UPSC Mains 2018 GS3 Q8 — Organic Farming
Sikkim is the first 'Organic State' in India. What are the ecological and economical benefits of Organic State? (Answer in 150 words)
Question Decoded — examiner's intent
- Directive verbs
- What are
- Scope keywords
- Sikkimfirst 'Organic State' in Indiaecologicaleconomical benefitsOrganic State
- Implicit sub-parts
- The core tenets of the 'Sikkim Model' (the 'how' behind the 'what')
- Briefly acknowledge the Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) context
- Sustainability of the model in terms of food security and yield trade-offs
- Common pitfalls
- Spending too many words on the history of Sikkim's transition rather than focusing on the 'benefits' requested
- Confusing ecological benefits with economical ones (e.g., listing soil health as an economic benefit without linking it to cost-savings)
- Ignoring the specific challenges like high certification costs or supply chain logistics that contextualize the benefits
- Failing to mention the 'Value Addition' and 'Ecotourism' aspects which are critical to Sikkim's economic success
- Dimensions required
- Environmental/EcologicalEconomic/LivelihoodHealth and NutritionGlobal Branding and Tourism
- Marks allocation hint
Allocate 20 words for the introduction on Sikkim's milestone. Devote 60 words to ecological benefits like biodiversity and soil health, and 60 words to economic benefits like premium pricing and tourism. Use the final 10 words for a forward-looking conclusion on scalability.
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