks

Time allotted: 1:30 minutes (90 minutes)

1. Recent proposed reforms in agri-marketing laws address longstanding needs of farmers. Comment. [Reference: Indian Express]
2. What do you understand by contract farming? Will it benefit the farmers? [Reference: Business Line]
3. What do you understand by precision farming? Discuss the technology behind it.
4. Doubling farmer’s income will need minimization of the risks farmers face in farm-to-market cycle. Discuss. [Reference: Business Line]
5. Seed is the primary input of a productive agriculture setup. In this context, critically analyze the Draft Seed Bill. Do you think it does enough to balance and protect farmer’s rights against corporate interests? [Reference: Business Line, Business Line, Navdanya, Deccanherald]
6. What do you understand by crop diversification? Discuss its need and challenges involved. [Reference: The Hindu]
7. Critically examine effectiveness of MSP regime. [Reference: Business Line]
8. Livestock is an integral part of India’s agricultural economy. Discuss in the light of national Livestock Policy and recent 20th Livestock Census. [Reference: Business Line, DAHD]
9. Is Zero Budget natural farming really zero budget farming? Can Zero Budget natural farming change Indian farmer’s fate? [Reference: Business Line, Business Line]
10. What do you understand by land reforms? Why even after seven decades it still remains an unfinished agenda? [Reference: Indian Express]
11. In the backdrop of falling landholding, discuss the need for land consolidation. [Reference: Indian Express]
12. Rising subsidies are crowding out resources for investment and innovation in agriculture. In this context, critically examine PMKISAN. [Reference: Financial Express]
13. The water crisis in India is inextricably linked to wasteful use of water in agriculture. [Reference: Financial Express]