UPSC Mains 2022 GS3 Q14 — Integrated Farming
What is Integrated Farming System? How is it helpful to small and marginal farmers in India? (Answer in 250 words)
Question Decoded — examiner's intent
- Directive verbs
- What isHow is it helpful
- Scope keywords
- Integrated Farming Systemsmall and marginal farmersIndia
- Implicit sub-parts
- Definition and components of IFS (crops, livestock, poultry, aquaculture, etc.)
- The cyclical flow of waste and resource optimization within the system
- Economic benefits specifically tailored to landholdings under 2 hectares
- Ecological and climate resilience benefits for rainfed agriculture
- Socio-economic impacts including year-round employment and nutritional security
- Common pitfalls
- Defining IFS as merely 'mixed farming' without explaining the 'integrated' waste-to-resource flow
- Failing to mention that 86% of Indian farmers are small/marginal, which provides the necessary context
- Ignoring the specific challenges of small farmers like credit, low risk-appetite, and seasonal unemployment
- Providing a generic list of benefits without linking them to the resource constraints of marginal landholdings
- Dimensions required
- Economic (Income doubling, cash flow)Environmental (Soil health, biodiversity)Social (Food security, reduced migration)Operational (Resource recycling, labor utilization)
- Marks allocation hint
Dedicate 50 words to a precise definition and a small schematic diagram of the IFS cycle. Spend the remaining 200 words on the 'helpfulness' section, specifically breaking it down into income stability, cost reduction through internal inputs, and risk mitigation against climate change, ensuring every point mentions the 'small/marginal' context.
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