UPSC Mains 2017 GS3 Q5 — Food Processing
What are the reasons for poor acceptance of cost-effective small processing unit ? How the food processing unit will be helpful to uplift the socio-economic status of poor farmers ? (Answer in 150 words)
Question Decoded — examiner's intent
- Directive verbs
- What areHow
- Scope keywords
- cost-effective small processing unitpoor acceptancefood processing unituplift the socio-economic statuspoor farmers
- Implicit sub-parts
- Identify structural and psychological barriers to the adoption of small-scale technology among marginal farmers.
- Explain the transition from 'subsistence farming' to 'value-addition' through localized processing.
- Analyze the socio-economic impact specifically on income stability, employment, and waste reduction.
- Common pitfalls
- Focusing on large-scale food parks instead of the 'small processing units' specified in the question.
- Generic listing of food processing benefits without linking them specifically to 'socio-economic' status (e.g., gender empowerment or debt reduction).
- Ignoring the 'cost-effective' paradox—failing to explain why even 'cheap' units aren't being bought.
- Omitting the role of post-harvest losses and middleman exploitation in the socio-economic narrative.
- Dimensions required
- Economic (Capital and credit access)Technological (Skill gap and maintenance)Social (Community ownership and female participation)Logistical (Supply chain integration)
- Marks allocation hint
Allocate 60-70 words to the barriers of acceptance (Part 1), focusing on credit, awareness, and market linkages. Spend the remaining 80-90 words on the socio-economic upliftment (Part 2), explicitly connecting processing to increased 'shelf-life', 'better price realization', and 'rural employment' to justify the 10 marks.
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