Agriculture MCQ Quiz - Objective Question with Answer for Agriculture - Download Free PDF

The correct answer is 2 and 3 only.

Key Points

• Agriculture GVA growth has been positive at 3.6% in 2020-21 but Industrial and Services sectors have contracted in the pandemic year 2020-21.
• Agriculture and the allied sector proved to be the most resilient to the Covid-19 shock as they registered a growth of 3.6 per cent in 2020-21 and improved to 3.9 per cent in 2021-22, driving the overall Indian economy's real GDP expansion of 9.2 per cent in 2021-22, according to the Economic Survey 2021-22. Hence, Statement 1 is not correct.
• It also said that the growth in the allied sector is in line with the recommendations of the Committee on Doubling Farmers' Income.
• Stating that the agriculture sector has experienced buoyant growth in the past two years, the Economic Survey noted that the agriculture and allied sector is the largest employer of the workforce as it accounted for a sizeable 18.8 per cent (2021-22) in Gross Value Added (GVA) of the country. Hence, Statement 2 is correct.
• Growth in allied sectors including livestock, dairying and fisheries has been the major drivers of overall growth in the sector, and these are steadily emerging to be high growth sectors.
• The livestock sector has grown at a CAGR of 8.15 per cent over the last five years ending 2019-20. As revealed by the latest Situation Assessment Survey (SAS), the sector has been a stable source of income across groups of agricultural households accounting for about 15 per cent of their average monthly income," the Economic Survey said. Hence, Statement 3 is correct.

The correct answer is option 3.

Key Points

Agricultural Revolution in India

• The importance of the agriculture sector in India can be gauged from the fact that around 60% of the Indian population is still dependent on this sector (Economic Survey 2021).
• There have been many agricultural revolutions in India to focus on certain specific agricultural produce.
• Green Revolution
  • The green revolution leads to a great increase in food grain products such as wheat and rice resulting in the introduction of high yielding varieties from different countries.
  • Due to the introduction of high yielding variety seeds, the volume of agricultural production and productivity has shown a manifold increase.
• White Revolution
  • The white revolution is considered to be one of the largest dairy movements started by the government of India in the year 1970.
  • The program which was initiated that further led to the white revolution is called operation flood.
  • This initiative by the Indian government proved to be revolutionary as it connected the milk producers and sellers of the country to consumers from about 700 towns and cities across the country. Hence, option 1 is not correct.
• Second Green Revolution
  • ​​It is being realized that the original means adopted by the green revolution are to some extent exhausted.
  • As yields on Indian lands are still far below the world average, our policymakers will have to look somewhere else, to bring it to par with the world average.
  • The current state of agriculture is not sustainable at all.
  • Consequently, the new agriculture policy of India aims at sustainable agriculture, which is popularly called the ‘second green revolution or ‘Evergreen Revolution.
  • It aims at the information technology revolution, biotechnology revolution, R&D and targeting of specific crops etc. Information Technology will create awareness in farmers, introduce them to more cost-efficient technologies and enable them to choose among different alternatives. Hence, option 2 is not correct.
• The Blue Revolution refers to the significant growth and intensification of global aquaculture production -domestication and farming of fish, shellfish, and aquatic plants- from the middle of the 20th century to the present, particularly in underdeveloped countries. Hence, option 3 is correct.
• The term Pink Revolution denotes the revolution in the technologies used in the poultry and meat processing sector in the country. Hence, option 4 is not correct.

• Agriculture is a broad term encompassing all aspects of crop production (food and fiber), livestock farming, fisheries, forestry, etc.
• Food and fibre productivity has increased by using new technologies, mechanization, increased use of fertilizers and pesticides, and expansion of irrigation facilities.
• These changes reduced the labour demand to produce the majority of the food and fibre.
• Although these changes have had a positive effect, they also caused some serious environmental and social problems such as erosion of topsoil, depletion, and pollution of groundwater and other water resources, unemployment of farm labourers due to their replacement by farm machinery. 
• Given the growing negative consequences of modern agriculture, there is growing demand to promote “sustainable agriculture”.

Sustainable agriculture:

• Sustainable agriculture is the production of food, fibre, plant, or animal products using farming techniques that protect the environment, public health, human and animal welfare.
• Sustainable agriculture incorporates many environmentally safe agricultural practices,
• It offers innovative and economically viable opportunities for farmers, labourers, consumers, policymakers, and many others in the entire food system.
• Sustainable farming systems are those that are least toxic and least energy-intensive and yet maintain productivity and profitability. E.g. Organic farming.
• Over the long term it aims to:
  • Satisfy human food and fibre needs.  
  • Make the most efficient use of non-renewable resources and on-farm resources.
  • Sustain the economic viability of farm operations.
  • Enhance the quality of life for farmers and society as a whole.

Mixed Cropping:

• Mixed cropping, also known as inter-cropping or co-cultivation.
• It is a type of agriculture that involves planting two or more plants simultaneously in the same field.
• In general, the theory is that planting multiple crops at once will allow the crops to work together.
• For example, wheat + gram, or wheat + mustard, or groundnut + sunflower.
• This reduces risk and gives some insurance against the failure of one of the crops.

Crop Rotation:

• Crop rotation is the practice of growing a series of different types of crops in the same area across a sequence of growing seasons. 
• It reduces reliance on one set of nutrients, pest and weed pressure, and the probability of developing resistant pests and weeds.
• Rotating crops helps maintain or improve soil health and maintain or increase the productivity of the farm over time. 
• Crop rotations can improve soil structure and organic matter, which reduces erosion and increases farm system resilience. 
• A diverse crop rotation gives the soil microbes different food sources, which ultimately makes soil healthier.

Intercropping:

• Inter-cropping is growing two or more crops simultaneously on the same field in a definite pattern.
• A few rows of one crop alternate with a few rows of a second crop.
• Example, soybean + maize, or finger millet (bajra) + cowpea (lobia).
• The crops are selected such that their nutrient requirements are different.
• This ensures maximum utilisation of the nutrients supplied and also prevents pests and diseases from spreading to all the plants belonging to one crop in a field.
• This way, both crops can give better returns.

Integrated farming:

• The integrated farming system is a resource management strategy to achieve economic and sustained agricultural production
• It aims at preserving environmental quality and meeting many requirements of farm households.
• Some of the benefits of IFS are:
  • IFS improves soil fertility and health.
  • reduce the production costs.
  • decreases farm input requirements.
  • minimize the use of chemical fertilizer.
  • enhanced employment generation and pollution-free environment.

Thus, mixed cropping, crop rotation, intercropping and integrated farming are all examples of sustainable agricultural practices.

The correct answer is Fish Production.

Blue Revolution is associated with Fish Production which is also known as Nili Kranti.Key Points

• Blue Revolution is an explosion in aquaculture. and specifically fish production as a form of self-sufficiency, nutrients, and economic growth for India.
• The concept of the rapid increase in the production of fish and marine products through package programs is called Blue Revolution.
• It was launched in India during the 7th Five year Plan (1985-1990) when the central government-sponsored the fish farmers development agency.

Additional Information 

• Meat production is related to Red Revolution.
• Cereal and Pulses production is related to Green Revolution.
• Milk Production is related to White Revolution.

The Correct Answer is Horticulture. 

Key Points 

• Horticulture is the science and art of the development, sustainable production, marketing, and use of high-value, intensively cultivated food and ornamental plants. 
• Horticultural crops are diverse; they include annual and perennial species, delicious fruits and vegetables, and decorative indoor and landscape plants.
• "Horticulture is the growing of flowers, fruits and vegetables, and of plants for ornament and fancy."
• The horticulture industry can be divided into three areas: pomology, olericulture, and ornamental horticulture.
• Pomology is the planting, harvesting, storing, processing, and marketing of fruit and nut crops.
• Olericulture includes the planting, harvesting, storing, processing, and marketing of vegetable crops.

Additional Information 

The correct answer is Horticulture and Honey.

Key Points

• The Golden Revolution is related to Horticulture and Honey.
• It started in 1991 and lasted till 2003.
• Father of Golden Revolution: Nirpakh Tutaj.
• The Golden Fibre Revolution is related to Jute Production.

Additional Information

Option 4 is correct, i.e. Assam.

• Muga silk is the product of the silkworm Antheraea assamensis and is mostly grown in Assam. The larvae of these moths feed on som and sualu leaves. Assam is the largest producer of this golden-colored silk in not just India but the entire world.
• Assam is famous for its Muga variety of silk. It is registered as a Geographical Indication for Assam.
• Know about Assam:
  • Capital: Dispur
  • Languages: Assamese, Bodo, Bengali
  • Major Rivers: Subansiri, Dihang, Brahmaputra.
  • Geographical Indications: Muga Silk, Tezpur Litchi, Boka Chaul (Oryza sativa), Gamosa, Chokuwa.
  • World Heritage Sites: Kaziranga National Park on the bank of the Brahmaputra, Manas Wildlife Sanctuary near the border with Bhutan.

The correct answer is Barley and gram

Key Points 

• Rabi crops are winter-planted crops that are harvested in the spring.
• Rabi crops are sown in winter from October to December and harvested in summer from April to June. 
• Wheat, barley, gram, peas, and lentils are among them. 
• A warm climate is required for seed germination and a cold climate for the growth of crops.

Additional Information 

The Correct Answer is Intensive subsistence farming.

 Key Points

• In intensive subsistence farming, the farmer cultivates a small plot of land using simple tools and more labour.
• Intensive subsistence agriculture is prevalent in the thickly populated areas of the monsoon regions of the south, southeast, and east Asia.

 Important Points

Commercial Farming

• In commercial farming, crops are grown and animals are reared for sale in the market.
• The area cultivated and the amount of capital used is large. Most of the work is done by machines.
• Commercial farming includes commercial grain farming, mixed farming, and plantation agriculture.

Primitive subsistence farming

• Primitive subsistence agriculture includes shifting cultivation and nomadic herding.

Extensive subsistence agriculture

• Extensive subsistence agriculture is farming in thinly populated areas.
• The vast expanse of land is cultivated to yield minimal output of crops and animals for the primary consumption of the grower's family.

The correct answer is Grey.

• Grey colour is associated with the revolution in fertilisers.

Key Points

Agriculture Revolutions in India and their respective Colours:

The correct answer is 65%

Key Points

• The expected returns to farmers by way of MSP (Minimum Support Price) over their cost of production for barley for marketing season 2021–22 is estimated at 65%.
• Minimum Support Price:
  • Minimum Support Price (MSP) is a form of market intervention by the Government of India to insure agricultural producers against any sharp fall in farm prices.
  • The minimum support prices are announced by the Government of India at the beginning of the sowing season for certain crops.
  • The MSP is decided on the basis of the recommendations of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP).
  • Government announces minimum support prices (MSPs) for 22 mandated crops and fair and remunerative prices (FRP) for sugarcane.
  • The list of crops is as follows:
    • Cereals (7) - paddy, wheat, barley, jowar, bajra, maize, and ragi.
    • Pulses (5) - gram, arhar/tur, moong, urad, and lentil.
    • Oilseeds (8) - groundnut, rapeseed/mustard, toria, soybean, sunflower seed, sesamum, safflower seed, and nigerseed.
    • Raw cotton.
    • Raw jute.
  • MSP guaranteed prices to save farmers from distress sales.
  • The MSP is announced at the beginning of the sowing season for certain crops on the basis of the recommendation of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP, 1985).
  • The MSPs are fixed for the following purposes:
  • To invest more by farmers in the farm sector.
  • To motivate farmers to adopt improved farm technologies.
  • To increase production and overall farmers' income.

The correct answer is 1968.

Key Points

Green Revolution in India:

• The term green revolution was first used by William Gaud and Norman Borlaug is the Father of the Green Revolution.
• After Independence, Indian policy-makers adopted all measures to achieve self-sufficiency in food grains.
• In the year 1965, the government of India launched the Green Revolution with the help of a geneticist, now known as the father of the Green revolution (India) M.S. Swaminathan.
• The movement of the green revolution was a great success and changed the country’s status from a food-deficient economy to one of the world’s leading agricultural nations.
• It started in 1967 and lasted till 1978.
• India adopted a new strategy in agriculture, which resulted in the 'Green Revolution', especially in the production of wheat and rice.
• Indira Gandhi, the then Prime Minister of India, officially recorded the impressive strides of the Green Revolution in agriculture by releasing a special stamp entitled 'Wheat Revolution' in July 1968.
• The success of wheat was later replicated in rice.

Thus, to signify the achievements of the Green Revolution, a stamp was released by the then Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi entitled as ‘Wheat Revolution’ in July 1968.

The correct answer is Mission to increase the performance of the dairy sector.

 Additional Information

• "Operation Flood" is a mission to increase the performance of the dairy sector.
• Operation Flood was launched in 1970 by National Dairy Development Board during the time of the Fourth Five Year Plan.
• Operation flood was the world's biggest dairy development program which gave a major thrust to the milk production of the nation.
• It aimed at helping the dairy industry sustain itself economically while providing employment to poor farmers.
• The result was that India became the largest producer of Milk and Milk Products.
• White Revolution contributed to a large extent to alleviate poverty in India.
• Gujarat-based co-operation “Anand Milk Union Limited” (Amul) was the engine behind the success of the programme.
• Operation Flood is called the White Revolution in India.
• The programme to increase the production of milk is called White Revolution.
• Indian Dairy Association decided to observe the birthday of Verghese Kurien as National Milk Day.
• 'Unfinished Dream' is a book written by Verghese Kurien.

Important Points

• Father of White Revolution in India - Verghese Kurien.
• Milkman of India - Verghese Kurien.
• National Milk Day - November 26.
• National Dairy Development Board - Anand (Gujarat).
• National Dairy Research Institute - Karnal (Haryana).
• The largest producer of Milk and Milk Products in the World - India.

The correct answer is Horticulture Farming.

• An estate where a cash crop is grown for sale is known as Horticulture Farming.

Key Points

• Horticulture farming is cultivating plants in an estate to produce food and medicinal ingredients as a cash crop.
• The horticulture includes a wide range of cash crops namely fruits, vegetables, flowers medicinal and aromatic plants mushrooms, plantation crops and spices.

Additional Information

• A kitchen garden is a small farming garden growing fruits and vegetables in the backyard of the house by using kitchen wastewater. 
• Slash and burn farming is a farming method that involves the cutting and burning of plants in a forest or woodland.
• Subsistence farming is the practice of growing crops and raising livestock adequate only for one's own use, without any excess for trade.

The correct answer is Kuruwa.

Key Points

• In the state of Jharkhand, the ‘slash and burn' agriculture is known as ‘Kuruwa’.
• It is prevalent in the tropical region in different names:
  • Jhuming in Northeastern states of India,
  • Milpa in Central America and Mexico,
  • Roca in Brazil,
  • Ladang in Indonesia and Malaysia.

Additional Information

• Name of Slash and burn method in different states: