Agriculture Current Affairs Compilation by Pmfias.

com – June to December 2022

Contents

{Agri – 2022/07} Dragon Fruit .................................................................................................................................. 4

{Agri – BioTech – 2022/10} Bayer’s Herbicide-Tolerant Cotton ........................................................................... 4
{Agri – Credit – 2022/10} SAFAL – Odisha’s Common Credit Portal .................................................................... 5
{Agri – Crops – 2022/06} India’s Top Sugar Producer ........................................................................................... 7
Factors Leading To Record Production In Maharashtra ............................................................................................................... 7
Why did Sugar Production in Uttar Pradesh Decline? .................................................................................................................. 7

{Agri – Crops – 2022/09} Estimates of Production of Major Kharif Crops .......................................................... 8

{Agri – Crops – 2022/10} IARI Basmati Varieties .................................................................................................... 9
Basmati Rice ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 9

{Agri – Crops – 2022/10} Kalanamak Rice ............................................................................................................. 10

{Agri – Crops – 2022/10} Kasturi Cotton ............................................................................................................... 11
{Agri – Crops – 2022/11} International Year of Millets ........................................................................................ 12
Millets (Alternative Crops) ..................................................................................................................................................................... 12
Major Millets of India .............................................................................................................................................................................. 13
Benefits of Millets ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 14
Why are finer grains preferred over coarse grains? .................................................................................................................... 15
Initiatives to promote millets ............................................................................................................................................................... 15
Millet Production, Consumption and Export ................................................................................................................................. 16

{Agri – Crops – 2022/11} Sandalwood Spike Disease (SSD) in Sandalwood ..................................................... 18

Indian (White) Sandalwood vs Red Sandalwood (They belong to different Genera) .................................................... 18

{Agri – Crops – 2022/12} ‘Millets-Smart Nutritive Food’ Conclave .................................................................... 19

International Year of Millets (IYoM)................................................................................................................................................... 20

{Agri – Exports – 2022/11} Steps Taken by Government to Boost Agri Exports .............................................. 23
Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Authority (APEDA)................................................................................ 23
Marine Products Exports Development Authority (MPEDA).................................................................................................... 23
Agriculture Export Policy, 2018 ........................................................................................................................................................... 24
Foreign Trade Policy ................................................................................................................................................................................ 25

{Agri – FAO – 2022/11} Food and Agriculture Organization (UN-FAO) ............................................................ 25

The International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) ............................................................................................................... 26
UN Committee on World Food Security (UN-CFS)...................................................................................................................... 26
State of Food and Agriculture Report, 2022 .................................................................................................................................. 26
 Food Outlook Report .............................................................................................................................................................................. 27
Other Rome-based UN Agencies ....................................................................................................................................................... 27

{Agri – Fertilisers – 2022/11} Fertilizer Subsidy Schemes .................................................................................... 27

Urea Subsidy Scheme .............................................................................................................................................................................. 27
Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS) Scheme ............................................................................................................................................ 28
Issues With Fertilizers Subsidy Schemes (NBS and Urea Subsidy) ........................................................................................ 29
One Nation, One Fertiliser Scheme ................................................................................................................................................... 29

{Agri – Fertilizers – 2022/11} Macronutrients and Micronutrients for Plants ................................................... 30

Macronutrients for Plants ...................................................................................................................................................................... 31
Micronutrients for Plants ....................................................................................................................................................................... 34

{Agri – Food Processing – 2022/09} Portal for Food Processing Enterprises .................................................... 34
Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) ................................................................................................................................................ 34
Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro food processing Enterprises (PMFME).............................................................. 34
Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY) ........................................................................................................................ 35

{Agri – Food Security – 2022/09} Draft Notification on “Indian Nutrition Rating” ......................................... 37
Indian Nutrition Rating (INR) ............................................................................................................................................................... 37

{Agri – FPO – 2022/11} Fodder-Centric Farmer Producer Organisations .......................................................... 38

Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) ............................................................................................................................................ 39
Fodder-Centric Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) ............................................................................................................ 39
Formation and Promotion of 10,000 New FPOs Scheme ......................................................................................................... 39

{Agri – GM – 2022/12} GM Mustard....................................................................................................................... 40

Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) ............................................................................................................................................ 40

{Agri – In News – 2022/09} In News Topics for Prelims ...................................................................................... 42

Whitefly ......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 42

{Agri – In News – 2022/10} In News Topics for Prelims ...................................................................................... 42

{In News} World Food Day .................................................................................................................................................................... 42
{In News} World Spice Congress......................................................................................................................................................... 42
{IPR – GI Tag} Hyderabadi Haleem..................................................................................................................................................... 43
{IPR – GI Tag} Nihonshu ......................................................................................................................................................................... 44
{Pollutant} Restriction on Use of Herbicide Glyphosate ............................................................................................................ 44

{Agri – IPR – 2022/08} Makhana Gets GI Tag........................................................................................................ 44

{Agri – IPR – 2022/09} International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA)45
Major Takeaways from the 9th Session of the Governing Body of the ITPGRFA ............................................................. 45
International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA) ................................................ 45

{Agri – IPR – 2022/09} Naga Mircha (King Chilli) Festival 2022 ......................................................................... 46
 Naga Mircha (King Chilli) ....................................................................................................................................................................... 46

{Agri – Issues – 2022/06} Crop Diversification ...................................................................................................... 49

What is Crop Diversification? ............................................................................................................................................................... 49

{Agri – Policy – 2022/09} Hackathon 3.0 ‘’KRITAGYA” ........................................................................................ 51

{Agri – Policy – 2022/12} Horticulture Cluster Development Programme ........................................................ 52
{Agri – Report – 2022/12} Global Food Security Index (GFSI) 2022 ................................................................... 53
Global Food Security Index (GFSI) ...................................................................................................................................................... 53

{Agri – Report – 2022/12} Global Status of Black Soils ....................................................................................... 53

Findings of the Report ............................................................................................................................................................................ 54

{Agri – Scheme – 2022/10} Rythu Bharosa Kendras ............................................................................................. 54

{Agri – Scheme – 2022/11} Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) ......................................................... 55
Crops Covered by PMFBY ...................................................................................................................................................................... 55
Rate of Premium to be Paid by the Farmer to Insurance Company under PMFBY ........................................................ 55
Coverage of Risks and Exclusions under PMFBY Scheme......................................................................................................... 55
Revamping of PMFBY .............................................................................................................................................................................. 56

{Agri – Schemes – 2022/09} Mission Amrit Sarovar ............................................................................................. 56

{Agri – Schemes – 2022/10} Fertilizer Subsidy...................................................................................................... 57
One Nation, One Fertiliser Scheme ................................................................................................................................................... 57
Fertiliser Subsidy: How is the subsidy paid & who gets it? ...................................................................................................... 58

{Agri – Schemes – 2022/10} Pradanmantri Kisan Samrudhi Kendra (PMKSK).................................................. 58

{Agri – Sustainable Agriculture – 2022/11} Natural Farming, ZBNF, BPKP....................................................... 60
Natural Farming......................................................................................................................................................................................... 60
Zero-Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) .............................................................................................................................................. 60
Bharatiya Prakritik Krishi Paddhati (BPKP) Scheme for Natural Farming ............................................................................ 61
Organic Farming vs. Natural Farming (ZBNF) ................................................................................................................................ 62
Sustainable Practises for ZBNF & Agriculture in General ......................................................................................................... 62

{Agri – Tech – 2022/05} Direct Seeding of Rice (DSR) ......................................................................................... 66

Direct Seeding of Rice (DSR) ................................................................................................................................................................ 66

{Agri – Tech – 2022/05} Tissue Culture Plants ...................................................................................................... 67

Tissue Culture of Plants .......................................................................................................................................................................... 68

{Agri – Tech – 2022/06} Liquid Nano Urea ............................................................................................................ 69

What is Nano Urea? ................................................................................................................................................................................. 69

{Agri – Tech – 2022/09} Plant-Based Meat............................................................................................................ 71

Plant-Based Meat Products .................................................................................................................................................................. 71
Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Authority (APEDA)................................................................................ 72
{Agri – 2022/07} Dragon Fruit
TH | Prelims | GS1 > Agriculture
• Context: Centre to promote dragon fruit cultivation.
• Dragon fruit belongs to the wild cacti family and is indigenous to Mexico.
• It is also known as ‘Honolulu queen’, pitaya, pitahaya, strawberry pear, noblewoman and queen of the night.
• Vietnam is the world’s largest producer and exporter of dragon fruit, which was brought to Vietnam by the
French in the 19th century.
• It is called ‘Thanh long’ in Vietnam, which translates to “dragon’s eyes”.
• It is also cultivated in Latin America (native), Thailand, Taiwan, China, Australia, Israel, and Sri Lanka.
• Its flowers are hermaphrodites (male and female organs in the same flower) in nature and open at night.

Favourable Climatic Condition for Dragon Fruits

• It is hardy and grows in semi-arid and arid regions.
• It prefers slightly acidic soil.
• Its flowering and fruiting season coincides with the monsoon season in India.

Medicinal Benefits of Dragon Fruit

• Dragon fruit is recognized as a “super fruit” for its health advantages.
• It is good for diabetic patients and rich in vitamin C.
• It is low in calories, fat-free, high in fibre and high in nutrients like iron, calcium, potassium and zinc.
• It is rich in antioxidants like flavonoids, phenolic acid, and betacyanin.
• It also contains prebiotics (foods that feed the healthy bacteria called probiotics in one’s gut)
• In India, it’s grown in Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Odisha, West Bengal, Andhra
Pradesh, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and NE states.
• Mizoram is the largest producer of dragon fruit in India.

Government’s Steps for Dragon Fruit cultivation

• Gujarat Government recently renamed dragon fruit Kamlam (lotus) and announced an incentive for
farmers who cultivate it.
• Maharashtra has taken the initiative to promote dragon fruit cultivation by providing good quality plant-
ing material and subsidies for its cultivation through the Mission on Integrated Development of Hor-
ticulture (MIDH).

{Agri – BioTech – 2022/10} Bayer’s Herbicide-Tolerant Cotton

• Context (IE): Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC – India’s biotechnology regulator), is set
to recommend the environmental release of German company Bayer AG’s herbicide-tolerant cotton.
• It is a genetically modified (GM) cotton called BG-II RRF (Bollgard II Roundup Ready Flex).
• The main significance of this GM cotton is that it is tolerant to glyphosate herbicides.
• This herbicide cannot be applied on normal cotton as it cannot distinguish between crops and weeds.
• This transgenic (an organism whose genetic material is modified using DNA from other organisms) cotton
contains three alien genes.
Genes Source Speciality
1st Gene Bacillus thuringiensis or Bt • They have coding for proteins toxic to the American boll-
2 nd
Gene (a soil bacterium) worm, spotted bollworm and tobacco caterpillar insect pests.
3 Gene
rd
Agrobacterium tumafaciens • Its incorporation into cotton makes the crop “tolerant” to
(a soil bacterium) glyphosate.

Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC)

• The GEAC functions under the Ministry of Environment (MoEF).
• It is responsible for the appraisal of activities involving large-scale use of hazardous microorganisms and
recombinants in research and industrial production from the environmental angle.
• It is also responsible for the appraisal of the release of genetically engineered (GE) organisms and prod-
ucts into the environment, including experimental field trials.
Genetically Modified Crops > PMF IAS Environment 1st Edition > Page 365

{Agri – Credit – 2022/10} SAFAL – Odisha’s Common Credit Portal

• Context (BS | IT): Odisha launched a common credit portal SAFAL (Simplified Application for Agricultural
Loans) for the welfare of farmers.
• SAFAL is a one-stop solution for farmers and agri-entrepreneurs to avail formal sector credit from public
and private sector banks, Regional Rural Banks, State Cooperative Banks, and Small Finance Banks.
• It will ease the loan application process benefiting both the farmers and banks. It will also reduce information
asymmetry by sending farmers real-time notifications at every stage of their loan application.

Agricultural Credit Structure in India

Sources of Agricultural Credit

Institutional (Formal) Sources Non-Institutional (Informal) Sources

• Aim: to provide credit at low interest • Charges a high rate of interest
 Institutional Sources of Credit

RBI (Reserve Bank of India)

NABARD (National Bank for Agri-

culture and Rural Development)

Commercial Banks Regional Rural Banks Rural Co-operative Self Help Groups
(RRBs) Credit Societies (SHGs)
• Provides loans
(long, medium • Opened up where • Aim: to provide • Loans are pro-
and short term) there are no timely and rapid vided to mem-
for all agricul- banking facilities. credit to farmers. bers from the
tural purposes. • Aim: to provide • Rate of interest: saving of the
credit to small Low SHG.
farmers. • It is either a 3 tier • Rate of interest:
or 2 tier system. Very low

District Central Coopera- Primary Agricultural Credit

State Cooperative Banks
tive Banks Societies

In the case of 2 tier structure

 Types of Agriculture Credit in India

Types of Agriculture Credit in India

Short-term Credit Medium-term Credit Long-term Credit

• Period: For less than • Period: For 5 months • Period: For more than 5 years
15 months to 5 years • Reason: For buying additional land
• Reason: For purchas- • Reason: For purchas- or for making any permanent im-
ing seeds, fertilizers, ing cattle, pumping provement on land like sinking
paying wages to sets, and other agricul- wells, reclamation of land, horticul-
hired workers etc. tural implements. ture etc.

{Agri – Crops – 2022/06} India’s Top Sugar Producer

IE | Prelims + Mains | GS3 > Agriculture
• Context: After a five-year gap, Maharashtra has overtaken UP to regain its position as India’s top sugar
producer.

Factors Leading To Record Production In Maharashtra

• Abundant rainfall since 2019
• More area under better yielding crop varieties (Adsali > Suru).
• Underreporting of sugarcane production during last years.

Sugar Cane Planting: Three Distinct Periods

• (July – August) → Adsali  crop period of 18 months (better sugar recovery)
• (October – November) → Savasali / Pre-seasonal / Autumn  cropping period of 15 months
• (January – March) → Eksali / Suru  cropping period of 12 months

Why did Sugar Production in Uttar Pradesh Decline?

• Diversion of sugarcane for the production of ethanol (Uttar Pradesh has become the largest ethanol pro-
ducer).
• Use of single low-yielding variety (Co-0238, is planted on around 87% of UP's cane land) ⇒ highly susceptible
to the red rot ⇒ Red Dot, a fatal fungal disease of sugarcane ⇒ reduced crop in western Uttar Pradesh.
• Excess rain ⇒ water logging ⇒ heavy loss of sugarcane crops.
 Prelims Practice: Which is the correct sequence of top sugar-producing states in India (2021-22)
a) Maharashtra > Uttar Pradesh > Karnataka > Gujrat
b) Uttar Pradesh > Maharashtra > Karnataka > Gujrat
c) Maharashtra > Uttar Pradesh > Gujrat > Karnataka
d) Maharashtra > Uttar Pradesh > Andhra Pradesh > Gujrat

Explanation:
• After a five-year gap, Maharashtra has overtaken Uttar Pradesh to regain its position as India’s top sugar
producer.
• Maharashtra > Uttar Pradesh > Karnataka > Gujrat are the top sugar producers. Hence option (a) is the
correct sequence.

Answer: (a) Maharashtra > Uttar Pradesh > Karnataka > Gujrat

{Agri – Crops – 2022/09} Estimates of Production of Major Kharif Crops

DTE | PIB | IE | Prelims | GS3 > Agriculture
• Context: Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has released the advance estimates of production
of major Kharif crops for 2022-23.bIt is lesser than the target for the 2022-23 Kharif season and the produc-
tion during the last kharif season (2021).
 Kharif crops: They are grown in the Kharif season. Kharif season starts in June and ends in October.
• The uneven distribution of the monsoon, which has caused major damage to crops, is primarily responsible
for the decline in foodgrain production in the current kharif season.
• The severe lack of rainfall from June to August in Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar and West Bengal has had a
major impact on sowing.
Kharif Crops considered for the Advanced Estimates
• Foodgrains • Oilseeds
 Rice  Groundnut
 Nutri / Coarse Cereals  Soyabean
 Maize • Cotton
  Pulses • Jute & Mesta
 Tur • Sugarcane
• To know more about Kharif crops: Download Major Crops Notes + Agriculture Current Affairs - PMF IAS

{Agri – Crops – 2022/10} IARI Basmati Varieties

• Context (PIB | TH): The Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) organised the ‘Kisan Sampark Yatra’
in Haryana and Punjab to obtain farmers’ feedback on the three newly released IARI Basmati varieties.

Basmati Rice
• India is known for its Basmati rice, with seven states – Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab,
Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand earmarked for geographical indication (GI).
• Basmati rice is known for its mouthfeel, aroma and length of the grain when cooked.
• It is an export commodity of India and earns a huge foreign exchange every year (about ₹30,000 crore).

Diseases in Basmati Rice Crop

• Traditional varieties of basmati have become susceptible to two major diseases – bacterial leaf blight (BLB)
and blast (leaf and collar) diseases which cause significant yield loss and degradation of quality.
• Conventionally, these diseases are managed by the use of chemicals. However, concerns were raised and
consignments were rejected by the importing nations because of use of some chemicals.

Bacterial Leaf Blight (BLB) Disease

• Bacterial leaf blight (BLB) disease is a bacterial disease.
• Symptoms: wilting and yellowing of leaves and finally drying up.
• It is more common when strong winds and continuous heavy rains occur, allowing the disease-causing
bacteria to easily spread.

Blast (Leaf and Collar) Disease

• Blast (leaf and collar) disease is a fungal disease.
• Symptoms: lesions in leaf and collar areas of rice plant.
• It occurs in areas with frequent and prolonged periods of rain shower and cool temperature.

IARI Basmati Varieties

• In order to overcome the problems faced in the basmati rice cultivation, five new varieties of seeds of
Basmati rice are developed by the Indian Agriculture Research Institute (IARI).
 Three varieties can resist two major diseases – bacterial leaf blight (BLB) and blast (leaf and collar).
 While the other two varieties can resist herbicides and save water by using the Direct Sowing of Rice
(DSR) method.

Indian Agriculture Research Institute (IARI)

• IARI (also known as the Pusa Institute) is India's national institute for agricultural research, education and
extension.
• It was established in 1905 in Pusa, Bihar. It was relocated to Delhi in 1936.
• It is financed and administered by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).

{Agri – Crops – 2022/10} Kalanamak Rice

• Context (TH): Indian Agriculture Research Institute (IARI) has successfully tested two new dwarf varieties of
Kalanamak rice (also known as Buddha’s gift to people) that give double the yield.
• Kalanamak is a traditional variety of paddy with a black husk (the grain is white) and a strong fragrance.

• It is a non-basmati variety of rice with slender grain and aroma. It is considered a gift from Lord Buddha
to the people of the Sravasti when he visited the region after enlightenment.
• It is grown in the Terai region of Uttar Pradesh and in Nepal.
• The traditional Kalanamak rice is protected under the Geographical Indication (GI) tag system.
• It is awarded under 'One District One Product' (ODOP) scheme as an ODOP product of Siddharthnagar,
Uttar Pradesh.

Benefits of Kalanamk Rice

• Kalanamak rice is generally grown without using fertilisers or pesticides.
• It is rich in micronutrients like zinc and iron.
• It has high salinity resistance. So, it can be successfully cultivated in usar soils (soils characterised by
higher salt concentration and high ph).
 Saline and alkaline soils in India are locally called by different names like Reh, Kallar, Usar, Chopan, Kar'
and Thur.
• It is also highly resistant to notorious rice diseases such as panicle blast, stem rot, brown spot, etc.
• It is drought tolerant. It doesn't need standing water during transplantation; instead, it goes through a
unique process of double transplantation (rice seedlings are transplanted twice, first on the secondary
nursery, and then on the main field). This customary practice is called ‘Kalam’.
Problem with the Traditional Variety of Kalanamak Rice
• Traditional variety of Kalanamak paddy is tall and so prone to lodging.
 Lodging is a condition of bending down of the grain crops to the ground level.
 Lodging may occur due to rain, wind, topography, soil, grain weight etc.
 Lodging makes the crops very difficult to harvest and can dramatically reduce yield.

Solution to the Problem with Traditional Variety of Kalanamak Rice

• To overcome the problem of lodging, the Indian Agriculture Research Institute (IARI) has developed two
dwarf varieties of Kalanamak rice.
• They have been named Pusa Narendra Kalanamak 1638 and Pusa Narendra Kalanamak 1652.
• The objective of making the plants dwarf is to make the plants sturdy and prevent lodging.

{Agri – Crops – 2022/10} Kasturi Cotton

• Context (PIB | TH | ANI): Kasturi Cotton, the first-ever brand and logo for Indian Cotton, was launched
on the 2nd World Cotton Day. It is the first-ever brand and logo for India’s premium cotton.
• Kasturi Cotton brand will represent Whiteness, Brightness, Softness, Purity, Lustre, Uniqueness and Indian-
ness.

World Cotton Day

• Cotton Four (i.e., 4 sub-Saharan African cotton producer countries – Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, and
Mali) appealed to UN General Assembly for World Cotton Day.
• First World Cotton Day was hosted by the World Trade Organization (WTO) on 7th October, 2019.
• Theme of the World Cotton Day 2022: Weaving a better future for cotton. The focus of the theme is
sustainable cotton cultivation.

Cotton
• Cotton is a kharif crop which requires 6 to 8 months to mature.
• It is the crop of tropical and sub-tropical areas.
• Ideal conditions for cotton cultivation.
 Ideal temperature: between 21-30°C.
 Ideal rainfall: around 50-100cm.
 Ideal soil: well-drained black cotton soil (Regur Soil).
  It requires at least 210 frost free days in a year.
• It is a drought – resistant crop.
• Products procured from cotton crop are fibre, oil and animal feed.
• Leading cotton producing countries: 1st China, 2nd India and 3rd USA.

Cotton in India
• Cotton is one of the principal commercial crops of India.
• India is the 2nd largest cotton producer and the largest cotton consumer of the world.
• India produces about 23% of the world cotton. It also produces about 51% of the total organic cotton of
the world.
• Leading cotton producing states: 1st Gujarat, 2nd Maharashtra, 3rd Telangana, 4th Andhra Pradesh and
5th Rajasthan.

Cotton Corporation of India (CCI)

• Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) was established in 1970 as a Public Sector Undertaking under the
Companies Act 1956.
• It is under the administrative control of the Ministry of Textiles.
• Main role: to undertake price support operations whenever the market prices of cotton fall below the
Minimum Support Prices (MSPs).
• Cott-Ally, a mobile app, has been developed by CCI to provide information on weather conditions, crop
situations and best farm practices.

{Agri – Crops – 2022/11} International Year of Millets

• APEDA has prepared a strategy to promote millet exports. It comes in the backdrop of 2023 being declared
the International Year of Millets by the UN General Assembly.
• Under the APEDA strategy, Indian missions abroad will brand and publicise Indian millets. e-Catalogues on
various Indian Millets, a list of active exporters, start-ups, FPOs, etc., will be circulated. Start-ups will be mo-
bilised for export promotion of the Ready to Eat (RTE) and Ready to Serve (RTS) categories.

Millets (Alternative Crops)

• Millets (coarse grains) are a group of small-seeded grasses grown as cereal and fodder crops. They are
raised mainly as rain-fed Kharif crops (sowed with the onset of the monsoons) in India.
• There are 16 significant millet varieties, including Sorghum (Jowar), Pearl Millet (Bajra), Finger Millet
(Ragi), Minor Millets (Kangani), Proso Millet (Cheena), Kodo Millet (Kodo), Barnyard Millet
(Sawa/Sanwa/Jhangora), Little Millet (Kutki), Two Pseudo Millets (Buck Wheat/Kuttu), Amaranthus (Chaulai),
Brown Top Millet, etc.
• Millets were among the first crops to be domesticated. Evidence shows that the Indus valley people
(3,000 BC) consumed millets. They are now grown in more than 130 countries.
• Globally, sorghum (jowar) is the biggest millet crop. Its significant producers are the US, China, Australia,
and India. Bajra is another major millet crop.

Major Millets of India

Jowar (Sorghum)
• It is the main food crop grown in semi-arid areas of central and southern India. It hardly needs irrigation.
South of Vindhyas, it is a rainfed crop, and its yield is low in this region.
• Jowar is sown in both Kharif and Rabi seasons in southern states. In the northern states, it is mainly grown
as a fodder crop in the Kharif season.
• Clayey deep regur and alluvium are the best-suited soils for jowar. It can be raised on gentle slopes up to
1,200 meters in elevation. It does not grow well where the rainfall exceeds 100 cm.

Bajra (Pearl Millet)

• Bajra is the second most important millet. Just like jowar, it is also used as food and fodder in drier parts of
the country.
• It is a rainfed Kharif crop of dry and warm north-western and western parts of the country. It is a hardy
crop which resists frequent dry spells and drought in this region.
• Bajra can be grown on poor light sandy soils, black and red soils. It requires 40-50 cm of annual rainfall. The
upper limit is 100 cm. It is sown either as a pure or mixed crop with cotton, jowar and ragi.

Ragi (Finger Millet)

• Ragi is mainly grown in drier parts of south India (drier parts of Karnataka) as a rainfed Kharif crop. It re-
quires a warm climate and 50-100 cm rainfall.
• It is raised on various soils (red, light black, sandy, well-drained alluvial loams). Karnataka is the largest
producer. Uttarakhand and Tamil Nadu are the other major producers.

Benefits of Millets
• Millets are climate-smart crops. They are hardier & drought-resistant (can grow in semi-arid areas and
poor soil conditions) because of their
 short growing season (70-100 days, as against 120-150 days for paddy/wheat) &
 lower water requirement (350-500 mm versus 600-1,200 mm).
• In general, the yields of alternative grains are lower than rice, but in rainfed conditions, they are more
resilient and can withstand the vagaries of climate change.
• They need less water, pesticide and insecticide, and hence, they are environmentally friendly.

Health Benefits
• Millets are a powerhouse of nutrition because of their high nutritional value compared to rice & wheat.
Being alkaline in nature, they are easily digestible for infants.
• They are rich in protein (muscle growth), essential fatty acids, dietary fibre (prevents constipation), B-
Vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals such as calcium, iron, zinc, potassium, magnesium, etc.
• They are gluten-free and have a low glycaemic index.

Gluten
• Gluten is a family of proteins (mainly glutenin & gliadin) naturally found in certain cereal grains, such as
wheat, barley, etc. It provides no essential nutrients.
• Gluten is responsible for the soft, chewy texture characteristic of many gluten-containing foods. When
heated, gluten proteins can stretch & trap gas, allowing for optimal rising in bread, pasta, etc.
• There is no association between long-term dietary gluten consumption and heart disease risk. However, it
can cause serious side effects in individuals suffering from celiac disease (a long-term autoimmune disor-
der that primarily affects the small intestine).

Glycaemic Index (GI)

 • The glycaemic index (GI) is a rating system that shows how quickly each food affects a person’s blood
sugar (glucose) level when eaten on its own.
• High GI foods are broken down quickly and cause a rapid increase in blood glucose. Such foods include
sugar and sugary foods, sugary soft drinks, white bread, potatoes, white rice, etc.
• Low/medium GI foods are broken down more slowly and cause a gradual rise in blood sugar levels.
 Medium GI Foods: whole grain foods like brown bread, brown rice, millets, oats, etc.
 Low GI foods: fibre-rich foods such as fruit and vegetables, pulses, etc.
• High-GI foods cause fluctuations in insulin levels and promote cravings and overeating.

Insulin
• Insulin is a hormone created by β cells of the pancreas. It controls the amount of glucose in the blood.
• In Type I diabetes (an auto-immune disease caused by the autoimmune response against pancreatic β
(beta) cells), the pancreas no longer produces insulin.
• In Type II diabetes (lifestyle disease), the cells become resistant to insulin and can no longer effectively
absorb glucose, causing a spike in the blood glucose levels.

Why are finer grains preferred over coarse grains?

• Wheat has gluten proteins that swell & form networks on adding water to the flour, making the dough more
cohesive & elastic — kneading (working moistened flour into dough) & rolling rotis is easier. The resultant
chapattis come out soft, which isn’t possible with gluten-free millets.
• Fine grains are tastier (because of a high proportion of carbohydrates) and much easier to digest and absorb
(for children and older people). Hence, they are preferred over fibre-rich millets.

For India, Food Security >>> Nutritional Security

• Millets are mostly rain-dependent crops grown mainly during the Kharif season. Replacing rice (a Kharif
crop) with millets will not be easy as agriculture is intimately linked with socio-economic factors and mar-
ket forces (subsidies, MSP, free power), which affect crop choice.
• Moreover, food habits have changed in favour of rice and replacing rice with millet is unrealistic. Also, the
government’s focus is primarily on food security, which has always triumphed over nutritional security.

Millets under Public Distribution System (PDS)

• Under the National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013, eligible households are entitled to get rice, wheat, and
coarse grain at Rs 3, Rs 2, and Re 1 per kg, respectively. Though the Act does not mention millets, coarse
grains are included in the definition of ‘foodgrains’ under NFSA. However, the quantity of coarse grains
procured for the Central Pool and distributed under the NFSA has been negligible.

Initiatives to promote millets

• In 2018, the Union Agriculture Ministry declared millets as Nutri-Cereals and the powerhouses of nutrition,
considering their high nutritive value & also anti-diabetic properties.
• 2018 was observed as the “National Year of Millets”. The UN General Assembly adopted an India-spon-
sored resolution to mark 2023 as the “International Year of Millets”.
• Scientists from the ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) have developed a technology for ex-
tracting gluten from wheat dough & its regeneration in bajra & maize flour.

Initiatives required to promote millets

• Better recipes need to be invented to get millets mainstream & make them part of everyday diet.
• Multigrain breakfast mixes should be promoted as alternatives to early morning energy drinks like boost.
• Millets should also be included in the PDS along with wheat & rice.
• All millets should be brought under MSP (at present only jowar, bajra, and ragi receive MSP support).
• Millets should be introduced under the PM POSHAN Scheme (Mid-Day Meal Scheme).

Millet Production, Consumption and Export

• India is the largest producer of millets in the world (41% of global production). India’s top millet-producing
states are Rajasthan, UP, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat, and MP.
States Millet Crop
Rajasthan Bajra, Jowar
Karnataka Jowar, Ragi
Maharashtra Ragi, Jowar
Madhya Pradesh Bajra, Jowar
Uttar Pradesh Bajra
• Jowar is mainly grown in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Rajasthan, TN, Andhra Pradesh, UP, MP, etc.
• Bajra is mainly grown in Rajasthan, UP, Haryana, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Karnataka.
Export of Millets
• Share of export of millets is nearly 1% of the total millet production.
 Exports of millets from India include mainly whole grain.
 Export of value-added products of millets from India is negligible.
• India’s major millet exporting countries are U.A.E, Nepal, Saudi Arabia, Libya, etc.

Consumption Patterns of Millets in India

• According to the latest available NSSO household consumption expenditure survey, less than 10% of rural
and urban households reported consumption of millets.
• The consumption of millets was reported mainly from Gujarat (jowar and bajra), Karnataka (jowar and
ragi), Maharashtra (jowar and bajra), Rajasthan (bajra), and Uttarakhand (ragi).
{Agri – Crops – 2022/11} Sandalwood Spike Disease (SSD) in Sandalwood
• Context (IE): Scientists have found that sandalwood spike disease (SSD) spreads through the seedings.
• Sandalwood Spike Disease (SSD) is an infectious disease caused by phytoplasmas (bacterial pathogens
affecting the plant tissues of agriculturally important coconut, sugarcane, and sandalwood).
• Sap-sucking insect vectors and seedlings from infected sandalwood trees transmit phytoplasmas, causing
a reduction in leaf size, stiffening and reduced internode length.
• Presently, there is no cure for the infection. The infected tree must be cut down and removed.
• SSD has been known for over 100 years and has adversely affected the natural population of sandalwood in
the southern states, leading to a severe shortage of sandalwood-based products.
• In India, nursery-raised seedlings have been a primary source of sandalwood saplings distributed to the pri-
vate and state forest departments. The presence of phytoplasmas in the seeds and seedlings is a concern as
it can spread SSD to newer areas.

Indian (White) Sandalwood vs Red Sandalwood (They belong to different Genera)

• Sandalwood (Chandan/Srigandha) is a class of woods from trees in the genus Santalum. Indian Sandal-
wood (Santalum album) is the only major native sandalwood species in India.
• Red Sandalwood/Lal Chandan (Pterocarpus santalinus), though has the word ‘sandalwood’ in its name,
belongs to a different order and genus (Pterocarpus) from Indian Sandalwood (Santalum album).
• Sandalwood Spike Disease (SSD) is a significant problem for the Indian Sandalwood (Santalum album)
species compared to the Red Sandalwood/Lal Chandan (Pterocarpus santalinus) species.
Indian Sandalwood (White Sandalwood) Red Sandalwood (Red Sanders)
Scientific name: Santalum album Scientific name: Pterocarpus santalinus

They are small to medium-sized tropical ever- They are medium-sized tropical deciduous trees
green trees
Habitat: dry deciduous and evergreen forests Habitat: tropical dry deciduous forests
They can grow up to altitudes around 700 m The best wood grows at altitudes around 750 m
They are semi-root parasites (tap the roots of They are autotrophs
other species for water and nutrients.
They are native to southern India and South- They are endemic to the southern Eastern Ghats; mainly
east Asia; mainly found in the forests of Karna- found in the Seshachalam forests of Chittoor, YSR (Ka-
taka and Tamil Nadu dapa), Annamayya and Tirupati districts of AP)
 They retain aroma for decades Non-aromatic
They are slow growing They are very slow growing (reforestation is tough)
They grow well in alkaline soil Can survive on a variety of soils, including degraded soils
Its wood is used as timber (strong and dura- It is valued for its rich red colour and its therapeutic
ble). Because of its aroma and therapeutic properties. It is used to make exquisite furniture, wood-
properties, sandalwood oil is extensively used crafts, musical instruments in China and Japan. Though it
in perfumes, incense, cosmetics, soaps, etc. is non-aromatic, it is still used in incense, perfumes, etc.
Its wood is one of the most expensive in the Wood is scarce and a lot more expensive
world
IUCN Red List: VU IUCN: EN | CITES: Appendix II (export is prohibited)
Both species are angiosperms (flower and fruit-bearing)

Sandalwood Cultivation in India

• Growing sandalwood (both red and white) by individuals was banned until 2002. Today many states permit
sandalwood cultivation, but it is illegal to cut and harvest wood, use it, or sell it in the open market.
• Permission is required from the state forest department, which sends its officials to cut the trees and buy the
sandalwood.
• Because of these restrictions, sandalwood cultivation is rare in India, while other countries grow and export
sandalwood freely. This is not good for India from both the conservation and economic perspective.

With reference to 'Red Sanders', sometimes seen in the news, consider the following state-
ments:
1. It is a tree species found in a part of South India.
2. It is one of the most important trees in the tropical rainforest areas of South India.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) Neither 1 nor 2
 Red sanders are one of the most important trees in the tropical deciduous areas of South India. So, the
answer is a) 1 only.

{Agri – Crops – 2022/12} ‘Millets-Smart Nutritive Food’ Conclave

• Context (AIR | PIB): Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) has
organised the ‘Millets-Smart Nutritive Food’ Conclave as the launch event of the ‘International Year of Millets
– 2023’ (IYoM-2023).
• The key participants of the conclave are stakeholders of the supply chain such as Farmer Producer Organisa-
tions, Start-ups, exporters, producers of millet-based value-added products. At the Conclave, exhibitions and
B2B meetings will also be organized.
• A knowledge book on millets prepared in association with Knowledge partner ‘Yes Bank’ is also released.

International Year of Millets (IYoM)

• The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) declared 2023 as the IYoM. India had proposed to observe
an IYOM in 2023.
• Objectives are IYoM:
 Raise public awareness about the contribution of millet in food security and nutritional security
 Promote sustainable production of millets and improve quality of millets
 Enhance investment in R&D and other services to achieve the other two objectives

Millets
• Millets are a varied group of small-seeded grasses that are grown as cereal crops or grains for fodder.
• They are Kharif crops (grown with the onset of monsoon and harvested in September-October) in India.
• There are 16 major varieties of millet which includes Sorghum (Jowar), Pearl Millet (Bajra), Finger Millet (Ragi)
Minor Millets (Kangani), Proso Millet (Cheena), Kodo Millet (Kodo), Barnyard Millet (Sawa/Sanwa/Jhangora),
Little Millet (Kutki), Two Pseudo Millets (Buck Wheat/Kuttu), Ameranthus (Chaulai) and Brown Top Millet.
• Millets were among the first crops to be domesticated. There is evidence that the Indus valley people
(3,000 BC) consumed it. They are the traditional food in Asia and Africa.
• Globally, sorghum (jowar) is the biggest millet crop. Its major producers are the US, China, Australia,
India, Argentina, Nigeria, and Sudan.
• Bajra is another major millet crop; India and some African countries are major producers of it.
• The major millet-importing countries in the world are Indonesia, Belgium, Japan, Germany, Mexico, Italy,
the U.S.A, the United Kingdom, Brazil and the Netherlands.

Benefits of Millets
• Millets are a ‘climate-smart crop’ and can grow in dry and high-temperature areas, and in poor soil conditions.
• They have a short growing season (they develop in just about 65 days).
• They need less pesticide and insecticide, and hence, environment friendly.
• Millets are called ‘powerhouses of nutrition’ because of their high nutritional value in comparison to
highly consumed cereals such as rice and wheat.
 They are rich in protein, essential fatty acids, dietary fibre, B-Vitamins, antioxidants and minerals such
as calcium, iron, zinc, potassium and magnesium.
 They are gluten-free and have a low glycaemic index.
 They can also help tackle lifestyle diseases like obesity and diabetes.

Millets in India
• India is the largest producer (41% global production) of millets in the world. It is followed by Nigeria, China
and Mali.
• Agriculture Ministry has declared millets as ‘Nutri Cereals’.

Production of Millets
• India’s top five millet-producing states are Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat and Madhya
Pradesh.
Top 5 States Millet Crop
Rajasthan Bajra, Jowar
Karnataka Jowar, Ragi
Maharashtra Ragi, Jowar
Madhya Pradesh Bajra, Jowar
Uttar Pradesh Bajra
• Jowar is mainly grown in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh,
Telangana, and Madhya Pradesh. Maharashtra has accounted for the largest area and production of jowar
in 2020-21.
• Bajra is mainly grown in Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Kar-
nataka. Rajasthan has accounted for the largest area and production of bajra in 2020-21.

Export of Millets
• Share of export of millet is nearly 1% of the total millet production.
• Exports of millet from India include mainly whole grain.
• India’s major millet exporting countries are U.A.E, Nepal, Saudi Arabia, Libya, Oman, Egypt, Tunisia, Yemen,
the U.K and the U.S.A.
• The varieties of millets exported by India include Bajra, Ragi, Canary, Jowar, and Buckwheat.

Millets under Public Distribution System (PDS)

• Under the National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013, eligible households are entitled to get rice, wheat, and
coarse grain at Rs 3, Rs 2, and Re 1 per kg respectively.
• Though the Act does not mention millets, coarse grains are included in the definition of ‘foodgrains’ under
Section 2(5) of the NFSA.
• However, the quantity of coarse grains procured for the Central Pool and distributed under the NFSA has
been negligible.

Minimum Support Price (MSP) for Millets

• The government declares MSP only for jowar, bajra, and ragi.

Consumption Patterns of Millets

• According to the latest available NSSO household consumption expenditure survey, less than 10% of rural
and urban households reported consumption of millets.
• The consumption of millets was reported mainly from Gujarat (jowar and bajra), Karnataka (jowar and ragi),
Maharashtra (jowar and bajra), Rajasthan (bajra), and Uttarakhand (ragi).

Source: Why India’s push for millets is yet to gain widespread traction | Explained News,The Indian Express

Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Authority (APEDA)

• APEDA was established by the Government of India under the Agricultural and Processed Food Products
Export Development Authority Act, 1985.
• It is the apex body for export promotion in India and it functions under the Ministry of Commerce and
Industry. It is headquartered in New Delhi.
• Functions of APEDA:
 Development of industries relating to the scheduled products for export
 Registration of persons as exporters of the scheduled products
 Fixing standards and specifications for the scheduled products for the purpose of exports
  Carrying out inspection of meat and meat products in slaughter houses, processing plants, storage
premises, conveyances, or other places where such products are kept or handled
 Improving packaging of the Scheduled products
 Improving marketing of the Scheduled products outside India

{Agri – Exports – 2022/11} Steps Taken by Government to Boost Agri Exports

• India broke into the top 10 list of agricultural produce exporters in 2019 with a sizeable share in the export
of rice, basmati, cotton, sugar, castor oil, soya beans and meat, according to WTO’s World Agricultural
Trade In The Past 25 Years report.
• India's arable land area is 159.6 million hectares (according to the 9th Agriculture Census 2010-11), only
next to the United States. Its gross irrigated crop area of 82.6 mha is the largest in the world. However, its
total agricultural exports account for just over 2.15% of the world’s agricultural trade.

Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Authority (APEDA)

• APEDA is a statutory body under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. It was established under the
Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority Act, 1985. It is the apex body for
agricultural export promotion in India.
• Functions of APEDA:
 Development of industries relating to the scheduled products for export
 Registration of persons as exporters of the scheduled products
 Fixing standards and specifications for the scheduled products for exports
 Carrying out inspection of meat and meat products in slaughterhouses, processing plants, storage prem-
ises, conveyances, or other places where such products are kept or handled
 Improving packaging of the Scheduled products
 Improving marketing of the Scheduled products outside India
• Scheduled products include fruits, vegetables, meat, dairy products, alcoholic and non-alcoholic bever-
ages, etc. In addition, APEDA has been entrusted with monitoring sugar imports.

Marine Products Exports Development Authority (MPEDA)

• MPEDA is a statutory body under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. It was established under the
Marine Products Export Development Authority Act, 1972. It is the apex body for fish and fishery products
export promotion in India.

National Centre for Sustainable Aquaculture (NaCSA)

• National Centre for Sustainable Aquaculture (NaCSA) is an extension arm of MPEDA. The objectives of
NaCSA are to encourage and uplift the small and marginal farmers through the organisation of clusters and
maintaining Best Management Practices in shrimp culture.
• The advantage of the cluster approach is that it enables participating farmers to organise the schedule of
farm operations, quality seed procurement, etc., contributing to a substantial cost reduction.
• NaCSA’s eSanta portal is an electronic market that helps aqua farmers and buyers to interact directly.
 MPEDA functions under the Ministry of Commerce (not the Ministry of Fisheries)
 APEDA functions under the Ministry of Commerce (not under the Ministry of Agriculture)

Shaphari Scheme
• MPEDA has developed a certification scheme for aquaculture products called Shaphari (meaning supe-
rior quality in Sanskrit). It is based on FAO technical guidelines on aquaculture certification. It will have 2
Components:
1. Certification of Hatcheries for the quality of seeds (will help farmers easily identify good quality
seed producers)
2. Approving shrimp farms

Problems Faced by Shrimp Sector

• White Feces Disease & Running Mortality Syndrome diseases continue to be the primary challenge
to the productivity & profitability of shrimp farming in India. Consignments are rejected because of
safety concerns like the presence of antibiotic residue.

Export Potential
• Frozen Shrimp is India’s most exported seafood item, with the U.S. & China as the biggest buyers.
Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Odisha, Gujarat & Tamil Nadu are major shrimp producing States.

Agriculture Export Policy, 2018

• To provide an impetus to agricultural exports, GOI has come out with Agriculture Export Policy, 2018. The
policy is aimed at doubling agricultural exports and integrating Indian farmers and agricultural prod-
ucts with the global value chains.
• The new agriculture export policy bridges the gap between the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry
of Agriculture. An integrated approach by the two ministries is expected to boost agriculture production
and trade.
• Agri Export Policy suggests developing product-specific clusters in the country with the involvement of Farm
Producer Organizations (FPOs). The policy also aims at addressing the obstacles faced by FPOs through an
organisation like Small Farmers Agribusiness Consortium (SFAC).
 FPOs help smallholders to reduce the cost of produce by procuring necessary inputs in bulk at wholesale
rates, aggregating produce and bulk transport, reducing marketing costs, etc.

Small Farmers Agribusiness Consortium (SFAC)

• GOI established SFAC as a Society in 1994. The Society is chaired, ex-officio, by Union Minister for
Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
 • SFAC organises small and marginal farmers as Farmers Interest Groups, Farmers Producers Organ-
isation (FPO) and Farmers Producers Company (FPC) to endow them with bargaining power and
economies of scale.
• To bring better synergy in the activities, APEDA has signed an MoU with SFAC. They will work together
to link the FPOs/FPCs with the exporters. Currently, there are around 1000 FPOs/FPCs registered
with SFAC.

The main functions of SFAC are

• Facilitate agri-business ventures by catalysing private investment through Venture Capital Assistance
(VCA) Scheme in close association with financial institutions.
• Helping the formation and growth of FPOs/FPCs.
• Improving the availability of working capital and development of business activities of FPOs/FPCs
through Equity Grant and Credit Guarantee Fund Scheme.
• Implementation of the National Agriculture Market (e-NAM) Electronic Trading platform.

Foreign Trade Policy

Transport and Marketing Assistance (TMA) for Specified Agriculture Products

• Ministry of Commerce & Industry has notified TMA for Specified Agriculture Products.
• Under the TMA scheme, the government will reimburse a particular portion of freight charges and assist
with the marketing of agricultural produce to boost exports of certain commodities.
• All exporters duly registered with the relevant Export Promotion Council for eligible agriculture products shall
be covered under this scheme. Assistance would be provided through a direct bank transfer.

Merchandise Exports from India Scheme (MEIS) Scheme

• It is a scheme designed to reward exporters for offsetting infrastructural inefficiencies and associated costs.
The objective is to promote the manufacture and export of notified goods/products.
• In addition, assistance to the exporters of agricultural products is also available under the Export Promotion
Schemes of APEDA, MPEDA, Tobacco Board, Tea Board, Coffee Board, Rubber Board & Spices Board.

{Agri – FAO – 2022/11} Food and Agriculture Organization (UN-FAO)

• FAO, headquartered in Rome, is a specialised agency of the UN founded in 1945. It has 195 members (194
countries + the EU). It is governed by a biennial conference, which elects a 49-member executive council.
• FAO leads international efforts to improve nutrition and food security. It helps governments and agencies
coordinate their activities to develop agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and land and water resources.
• It also conducts research, provides technical assistance to projects, operates educational and training pro-
grams, and collects data on agricultural output, production, and development.
• Flagship publications of FAO:
 The Food Outlook Report (biannual report)
  The State of Agricultural Commodity Markets
 The State of Food and Agriculture
 The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World
 The State of the World's Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture
 The State of the World's Biodiversity for Food and Agriculture
 The State of the World's Forest Genetic Resources
 The State of the World's Forests
 The State of the World's Land and Water Resources for Food and Agriculture
 The State of the World's Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture
 The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture
 Status of the World's Soil Resources

The International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC)

• IPPC is a 1951 multilateral treaty overseen by the UN-FAO. It has 183 parties. It aims to control/prevent the
introduction and spread of pests and weeds of plants and plant products (natural + cultivated). Commis-
sion on Phytosanitary Measures oversees the implementation of the convention.

UN Committee on World Food Security (UN-CFS)

• The CFS was established in 1974 as an intergovernmental platform to serve as a forum in the UN system
to ensure food security and nutrition for all. It holds an annual Plenary session every October in FAO, Rome.
• The CFS has a permanent Secretariat in the FAO, Rome. It, however, works independently of FAO.
• Using an inclusive approach, CFS develops and endorses policy recommendations and guidance on various
food security and nutrition topics.

State of Food and Agriculture Report, 2022

• Context (DTE): The FAO’s State of Food and Agriculture Report, 2022 looked into how agricultural au-
tomation can contribute to achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• Agricultural automation includes anything from tractors to artificial intelligence that play an essential role
in making food production more efficient and environmentally friendly.

Highlights of the Report

• The report highlighted unequal regional progress towards mechanisation between high-income countries in
North America, Europe, and Oceania and ow-and middle-income countries in Asia and Africa.
• Sustainable rental mechanisms are vital for aiding mechanisation in low-income regions. E.g., TROTRO
Tractor Limited (TTL) in Ghana.
• Agricultural automation can lead to unemployment in places where rural labour is abundant and wages are
low. Policymakers should avoid subsidising automation in such labour-abundant contexts.
• Social protection should be provided to the least skilled workers, who are more likely to lose their jobs during
the transition.
Food Outlook Report
• Context (DTE): According to Food Outlook Report, the world’s food import bill will near $2 trillion in 2022.
• Food Outlook Report is a biannual report on global food markets released by FAO.

Highlights of Food Outlook Report

Rich-Poor Divide
• Poor countries are paying more but are receiving less food than rich countries.
• High-income countries import across the entire spectrum of foods (ensuring nutritional security). But low-
income countries are increasing their focus on staple foods (for food security).

Production Patterns
• Global wheat production is mainly expected to be concentrated in China and Russia.
• Global level of rice output is expected to decline for the first time in 3 years because of severe weather events.

Other Rome-based UN Agencies

• The three Rome-based UN agencies are the FAO, the International Fund for Agricultural Development
(IFAD), and the World Food Programme (WFP).

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (UN-IFAD)

• IFAD is an international financial institution and a specialised agency of the UN. It has 177 members.
• It works to address poverty and hunger in rural areas of developing countries.
• Headquartered in Rome, IFAD funds and sponsors initiatives that improve land and water management,
develop rural infrastructure, train, and educate farmers, build up resilience against climate change, etc.

UN World Food Programme (WFP)

• WFP is an international organisation within the UN that provides food assistance worldwide. Founded in
1961, WFP is headquartered in Rome.
• It is the world's largest humanitarian organisation. It is a significant provider of cash assistance, medical
supplies, and passenger services for humanitarian workers.
• WFP also offers technical assistance, such as building capacity for emergency preparedness and response,
managing supply chains and logistics, strengthening resilience against climate change, etc.
• WFP is an executive member of the United Nations Sustainable Development Group, a consortium of UN
entities that aims to fulfil the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), prioritising achieving SDG 2 for
"zero hunger" by 2030.
• The World Food Programme was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2020 for its efforts to provide food
assistance in areas of conflict, and to prevent the use of food as a weapon of war and conflict.

{Agri – Fertilisers – 2022/11} Fertilizer Subsidy Schemes

Urea Subsidy Scheme

• Urea is sold at statutorily notified uniform MRP. It is being provided to the farmers at an MRP of Rs. 242
per 45 kg bag of urea (exclusive of neem coating charges and applicable taxes).
• The difference between the delivered cost of urea to the farmer and net market realisation by the urea units
is given as a subsidy to the urea manufacturer/importer by the Centre.

Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS) Scheme

• Context (PIB | IE | TH): Considering the massive increase in the prices of fertilisers in the global market, the
Centre has ‘doubled’ the Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS) rates for Phosphatic and Potassic (P&K) fertilisers
for Rabi season 2022-23 (from 1st October 2022 to 31st March 2023).
• The NBS scheme is being implemented since 2010 by the Department of Fertilisers, Ministry of Chemicals
and Fertilisers.
• Under the scheme, fertilisers are provided at subsidised rates based on the nutrients contained, namely Ni-
trogen (N), Phosphate (P), Potash (K) and Sulphur (S). It does not include urea-based fertilisers.
• Moreover, fertilisers fortified with secondary nutrients and micronutrients (sulphur, zinc, boron, iron, man-
ganese, and copper) are given additional subsidies.
• A fixed rate of subsidy (in ₹per Kg basis) is announced on nutrients (N, P, K & S) by the government annually.
• Objectives of the NBS scheme:
 To ensure the nation's food security
 To improve agricultural productivity
 To ensure the balanced application of fertilisers

How Is The NBS Fertilizer Subsidy Paid & Who Gets It?
• Farmers buy non-urea fertilisers at MRPs below their standard supply-and-demand-based market rates or
what it costs to produce/import them. The Centre foots the difference as a subsidy.
• The subsidy under NBS goes to fertiliser companies, although its ultimate beneficiary is the farmer
who pays MRPs less than the market-determined rates.
• Since 2018, the subsidy is being paid through a Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system after the actual sale
of fertilisers to farmers by retailers (there are over 2.3 lakh retailers across India).
• Each retailer has a point-of-sale (PoS) machine linked to the Department of Fertilisers’ e-Urvarak DBT
portal. Farmers are required to furnish his/her Aadhaar or Kisan Credit Card number.
• The quantities of the individual fertilisers purchased, along with the buyer’s name & biometric authentica-
tion, must be captured on the PoS device.
• A company’s subsidy claim is processed weekly for sales registered on the e-Urvarak platform (the Inte-
grated Fertiliser Management System (iFMS) that monitors fertiliser movement).

Issues with NBS Scheme

Increase in Imbalanced Use of Fertilisers
• Urea is not included in the NBS scheme and remains under price control (MRP is officially fixed). On
the other hand, the MRPs of non-urea fertilisers under the NBS scheme are decontrolled (fixed by the
companies). Thus, they retail way above urea while attracting lower subsidies. This has led the farmers
to use more urea, worsening the fertiliser imbalance.

Issues With Fertilizers Subsidy Schemes (NBS and Urea Subsidy)

Environmental and Economic Cost

• Fertilizer subsidy is the second-biggest subsidy after food subsidy. Schemes like NBS promote the injudi-
cious use of fertilisers, which are the major emitters of nitrous oxide (N2O — a potent greenhouse gas and
ozone-depleting substance), damaging the soil health and the fiscal health of the economy.
• The current ratio of NPK (desirable ratio of is 4:2:1) in agricultural soil in several states is skewed towards
nitrogen. This imbalance causes widespread deficiency of secondary nutrients and micronutrients and soil
alkalinity and salinity.

Measures Required
• The government must bring reforms to promote the balanced use of fertilisers and make efforts to do away
with fertiliser subsidies in the coming years.
• To begin with, it must introduce a decontrol measure (don’t fix the MRP, leave it to the market) in the
urea sector. Gradually, fertiliser subsidies must be replaced with Direct Benefit Transfers to farmers.
• Simultaneously, efforts must be made to promote organic manure, bio-fertilisers, and city compost as
they come with a much lower environmental footprint than synthetic fertilisers. They increase organic soil
carbon and support microbial life. They also promote more efficient use of synthetic fertilisers.

One Nation, One Fertiliser Scheme

• Context (TH | PIB): Union Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers announced the implementation of the “Pra-
dhan Mantri Bhartiya Jan Urvarak Pariyojana (PMBJP) – One Nation One Fertiliser” scheme.
• Under the scheme, all fertiliser manufacturers under the fertiliser subsidy scheme will be required to use a
single brand and logo for fertilisers.
• The single brand name under this scheme will be “Bharat”, and the logo will be the PMBJP logo. The single
brand name for UREA, DAP, MOP and NPKS etc., would be BHARAT UREA, BHARAT DAP, BHARAT MOP, etc.
• The new “Bharat” brand name and PMBJP logo will cover two-thirds of the front of the fertiliser packet. The
manufacturing brands can display their information only on the remaining one-third space!
Rationale behind the Scheme
• Standardisation: It eliminates the dilemma of farmers in choosing one of the many brands available in the
market.
• Recognition: Despite taking huge subsidies in production, fertiliser manufacturers sale the fertilisers under
their brand identity and not under the government name.
• Affordability: Due to using only a single brand name, there will be no added attraction for any particular
brand. So, fertilisers can be made available to farmers very quickly at affordable prices.
• Reduction in Freight Charges: The presence of different brand-wise demands for fertilisers in specific areas
results in high transport costs and freight subsidies. But when there is only one brand, the different brand-
wise demand will not be there because there will be less freight movement.

Criticisms against the Scheme

• Adverse Impact on Fertilisers Quality: Since there is less scope for building a unique brand identity, it will
discourage manufacturers from bringing newer and more efficient products into the market.
• Hindrance for Attaining Self-sufficiency in Fertilisers: The government wants to become self-sufficient in
fertilisers, which are currently imported in large quantities. But without any impetus for manufacturers to
improve their production, this target cannot be achieved.

{Agri – Fertilizers – 2022/11} Macronutrients and Micronutrients for Plants

• 17 elements act as essential plant nutrients. Nine of these are macronutrients — required by plants in large
amounts, and the other eight are micronutrients — required in trace amounts.
• Macronutrients are generally present in plant tissues in significant amounts, while micronutrients constitute
less than 1% of the dry weight of most plants.

Macronutrients for Plants

• Macronutrients (9): Carbon (C), Hydrogen (H), Oxygen (O), Nitrogen (N), Phosphorous (P), Potassium
(K), Calcium (Ca), Sulfur (S), and Magnesium (Mg).
• Of the ten micronutrients, carbon, hydrogen and oxygen are obtained mainly from carbon dioxide (CO2)
and water (H2O), while the others are absorbed from the soil as mineral nutrition.
• NPK — Nitrogen (N), Phosphorous (P) and Potassium (K) are the most significant macronutrients.

Carbon (C), Hydrogen (H) and Oxygen (2)

• Carbon and hydrogen are the major constituents of most biomolecules, including proteins, starches and
cellulose. Photosynthesis converts carbon dioxide into carbohydrates. Hydrogen, obtained from water, is also
used in photosynthesis. Plants require oxygen for cellular respiration during nighttime.

Nitrogen (N)
• Of NPK, nitrogen has received the maximum attention as it gets easily converted to soluble forms (nitrite)
from various fertilisers.

Function of Nitrogen in Plants

• Nitrogen is a base element in all cells, proteins (chain of amino acids), hormones, and chlorophyll.
• It produces the most significant yield response in crop plants by promoting rapid vegetative growth and
healthy green colour.
Sources of Nitrogen for Plants
• Organic matter in soil is rich in nitrogen. Plants take up nitrogen from the soil as NH4+ (ammonium/am-
monium ions) and NO3– (nitrate). Some plants, such as Legumes, fix atmospheric nitrogen.
• Atmospheric nitrogen is used to make fertilisers like ammonium sulfate, ammonium nitrate and urea/car-
bamide (molecular formula: CH₄N₂O | chemical formula CO(NH2)2). When applied to soil, nitrogen is con-
verted to an easily absorbable mineral form, nitrate.
 Urea has the highest nitrogen content of all solid nitrogenous fertilisers. Therefore, it has a low transporta-
tion cost per unit of nitrogen nutrients. Urea breaks down in the soil to give ammonium (NH4+).

Nitrogen Deficiency
• Nitrogen deficiency occurs when soil organisms use much nitrogen to break down harmful carbon sources
in the soil. It leads to slow growth, small plant parts and leaves with less chlorophyll.

Phosphorus (P)
• Functions: Phosphorus plays a significant role in capturing and converting the sun's energy (photosyn-
thesis). Adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the energy unit of plants, is formed during photosynthesis.
• Phosphorus stimulates early root and plant growth and the nitrogen-fixing capacity of legumes. It has-
tens ripening/maturity, improves the quality of fruit/grain and strengthens the plant stalk and stem.
• Phosphorus deficiency leads to slow growth and weak and stunted plants.
• Source: Superphosphate (a mixture of calcium phosphate and calcium sulfate), made from rock phos-
phate and sulfuric acid. All manures contain phosphorus.

Potassium (K)
• Functions: Potassium increases resistance in plants against diseases, pest attacks, climate stresses, etc.
It helps to form and move starch, sugars and oils in plants and improves fruit quality and quantity.
• It strengthens straw and root systems in cereals and reduces lodging. It increases the efficiency of the uptake
of nutrients. It also controls the opening and closing of the leaf stomata.
• Plants deficient in potassium 'lodge' or bend over at ground level, making them difficult to harvest.
• Source: Potassium chloride (KCl/ — obtained from ancient dried lake deposits) and potassium sulphate
(sulfate of potash/K2SO4 — found mixed with various other salts and ores).

Calcium (Ca)
• Functions: Calcium is essential for the growth of seeds, plant tissues, new roots, root hairs, etc.
• Sources: Lime, gypsum, dolomite and superphosphate.

Magnesium (Mg)
• Functions: Magnesium and nitrogen are base elements of chlorophyll. Magnesium is essential in activating
enzymes involved in respiration, photosynthesis and nucleic acid synthesis. It serves as a carrier of phos-
phate compounds throughout the plant.
• Source: dolomite (calcium magnesium carbonate), magnesite (magnesium oxide), epsom salt (mag-
nesium sulfate), etc.

Sulfur (S)
• Functions: Sulfur is a constituent of amino acids in plant proteins. It is responsible for odour compounds
in plants. It stimulates root growth, seed formation and nodule formation.
• Source: Superphosphate, gypsum, elemental sulfur and sulfate of ammonia, soil organic matter, etc.

Micronutrients for Plants

• Micronutrients (8): Iron (Fe), Copper (Cu), Zinc (Zn), Manganese (Mn), Nickel (Ni), Boron (B), Molyb-
denum (Mo) and Chlorine (Cl). Most of them occur as trace elements in soil
Micronutrient Function
Iron (Fe) Constituent of many compounds that regulate and promote growth and develop-
ment. It is essential for the formation of chlorophyll and the synthesis of proteins.
Manganese (Mn) Helps in photosynthesis and plant growth.
Copper (Cu) An essential constituent of enzymes in plants. It also regulates respiratory activities.
Zinc (Zn) Helps in the production of hormones responsible for stem and leaf expansion.
Boron (B) Helps with the formation of cell walls in rapidly growing tissue. Deficiency reduces
calcium uptake and inhibits the plant’s ability to use it.
Molybdenum Required for the synthesis of the enzyme nitrate reductase (reduces nitrate
(Mo) (NO3−) to nitrite (NO2−)), which helps N-fixing soil bacteria in legumes.
Nickel (Ni) Required in small amounts for N-fixing plant species. Without nickel, toxic levels of
urea can accumulate within the tissues.
Chlorine (Cl) It helps in plant growth and development, osmotic and stomatal regulation and
disease resistance.

{Agri – Food Processing – 2022/09} Portal for Food Processing Enterprises

PIB | Prelims | GS3 > Agriculture
• Context: The Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare (MoAFW) and the Ministry of Food Processing
Industries (MoFPI) jointly launched a Convergence Portal between the
 Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF),
 Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) scheme and
 Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY)
• This launch is very important for the Food Processing Enterprises of the country, achieving Aatma Nirbhar
Bharat and boosting the concept of ‘Vocal for Local’.

Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF)

• Ministry of Agriculture implements the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF).
• It is a medium to long-term debt financing facility for the creation of post-harvest management infra-
structure and building of community farming assets.

Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro food processing Enterprises (PMFME)

• PMFME Scheme is an initiative under Aatma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan.
• It is a centrally sponsored scheme implemented by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI).
• Aims:
 to augment the existing individual micro-enterprises in the unorganized segment of the food pro-
cessing industry
 to formalize micro food processing enterprises (special focus on groups such as Farmer Producer
Organizations (FPOs) and Self-Help Groups (SHGs) engaged in the agri-food processing sector)
• It follows One District One Product (ODOP) approach, and priority is given to SHG manufacturing products
mentioned under ODOP.

One District One Product (ODOP)

• ODOP was launched by the Uttar Pradesh Government, and later adopted by the Central Government.
• Idea: to select, brand, and promote One Product from each District of the country.
• Aims:
 to help districts reach their full potential,
 foster economic and sociocultural growth, and
 create employment opportunities, especially in rural areas.
• It is a centrally sponsored scheme, shared by the central government and states in 60:40 contributions.
• It is operationally merged with the ‘Districts as Export Hub’ initiative.
• It is implemented by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), Department of Commerce.
• Objectives:
 States to identify the ODOP food product for a district; the ODOP product can be a perishable Agri
produce, cereal-based product, or a food product widely produced in a district.
 Support agricultural products for their processing, to reduce their wastage, storage and marketing.
 Support existing individual micro-units (preference for those producing ODOP products).
 Support new units that are producing ODOP products.
 Support for the common infrastructure, marketing and branding of ODOP products.

Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY)

• PMKSY is a central sector scheme launched by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI).
• Aim: to develop modern infrastructure and efficient supply chain management from farm gate to retail.
• Objectives:
 to boost the growth of the country's food processing sector
 to provide better returns to farmers
 to create huge employment opportunities, especially in rural areas
 to reduce wastage of agricultural produce
 to enhance the export of processed foods
• PMKSY is an umbrella scheme, and it has 7 schemes under it:
 1. Mega Food Parks
2. Integrated Cold Chain and Value Addition Infrastructure
3. Creation/ Expansion of Food Processing/ Preservation Capacities (Unit Scheme)
4. Infrastructure for Agro-processing Clusters
5. Creation of Backward and Forward Linkages
6. Food Safety and Quality Assurance Infrastructure
7. Human Resources and Institutions

Mega Food Parks

• Mega Food Park is a scheme under the Ministry of Food Processing.
• Aim: To provide a mechanism to link agricultural production to the market by bringing together farm-
ers, processors and retailers so as to ensure maximizing value addition, minimizing wastage, increas-
ing farmers’ income and creating employment opportunities, particularly in the rural sector.
 • Government has sanctioned 42 Mega Food Parks. Distribution of Mega Food Parks.

{Agri – Food Security – 2022/09} Draft Notification on “Indian Nutrition Rating”

TH | IE | Prelims + Mains | GS3 > Agriculture
• Context: Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued draft of the amended ‘Food Safety
and Standards (Labelling & Display) Regulations, 2020’.
• It proposes “Indian Nutrition Rating” (INR) for front-of-package labelling.

Indian Nutrition Rating (INR)

• Indian Nutrition Rating (INR) is modelled on the health star-rating system. In this system, INR will be
displayed as a rating from 1/2 star (least healthy) to five stars (healthiest) on the package of foods.
• The INR will be calculated on the basis of contribution of energy, saturated fat, total sugar, sodium and
positive nutrients per 100 gm of solid food or 100 ml of liquid food.
• The star assigned to a product will be displayed close in proximity to the name or brand name of the product
on front of pack.
• Food products such as milk and milk-based products, whey, butter, ghee, vegetable oil and fat, fresh and
frozen fruits and vegetables, flour, fresh and frozen meat, egg, fish, egg-based desserts, sweeteners, infant
formula, salads and sandwich spreads, carbonated drinks without sugar and alcoholic beverages have
been exempted from INR rating.
Criticism to Proposed Indian Nutrition Rating (INR)
• Public health experts have opposed to the health-star rating system as it gives a “health halo” because of its
positive connotation making it harder to identify harmful products.
• They instead recommend warning labels such as an octagonal “stop” symbol. Globally such labels have a
positive impact and forced the industry to reformulate their products by removing major amounts of sugar
and salt.

Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)

• FSSAI is an autonomous statutory body established under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
• Administrative ministry: Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.
• It is headquartered at New Delhi. It has 6 regional offices in Delhi, Guwahati, Mumbai, Kolkata, Cochin, and
Chennai.
• Aim: to act as single reference point for all matters relating to food safety and standards.
• It is the country’s apex food regulator.
• Functions:
 Framing standards and guidelines of food safety.
 Granting food safety license for food businesses.
 Framing guidelines for laboratories in food businesses.
 Providing suggestions to the government in policy framing.
 Collect data regarding contaminants in foods products, identification of emerging risks and introduc-
tion of rapid alert system.
 Creating an information network across the country about food safety.
 Promote general awareness about food safety and food standards.

{Agri – FPO – 2022/11} Fodder-Centric Farmer Producer Organisations

• Context (BS | IE): Government approves setting up of 100 Fodder-Centric FPOs in 2022-23.
Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs)

Producer Organisation (PO)

• A Producer Organisation (PO) is a legal entity formed by primary producers, viz. farmers, milk producers,
fishermen, weavers, rural artisans, and craftsmen.
• A PO can be a producer company, a cooperative society or any other legal form which provides for shar-
ing of profits/benefits among the members.
• The main aim of PO is to ensure better income for the producers through an organisation of their own.
• FPO is a voluntary Producer Organisation (PO) whose members are farmers. The aim is to enhance the
income of small, marginal, and landless farmers.
• They provide small farmers with end-to-end support and services that include technical assistance, market-
ing, processing, and other aspects of agricultural inputs.
• The promotion of FPOs is supported by Small Farmers’ Agribusiness Consortium (SFAC).

Fodder-Centric Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs)

• Wholesale price index-based fodder inflation reached 25.5%, increasing the difficulties of households de-
pendent on livestock rearing.
 Wholesale Price Index (WPI) measures the overall change in producer prices over time. It is a measure of
inflation based on the prices of goods before they reach consumers.
• To address the country's fodder deficit Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairy has proposed
the establishment of fodder-centric FPOs under the ‘Formation/Promotion of 10,000 new FPOs’ scheme.
• Agricultural Ministry has approved the setting up of fodder-centric FPOs. National Dairy Development
Board (NDDB) has been designated as the implementing agency for setting up fodder-centric FPOs.

Formation and Promotion of 10,000 New FPOs Scheme

• It is a central sector scheme launched in 2020. Under the scheme, the formation and promotion of FPOs is
based on the Produce Cluster Area approach and specialised commodity-based approach.
 While adopting a cluster-based approach, the formation of FPOs will be focussed on ‘One District One
Product’ for the development of product specialisation.
• There are 9 Implementing Agencies (IAs) for forming and promoting FPOs:
1. Small Farmers Agri-Business Consortium (SFAC),
2. National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC),
3. National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD),
4. National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED),
5. North Eastern Regional Agricultural Marketing Corporation Limited (NERAMAC),
6. Tamil Nadu-Small Farmers Agri-Business Consortium (TN-SFAC),
7. Small Farmers Agri-Business Consortium Haryana (SFACH),
8. Watershed Development Department (WDD), Karnataka &
 9. Foundation for Development of Rural Value Chains (FDRVC), Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD).
• Implementing Agencies (IAs) will engage Cluster Based Business Organizations (CBBOs) to aggregate,
register and provide professional support to each FPO for five years. CBBOs will be the platform for end-to-
end knowledge of all issues related to FPO promotion.

National Dairy Development Board (NDDB)

• The NDDB is a statutory body set up by an Act of the Parliament of India.
• It is under the ownership of the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying.
• Its main office is in Anand, Gujarat, with regional offices throughout the country.
• It was created to finance and support producer-owned and controlled organisations.
• Its programmes and activities seek to strengthen farmer cooperatives and support national policies that
are favourable to the growth of such institutions.
• NDDB's subsidiaries include Indian Dairy Machinery Company Limited, Mother Dairy and Indian Immu-
nological Limited, Hyderabad.
For information on One District One Product > PMF IAS Sep’22 Current Affairs

{Agri – GM – 2022/12} GM Mustard

• Context (DTE | IE | PIB): Government had cleared the ‘environmental release’ of a genetically modified (GM)
variety of mustard named Dhara Mustard Hybrid (DMH-11).
 Environmental release: It involves seed production and field testing. It is the final step before the crop
can be cultivated by farmers.

Genetically Modified Organism (GMO)

• In GMO, genetic material (DNA) is altered or artificially introduced using genetic engineering techniques
which involve mutation, insertion, or deletion of genes. Genetic modification is done to induce a desirable
new trait which does not occur naturally in the species.
• Inserted genes usually come from a different organism (e.g., In Bt cotton, Bt genes from the bacterium Bacillus
thuringiensis are induced).
• GM techniques are used in:
 Biological and medical research
 Agriculture (e.g., golden rice, Bt cotton etc.)
 Production of biofuels
Dhara Mustard Hybrid (DMH-11)
• DMH-11 is an herbicide tolerant (HT) crop created by using both hybrid and transgenic methods.
• It is a cross between Indian variety, Varuna (high-yielding) and Eastern Europe variety, Early Heera-2 (faster
growth and high biomass).
• Two genes, Barnase and Barstar, from soil bacterium Bacillus amyloliquefaciens are inserted into the DNA
of the mustard plant. Barnase induces male sterility and prevents natural pollination. Barstar then suppresses
the activity of barnase in the progeny and restores fertility.
• Another gene called Bar from the bacterium Streptomyces hygroscopicus is also inserted to provide re-
sistance to Glufosinate ammonium, an herbicide.
• DMH-11 showed approximately 28% more yield than its parent, Varuna.

Arguments in Favour of DMH-11

• Atamnirbharata in edible oil: India’s import of edible oils is on continuous rise to meet the domestic de-
mand. So, increasing the production of mustard (which contributes India’s 40% of total edible oils production)
will help in attaining self-sufficiency in edible oils and reduce the strain on India’s forex account.
• Shortfall in domestic production and challenges: The productivity of oilseed crops in India is much lower
than the global productivity. Hybrids result in increased yield and adaptation (a phenomenon known as hy-
brid vigourorheterosis) and show 20-25% higher yield than the conventional varieties of crops.

Arguments Against DMH-11

• Biosafety Concern: Concerns are raised against the safety of the three genes, barnase, barstar and bar, on
the environment, human and animal health, and honey bees (both for honey production and pollination).
• Promote Herbicide Use to Favour MNCs: The gene introduced to DMH-11 makes it resistant to a particular
herbicide. Thus, it will force farmers to use only select brands of agrochemicals.
For more information > Genetically Modified Crops (GM Crops): Benefits & Controversies - PMF IAS
{Agri – In News – 2022/09} In News Topics for Prelims

Whitefly
DTE | IE | Prelims | GS3 > Agriculture
• Context: Whitefly attacks lead to spread of cotton leaf curl disease (CLCuD) in Punjab, Haryana and Raja-
sthan.
• Whitefly is a tiny, sap-sucking insect that is often found on the underside of leaves.
• It is native to the Caribbean islands or Central America.

Concerns from Whitefly

• Damage Crops and Plant Species: Whiteflies expand their host range on plant species such as coconut,
banana, cashew, oil palm, and important medicinal plants. They can damage lakhs of hectare of crops and
reduce the production yield.
• Quick Breeding and Spreading: Host range of whiteflies increases quickly due to their polyphagous nature
(ability to feed on various kinds of food) and prolific breeding.
• Resistance to Insecticides: Available synthetic insecticides are not effective in controlling whiteflies.

Cotton Leaf Curl Disease (CLCuD)

• CLCuD is a viral disease that affects the overall growth of the cotton plant and hits its yield. Infected leaves
of cotton curl both upward and downward.
• It is caused by Cotton Leaf Curl virus (a begomovirus) transmitted by whiteflies.

{Agri – In News – 2022/10} In News Topics for Prelims

{In News} World Food Day

• Context (IT | HT): World Food Day 2022 was observed on 16th October.
• World Food Day is observed annually to commemorate the establishment day of the Food and Agricul-
tural Organization (FAO) in 1945.
• Theme for 2022 is: Leave NO ONE behind.

{In News} World Spice Congress

• Context (TH | AIR | PIB): 14th World Spice Congress will be held in 2023 at Mumbai, Maharashtra.
• World Spice Congress (WSC) is the largest exclusive commercial venue for the spice industry.
• It is a biennial event.
• First ever WSC was held in 1990.

14th World Spice Congress

• 14th World Spice Congress will be organised as a G20 event on the sidelines of India’s G20 presidency.
• Theme: ‘Vision 2030: SPICES’ (Sustainability – Productivity – Innovation – Collaboration – Excellence
and Safety)
• It will be organized by the Spices Board of India.

Spices Board of India

• Spices Board of India comes under the aegis of the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
• It is a regulatory and export promotion body for Indian spices.
• It was set up in 1987 under the Spices Board Act, 1986.

{IPR – GI Tag} Hyderabadi Haleem

• Context (TOI): Hyderabadi Haleem won the ‘Most Popular GI (Geographical Indication) award’ in the
food category.
• Hyderabadi Haleem is a meat-based aromatic stew-like dish made with lentils, wheat, and spices.
• It is consumed mainly during Ramzan.
• It received the GI tag in 2010. Its GI tag was renewed in 2022.
• It is the first non-vegetarian dish in India to receive GI tag.
• It is the only product in Telangana to receive a GI tag under the food category.

Geographical Indications (GI) Tag

• A GI tag is a legal recognition given primarily to an agricultural, natural or a manufactured product
(handicrafts & industrial goods) originating from a definite geographical territory.
• GI tag conveys an assurance of quality & distinctiveness of a product, which is essentially attributable
to the place of its origin.
 • It includes the name of the place of origin of the goods.
• Once the GI protection is granted, no other producer can misuse the name to market similar products;
it assures the authenticity of that product.
• Geographical Indicators in India are governed by “The Geographical Indications of Goods (Registra-
tion & Protection) Act, 1999”.
IPR and GI tag > Copyright, Trademark, Geographical Indication (GI), Differences - PMF IAS

{IPR – GI Tag} Nihonshu

• Context (TH): The Embassy of Japan in New Delhi is seeking a Geographical Indication (GI) tag for nihonshu.
• It is also the first time a product from Japan has filed for a GI tag at the Geographical Indication Registry
in Chennai.
• Nihonshu (also known as Japanese sake) is an alcoholic beverage.
• Traditionally, it is drunk on special occasions (such as festivals, weddings or funerals), but it is also consumed
on a daily basis.
• Thus, it is an integral part of the lifestyle and culture in Japan.
• It is made from fermenting rice.
• For making nihonshu, three main raw materials are required: rice, koji-kin (a type of fungal spore) and water.
• An alcoholic fermentation method called parallel multiple fermentation is used for its production.

{Pollutant} Restriction on Use of Herbicide Glyphosate

• Context (BS | TH): The Centre has officially restricted the use of the glyphosate herbicide, fearing risks to
human and animal health.
• From now, glyphosate will be applied only through pest control operators (PCOs).
• PCOs are licensed to use deadly chemicals for treating pests such as rodents.

Glyphosate
• Glyphosate is an herbicide.
• It is applied to the leaves of plants to kill both broadleaf plants and grasses.
• It is mainly used in tea plantations.
• The use of glyphosate in India rose manifold after the starting of illegal Ht BT cotton cultivation.

Risks Associated with Glyphosate

• The main concern of glyphosate is that it is carcinogenic.
• Other diseases it causes are thyroid, kidney failure, diabetes, obesity, asthma, etc.

{Agri – IPR – 2022/08} Makhana Gets GI Tag

IE | Prelims | GS1 > Geographical Indication
• Context: Recently Makhana has been granted a geographical indication (GI) tag.
• Makhana is a high-value aquatic cash crop and a traditional Indian snack.
• Popularly known as Lotus Seed.
• It is an edible starchy kernel found inside the lotus seed.
• It grows in stagnant perennial water bodies.
• It is mainly cultivated in the Mithila region of Bihar and some parts of Nepal.
• It is the fifth product from Bihar which has received the GI tag. The other four include:
1. Bhagalpur’s Jardalu Mango
2. Katarni Dhaan (rice)
3. Nawada’s Maghai Paan and
4. Muzaffarpur’s Shahi Litchi.

Benefits of Makhana

• Nutrient-rich and rich source of manganese, potassium, magnesium, thiamine, protein, and phosphorus.
• Widely used to cure kidney problems, chronic diarrhoea, and hypofunction of the spleen.

{Agri – IPR – 2022/09} International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Ag-
riculture (ITPGRFA)
PIB | DTE | Prelims + Mains | GS3 > Agriculture
• Context: 9th Session of the Governing Body (GB9) of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources
for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA) concluded in New Delhi.
• Theme of GB9: “Celebrating the Guardians of Crop Diversity: Towards an Inclusive Post-2020 Global
Biodiversity Framework”.

Major Takeaways from the 9th Session of the Governing Body of the ITPGRFA
• Federation of Seed Industry of India (FSII) contributed Rs 20 lakhs to the Benefit-Sharing Fund (BSF).
• The BSF is the funding mechanism of the Treaty that supports projects using plant genetic resources to
find solutions to food and nutrition insecurity, biodiversity loss and climate change.

International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA)
• ITPGRFA, a legally binding international treaty, was adopted in 2001 at Rome by Food and Agriculture
Organization (FAO) and it entered into force in 2004.
• It has 149 contracting parties, including India (as of 2022).
• Objectives:
 the conservation and sustainable use of all plant genetic resources for food and agriculture
 the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of their use, in harmony with the Convention
on Biological Diversity, for sustainable agriculture and food security.
• It is the first legally binding international instrument to formally acknowledge the enormous contribution
of indigenous people and small-holder farmers as traditional custodians of the world’s food crops.

Multilateral System (MLS)

• ITPGRFA has implemented a Multilateral System for increasing access of crops and benefit sharing.
• Under MLS system, a global pool of plant genetic resources has been created and made available to all
members. 64 crops species are included in this pool (which accounts 80% of global food required).

{Agri – IPR – 2022/09} Naga Mircha (King Chilli) Festival 2022

AIR | Prelims + Mains | GS1 > Agriculture
• Context: The first-ever Naga Mircha (King Chilli) Festival was organized in Seiyhama village in Kohima
district. The festival was sponsored by the Department of Horticulture.

Naga Mircha (King Chilli)

• Naga Mircha is also called Raja Mircha (King Chilli) and Bhoot Jolokia (Ghost Pepper).
• Naga Mircha is one of the top five hottest chillies on the Scoville Heat Units (SHUs) list.
• It received Geographical Indications (GI) tag in 2008; it is the first product to receive a GI tag from
Nagaland.

Geographical Indications (GI) Tag

• A GI tag is a legal recognition given primarily to an agricultural, natural or a manufactured product
(handicrafts & industrial goods) originating from a definite geographical territory.
• Geographical Indicators in India are governed by “The Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration &
Protection) Act, 1999”.
• GI tag conveys an assurance of the quality & distinctiveness of a product, which is essentially attribut-
able to the place of its origin.
• It includes the name of the place of origin of the goods.
• Once the GI protection is granted, no other producer can misuse the name to market similar products.
GI tag: Copyright, Trademark, Geographical Indication (GI), Differences - PMF IAS

{Agri – Issues – 2022/06} Crop Diversification

DTE | Prelims + Mains | GS3 > Agriculture
• Context: Recently the Commission for Agricultural Cost and Prices (CACP) has recommended diversifying
crops and shifting rice to places that can support it.

What is Crop Diversification?

• Crop diversification refers to a shift from the regional dominance of one crop to the regional production of
a number of crops, to meet food security.
• Its aim is to improve soil health and to maintain a dynamic equilibrium of the Agro-ecosystem.
• It is intended to promote sustainable agriculture and enable farmers to choose alternatives for increased
productivity.

Insights From The CACP Report

• Farmers are widely growing rice and wheat in areas which aren’t Agro-climatically suitable for water-inten-
sive crops (rice, wheat and sugarcane).
• Likewise urad in Chhattisgarh, sesamum in Karnataka, paddy in Maharashtra and jowar in Telangana aren’t
Agro-climatically suitable crops and need diversification.
• Assured procurement and MSP favoured paddy & wheat in some states (Punjab and Haryana) and it wit-
nessed a rising trend in the cropped area while the shares of oilseeds, pulses, maize and bajra have declined
drastically.
• CACP has analysed different states and recommended diversifying from paddy farming.
State Recommended crops
 Andhra Pradesh and Jhar- Maize
khand
Bihar Maize, Moong, and Sunflower
Gujarat Bajra
Maharashtra Jowar, Bajra, Maize, Ragi, Tur, Moong, Urad, Groundnut, Soybean and
Cotton
Rajasthan Groundnut and Cotton
Tamil Nadu Sesamum
Uttar Pradesh Bajra, Maize, Tur and Groundnut
West Bengal Moong

The Need to Diversify Crops

• Yield levels of rice and wheat experienced stagnancy and net profit showed diminishing trends.
• Depletion of the water table in North-West plains (Punjab, Haryana and West Uttar Pradesh).
• Infestation of weeds and Incidence of pests-diseases increased.
• Contamination of groundwater.
• Deterioration of soil health.
• Crop diversification will subsequently reduce the country’s Agri-import bill (less import of oilseeds and
vegetable oils and increased export competitiveness).

Why Aren’t States Opting For Crop Diversification?

• Lack of assured procurement and MSP except for paddy & wheat.
• Low returns and high risks from alternative crops,
• Non-availability of appropriate proven technology for alternative crops.

Recommendations And Way Forward

• Promote paddy cultivation in suitable areas (central and eastern states) and reduce the area under paddy
in Haryana, Punjab, and western Uttar Pradesh.
• It is essential to diversify the area from paddy to alternate crops not only to improve soil fertility and arrest
depletion of groundwater but also to enhance the farm income.
• Crop diversification towards oilseeds, pulses and horticulture needs to be given priority by addressing the
core issues of irrigation, investment, credit and markets in their cultivation.
• Government should favour oilseed crops amid the global inflation in oilseeds and vegetable oil prices.
• Replace the heavily subsidising inputs approach with a direct transfer approach of directly giving money into
the accounts of the farmers.
To learn more about MSP and related topics visit https://www.pmfias.com/minimum-support-price-msp/
Prelims Practice: Which of the following is/are the potential externalities of cropping in an
agro-climatically unsuitable region?
1. Infestation of weeds.
2. Depletion of groundwater.
3. Improved soil health.
4. Higher productivity.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

a) 1 and 2 only
b) 1, 2 and 3 only
c) 1, 2 and 4 only
d) All of the above

Explanation:
• Cropping in an agro-climatically unsuitable region will reduce soil health and yield levels will also experi-
ence stagnancy and low productivity over time.
• It will result in the Infestation of weeds and contamination and depletion of groundwater. Hence option
(a)is the correct answer.

Answer: (a) 1& 2 only

{Agri – Policy – 2022/09} Hackathon 3.0 ‘’KRITAGYA”

PIB | Prelims | GS3 > Agriculture
• Hackathon 3.0 ‘’KRITAGYA” is organised by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) with its
National Agricultural Higher Education Project (NAHEP) and Crop Science Division.
 Hackathon: It is a timed bound event in which experts (of concerned fields) get together to collaborate on
creative projects. Its aim is to design, build and present the most innovative solution to a problem.
• Objective: to promote Speed Breeding for crop improvement.
• Definition of KRITAGYA: KRI for Krishi, meaning Agriculture, TA for Taknik, meaning Technology and GYA
for Gyan, meaning Knowledge.

Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR)

• ICAR is an autonomous organisation under the Department of Agricultural Research and Education
(DARE), Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
 • It was established in 1929 as a registered society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860.
• It is headquartered in New Delhi.
• It has 102 ICAR institutes and 71 agricultural universities under it.
• It is the apex body for coordinating, guiding and managing research and education in agriculture, includ-
ing horticulture, fisheries and animal sciences in the entire country.
• It played a pioneering role in many developments in Indian agriculture, including Green Revolution.

National Agricultural Higher Education Project (NAHEP)

• NAHEP is launched by Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR) in 2017.
• Aim: to attract talent and strengthen higher agricultural education in the country.
• It is funded by the World Bank and the Indian Government on a 50:50 basis.

Hackathon 1.0
• Organised by NAHEP in association with the Agricultural Engineering Division of ICAR.
• Objective: to promote innovation in Farm Mechanization.

Hackathon 2.0
• Organised by NAHEP in association with the Animal Science Division of ICAR.
• Objective: to promote innovation in Animal Science.

{Agri – Policy – 2022/12} Horticulture Cluster Development Programme

• Context (PIB): Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has prepared a central sector scheme,
the Horticulture Cluster Development Programme (CDP).
• Aim: To improve exports of targeted crops by about 20% and create cluster-specific brands to enhance
the competitiveness of cluster crops.
• Objectives:
 To promote the agriculture sector in the country
 To increase the income of the farmers by giving them a reasonable price for their produce
• Nodal agency for the implementation of CDP is National Horticulture Board.
• Implementation of CDP:
 CDP is designed to leverage the geographical specialisation of horticulture clusters and promote
integrated and market-led development of preproduction, production, post-harvest, logistics, brand-
ing, and marketing activities.
 MoA&FW has identified 55 horticulture clusters, of which 12 have been selected for the pilot launch.
Based on the learnings from the pilot project, the programme will be scaled up to cover all 55 clusters.
 For the implementation of the CDP, cluster-wise Cluster Development Agencies (CDAs) have been
appointed based on the recommendations of the State/Central Government.
• Significance: The CDP will benefit around 10 lakh farmers and related stakeholders along the value chain.
{Agri – Report – 2022/12} Global Food Security Index (GFSI) 2022
• Context (TE): Global Food Security Index (GFSI) 2022 was released by Economist Impact.
• The 11th edition of GFSI showed that the global food security environment has been deteriorating, making it
more vulnerable to shocks.
• Finland is in 1st position in GFSI 2022 followed by Ireland (2nd) and Norway (3rd). Syria is in the last position
(113th) followed by Haiti (112th) and Yemen (111th).
• India (along with Algeria) in the 68th position is the highest-ranking South Asian nation followed by
Myanmar (72nd), Nepal (74th), Sri Lanka (79th), Bangladesh (80th) and Pakistan (84th).

Global Food Security Index (GFSI)

• GFSI is published annually by the London-based Economist Impact and is supported by Corteva Agrisci-
ence. It captures year-on-year changes in structural factors impacting food security.
• It measures the underlying drivers of food security based on the following factors:
 Affordability
 Availability
 Quality and Safety
 Natural Resources and Resilience
• It considers 58 food security indicators including income and economic inequality across 113 nations.

{Agri – Report – 2022/12} Global Status of Black Soils

• Context (DTE): Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) launched its first ‘Global Status of Black Soils’
report on World Soil Day 2022 (5th December).
Findings of the Report
• Significance of Black Soils:
 Black soils are home to 2.86% of the global population and had 17.36% of cropland, 8.05% of global
SOC (Soil Organic Stock) stocks and 30.06% SOC stock of global cropland.
 They can produce high agricultural yields because they are extremely fertile and have elevated mois-
ture storage capacity. Though black soil cover only 5.6% of global soils, they are key for food security
and the global economy. Globally in 2010, 66% of sunflower seeds, 51% of small millet, 42% of sugar
beet, 30% of wheat and 26% of potatoes were harvested from black soils.
 They are also important to mitigate human-induced climate change because of their ability to do carbon
sequestration. They can remove carbon from the atmosphere and lock it up in soil organic matter.
• Concerns with Black Soil:
 Most of the black soils suffered from moderate to severe erosion processes, nutrient imbalances,
acidification, and biodiversity loss.
 Black soils are quickly losing their SOC stocks (20 to 50% of their original SOC stock is lost), with carbon
being released into the atmosphere mostly as CO2, exacerbating global warming.
• Suggestions Given in the Report:
 Preserving natural vegetation on black soils such as grasslands, forests, and wetlands.
 Adopting sustainable soil management approaches on cropped black soils.

World Soil Day (WSD)

• WSD is held annually on 5th December as a means to focus attention on the importance of healthy soil
and the sustainable management of soil resources.
• An international day to celebrate Soil was recommended by the International Union of Soil Sciences
(IUSS) in 2002.
• Under the leadership of the Kingdom of Thailand and within the framework of the Global Soil Partnership,
FAO has supported the formal establishment of WSD as a global awareness-raising platform.
For more information on Black Soil > Major Soil Types of India: Alluvial Soils & Black Soils - PMF IAS

{Agri – Scheme – 2022/10} Rythu Bharosa Kendras

• Context (IE | TH): An Ethiopian delegation visited Andhra Pradesh to study the first-of-its kind Rythu
Bharosa Kendras (RBKs).
• Rythu Bharosa Kendras (RBKs) are unique seeds-to-sales, single-window service centres for farmers.
• They have been set up by the Andhra Pradesh government across the state.
• In Telugu, Rythu means farmer.
• RBKs are a one-stop solution to all farmers’ needs and grievances.
 They sell pre-tested quality seeds, certified fertilisers and animal feed.
 They sell or lend farm equipment.
  They buy farmer’s produce at the prevailing MSP (Minimum Support Price).
 They conduct soil testing and make recommendations – on which crops to sow and quantity and type
of fertiliser to be used.
 The state government also pays crop insurance and makes payments to farmers through the RBKs.

Success of Rythu Bharosa Kendras (RBKs)

• RBKs facilitate interaction between farmers, agriculture scientists, and agriculture extension officers right at
the village level.
• They demonstrate new farm equipment and provide training to farmers.
• Based on RBKs inputs on soil testing and weather conditions, many farmers have changed their cropping
patterns and benefited immensely.
• The RBKs eliminated spurious seeds and uncertified and dangerous fertilisers, which cause crop failures.
• The Centre has recently nominated the RBK concept for the Food and Agriculture Organisation’s “Cham-
pion’’ award.

{Agri – Scheme – 2022/11} Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY)

• Context (PIB | TH): GOI is open to making ‘pro-farmer changes’ in the PMFBY crop insurance scheme.
• The PMFBY was launched in 2016. It was formulated by replacing earlier two schemes National Agricultural
Insurance Scheme (NAIS) and Modified National Agricultural Insurance Scheme (MNAIS).
• The objectives of PMFBY are:
 Provide insurance cover to farmers suffering crop failure due to unforeseen events (natural calamities,
pests & diseases).
 Stabilise the income of farmers to ensure their continuance in farming
 Encourage farmers to adopt innovative and modern agricultural practices
 Ensure flow of credit to the agriculture sector to ensure food security, crop diversification, etc.

Crops Covered by PMFBY

 Food crops (Cereals, Millets, and Pulses)
 Oilseeds
 Annual Commercial / Annual Horticultural crops

Rate of Premium to be Paid by the Farmer to Insurance Company under PMFBY

 2% for all Kharif crops
 1.5% for all Rabi crops
 5% for annual commercial and horticultural crops
• If the premium rate quoted by the Insurance Company is higher than the above rates, the difference will be
paid to the Insurance Company by the State & GOI at 50% each in the form of premium subsidy.

Coverage of Risks and Exclusions under PMFBY Scheme

• Crop risks leading to crop loss covered under the scheme are:
 Prevented Sowing/Planting/Germination Risk
 Standing Crop (Sowing to Harvesting)
 Post-Harvest Losses
 Localized Calamities
 Crop loss due to attack by wild animals
• General Exclusions: Losses due to war and nuclear risks, malicious damage, other preventable risks, etc.

Revamping of PMFBY
• PMFBY was revamped in 2020. Some of the important changes made in PMFBY are as follows:
 Enrolment to the scheme is made optional for all farmers (earlier it was mandatory for farmers taking
institutional loans).
 Centre’s premium subsidy is limited up to 30% for unirrigated areas/crops and 25% for irrigated
areas/crops (earlier there was no upper cap for central subsidy).
 Districts having 50% or more irrigated area will be considered as irrigated.
 Flexibility to States/UTs to implement the Scheme with option to select any or many of additional risk
covers/features like prevented sowing, localised calamity, mid-season adversity, and post-harvest losses.
 Central share in Premium Subsidy to be increased to 90% for North-eastern States from the existing
sharing pattern of 50:50 between the centre and state.

{Agri – Schemes – 2022/09} Mission Amrit Sarovar

TOI | Prelims | GS3 > Agriculture
• Context: Uttar Pradesh ranked 1st, Madhya Pradesh is 2nd, followed by Jammu and Kashmir in 3rd place,
Rajasthan in 4th and Tamil Nadu in 5th in the construction of Amrit Sarovars.
• Mission Amrit Sarovar was launched on National Panchayati Raj Day on 24th April 2022.
 National Panchayati Raj Day: On this day in 1993 the 73rd Amendment Act, 1992 of the Constitution which
constitutionalised Panchayati Raj came into effect.
• It is a part of celebration of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav.
• Objective: to conserve water for future.
• Aim: development and rejuvenation of 75 water bodies in each district of all the states of the country.
• The Mission works through the States and Districts, through refocusing of various schemes such as Mahatma
Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), XV Finance Commission Grants,
Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) sub schemes such as Watershed Development Com-
ponent, Har Khet Ko Pani besides States’ own schemes.
• Ministries involved: Department of Rural Development, Department of Land Resources, Department of Drink-
ing Water and Sanitation, Department of Water Resources, Ministry of Panchayati Raj and Ministry of Forest,
Environment and Climate Changes.

{Agri – Schemes – 2022/10} Fertilizer Subsidy

• Context (TH | PIB): Union Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers announced the implementation of the “Pra-
dhan Mantri Bhartiya Jan Urvarak Pariyojana (PMBJP) – One Nation One Fertiliser” scheme.

One Nation, One Fertiliser Scheme

• Under the PMBJP – One Nation, One Fertiliser scheme, all fertiliser manufacturers under the fertiliser
subsidy scheme will be required to use a single brand and logo for fertilisers.
• The single brand name under this scheme will be “Bharat” and the logo will be PMBJP logo.
 The single brand name for UREA, DAP, MOP and NPKS etc. would be BHARAT UREA, BHARAT DAP,
BHARAT MOP and BHARAT NPK etc.
• The new “Bharat” brand name and PMBJP logo will cover two-thirds of the front of the fertiliser packet.
• The manufacturing brands can only display their name, logo, and other information on the remaining one-
third space!

Rationale behind the Scheme

• Standardisation: Despite taking huge subsidies in production, fertiliser manufacturers sale the fertilisers un-
der their brand identity and not under government name.
• Affordability: Due to the use of only single brand name now there will be no added attraction for any par-
ticular brand. So, fertilisers can be made available to the farmers very easily at affordable prices.
• Reduction in Freight Charges: The presence of different brand-wise demand for fertilisers in specific areas
results in high transport cost and freight subsidies. But when there will be only one brand, the different brand-
wise demand will not be there because of which there will be less freight movement.

Criticisms against the Scheme

• Adverse Impact on Fertilisers Quality: Since there is less scope for building a unique brand identity, it will
discourage manufacturers from bringing newer and more efficient products into the market.
• Hindrance for Attaining Self-sufficiency in Fertilisers: The government wants to become self-sufficient in
fertilisers, which are currently imported in large quantity. But without any impetus for manufacturers to im-
prove their production this target cannot be achieved.

Fertiliser Subsidy: How is the subsidy paid & who gets it?
• Farmers buy fertilisers at MRPs (maximum retail price) below their normal supply-and-demand-based mar-
ket rates or what it costs to produce/import them. The difference is footed by the Centre as subsidy.
• The subsidy goes to fertiliser companies, although its ultimate beneficiary is the farmer who pays MRPs
less than the market-determined rates.
• Since 2018, the subsidy is paid through a direct benefit transfer (DBT) system after actual sale of fertilizers
to farmers by retailers (there are over 2.3 lakh retailors across India).
• Each retailer has a point-of-sale (PoS) machine linked to the Department of Fertilisers’ e-Urvarak DBT
portal. Farmers are required to furnish his/her Aadhaar unique identity or Kisan Credit Card number.
• The quantities of the individual fertilisers purchased, along with the buyer’s name & biometric authentica-
tion, have to be captured on the PoS device.
• Only the sale getting registered on the e-Urvarak platform, a company’s subsidy claim is processed on a
weekly basis.
 The MRPs of non-urea fertilisers are decontrolled (fixed by the companies). The Centre, however,
pays a flat per-tonne subsidy on non-urea fertilisers to ensure they are priced reasonably. Decon-
trolled fertilisers, thus, retail way above urea, while they also attract lower subsidy.

{Agri – Schemes – 2022/10} Pradanmantri Kisan Samrudhi Kendra (PMKSK)

• Context (PIB): 600 Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samruddhi Kendras (PMKSK) were inaugurated under the Ministry
of Chemicals & Fertilisers.
• PMKSK (also known as the Model Fertilizer Retail Shop) will serve as a One-Stop Shop for Indian farmers
for buying quality agri-inputs such as fertilisers, seeds, pesticides, and farm implements.
• They will also provide testing facilities for soil, seeds, and fertilizers.
• These kendras will also help create awareness among the farmers about the balanced use of fertilisers
(including organic fertilisers and micronutrients) and information regarding various government schemes.
• Under the scheme, the retail fertiliser shops in the country will be converted into PMKSK in a phased manner.
{Agri – Sustainable Agriculture – 2022/11} Natural Farming, ZBNF, BPKP
• Context (TH): Following Covid-19, the demand for food from natural farming has increased.
• The Green Revolution led to extensive water consumption and aggravated groundwater loss. According to
the Central Water Commission, the agriculture sector has already consumed over 83 percent of the avail-
able water resources. Hence there is a demand to shift to sustainable natural farming systems, such as ZBNF.

Natural Farming
• Natural Farming is a chemical-free traditional sustainable farming method. It largely avoids the use of
manufactured inputs and equipment.
• Masanobu Fukuoka established this ecological farming approach in his 1975 book ‘The One-Straw Revolu-
tion’. It was referred to as the Fukuoka Method or do-nothing farming.

Benefits of Natural Farming

 Low cost of production: Minimal use of the equipment and no use of chemical fertilizer and pesticides.
 Good for health: Food produced has higher nutrition density and is chemical-free.
 Environment Conservation: Fewer chemical residues and carbon emissions. In this agroecology-based di-
versified farming system, crops, trees, and livestock are integrated with functional biodiversity.
 Efficient Use of Water: Modern commercial farming leads to the over-extraction of groundwater. But natural
farming leads to more efficient use of soil moisture.

Promotes Soil Health

 Conventional chemical-based farming depletes macro-nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium,
etc.), micro-nutrients (iron, manganese, zinc, copper, etc.), organic carbon, and rhizosphere microbiome
(for nitrogen fixing) in the soil. This does not happen in natural farming.
 Natural farming on the other hand helps in the growth of beneficial organisms like earthworms and in-
creases soil enzymes and microbial biomass. All these help in soil restoration.

Challenges of Natural Farming

 The decline in Yields: Sikkim, the first organic state in India has seen a decline in yield following conversion
to organic farming. Many farmers have switched back to conventional farming after this decline.
 Shortage of Natural Inputs: Lack of readily available natural inputs is a barrier to converting to chemical-
free agriculture. For profitable farming this delay and shortage in natural inputs are detrimental.
 Resistance from Chemical Inputs Industry: It is a well-built-up capital-intensive industry. It naturally dis-
courages any efforts towards natural farming.

Zero-Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF)

• India introduced ZBNF in its Budget 2019-20. It was first propagated by Subhash Palekar (who was con-
ferred with Padma Shri in 2016) as a movement for farmers who were in debt due to the Green Revolution.
• ZBNF is neither chemical-loaded nor organic. It seeks to reduce input costs to ZERO by avoiding chem-
ical and manufactured inputs and encouraging farmers to rely upon natural products available locally.
• It is considered a 'zero budget' because there is not much need to spend money on inputs and the costs of
raising the main crop are offset by the income that farmers earn from intercrops.

Components of ZBNF
• ZBNF promotes:
 Soil aeration,
 Minimal watering (saves electricity),
 Intercropping,
 Bunds and topsoil mulching and
• ZBNF discourages intensive irrigation and deep ploughing. It opposes the use of vermicompost. Instead,
it recommends the revival of local deep soil earthworms through increased organic matter.
• In ZBNF, chemical fertilizers and pesticides make way for locally available cow dung, cow urine, jaggery,
etc., and treating seeds with natural ingredients made on the farm by the farmer himself.
• ZBNF promotes the application of
 Jivamrita/jeevamrutha: it is a fermented microbial culture. It provides nutrients and promotes the
activity of microorganisms and earthworms in the soil. It also helps to prevent fungal and bacterial
plant diseases.
 Bijamrita: Bijamrita effectively protects young roots from fungus and soil-borne and seed-borne dis-
eases. Jeevamrutha and Bijamrita are prepared from a mixture of desi cow dung & urine, jaggery, etc.
 Acchadana/Mulching: a protective layer of biomass on the soil.
 Whapasa/Moisture: Whapasa is the condition where there are both air molecules and water mole-
cules present in the soil. It involves reducing irrigation, irrigating only at noon, in alternate furrows.
• Also, ZBNF includes three methods of insect and pest management: Agniastra, Brahmastra, and Neemas-
tra (preparations using cow urine, cow dung, tobacco, fruits, green chili, garlic, and neem).

Bharatiya Prakritik Krishi Paddhati (BPKP) Scheme for Natural Farming

• BPKP Scheme is launched by the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare in 2020-21.
• It is a sub-scheme of Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY).
• It is launched for the promotion of traditional indigenous practices.
• It mainly emphasizes on:
 Exclusion of all synthetic chemical inputs
 On-farm biomass recycling with significant stress on biomass mulching
 Use of cow dung-urine formulations
 Plant-based preparations
 Time to time working of soil for aeration
• Under BPKP, financial assistance of Rs 12200/ha for 3 years is provided for cluster formation, capacity
building and continuous handholding by trained personnel, certification, and residue analysis.

Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojna (PKVY)

• PKVY is a sub-component of the Soil Health Management (SHM) scheme.
• It is a centrally sponsored scheme that was launched in 2015.
• It aims at the development & promotion of organic farming by cluster approach & PGS Certification.
• The objectives of the scheme are:
 To promote commercial organic production through certified organic farming
 To produce pesticide residue-free harvests that will improve the health of the consumer
 To raise farmer’s income and create a potential market for traders
 To ensure long-term soil fertility, resource conservation & climate change adaptation & mitigation.
• Under this scheme, 50 or more farmers will form a cluster having 50-acre land to take up organic farm-
ing. Every farmer will be provided Rs. 20,000 per acre in three years for seeds to the harvesting of crops
and transporting of the produce to the market.

Organic Farming vs. Natural Farming (ZBNF)

Similarities
 Both organic and natural farming are sustainable agricultural practices. They focus on producing chemical-
free foods by avoiding the application of synthetic fertilizers and chemical pesticides. They encourage
farmers to use local breeds of seeds and plants and non-chemical homemade pest methods.

Differences
 Natural farming is described as “the natural way of farming” or “do nothing farming”. Organic Farming
on the other hand is a holistic system designed to optimize the productivity of diverse communities
(plants, livestock) within the agroecosystem.
 Organic farming doesn’t discourage basic practices like ploughing, tilting, applying bulk organic manures
(compost, vermicompost, etc.), weeding, etc. In natural farming, the natural agroecosystem is preserved by
avoiding ploughing, tilling of the soil, weeding, application of bulk organic manures, etc.
 Organic farming can be capital-intensive due to the requirement of bulk organic manures, modified agroe-
cosystems, etc. In contrast, natural farming is extremely low-cost (in the case of ZBNF it is almost zero) with
locally made preparations.

Sustainable Practises for ZBNF & Agriculture in General

Mixed cropping or Diverse cropping

• In mixed cropping or diverse cropping two or more crops are grown all at the same time in a field. If
by chance one crop fails, the other crops cover the risk of total crop failure.
• Usually a long-duration crop is grown with a short-duration one, so both get sufficient nutrition at the time
of maturity. Generally, a leguminous crop is grown along with the main crop (intercropping).
• The various plans followed in diverse or mixed cropping practices are:
 polyvarietal cultivation where several genetic varieties of the same crop are planted.
 intercropping is where two or more different crops are grown simultaneously, like carbohydrate-rich
cereal that uses soil nitrogen and nitrogen-fixing legume that puts the nitrogen back in the soil.
 polyculture, in which different plants maturing at various times are planted together.

Advantages of Mixed cropping

 This practice has many advantages because the fertilizer and water requirements of plants are different, so
there is less need for these inputs.
 Pests are controlled naturally because their natural predators find multiple habitats to survive.
 It has been found that this practice produces a much higher yield per hectare than monoculture.

Monoculture
• Large-scale mechanization led to the spread of monoculture i.e., only one crop variety is sown in the
entire area. It uses a lot of fertilizer, pesticide, water, etc. It may be productive for some time but causes
environmental and economic problems. E.g., conventional paddy and wheat cultivation.

Strip Farming
• This involves planting the main crops in widely spaced rows and filling the spaces with another crop to
ensure complete ground cover. It retards water flow which thus soaks down into the soil, consequently
reducing erosion problems.

Crop Rotation (Multiple Cropping or Multi-Cropping)

• It is the practice of growing two or more different crops in regular succession in the same field within a
year. This practice controls insects and diseases, increases soil fertility, and decreases soil erosion. This prac-
tice can continue for some time, but the land cannot maintain a high yield in the long run.
• Generally, soil cannot sustain continuous cropping (monocropping) with a high-yielding single crop because
certain nutrients required by the crop get exhausted totally. In contrast, others remain unutilized leading to
a severe nutrient imbalance in soil and encouraging certain diseases and pests.
• Sowing a leguminous crop (e.g., green gram) as a rotational crop is very useful because legumes enhance
nitrogen levels in the soil and reduce the need for chemical nitrogen fertilizer.

Best Practises in Crop Rotation

 Leguminous crops should be grown after non-leguminous crops.
 Crops that require less water (irrigation) should be grown after one that requires more water.
 Crops requiring less manure should be sown after one that requires more manure.

Mixed Farming
• Mixed farming involves mixed crops along with livestock operations. It has several advantages:
 Optimum diversity may be obtained by integrating crops and livestock in the same farming operation.
 Growing crops only on more level land and pastures or forages on steeper slopes will reduce soil erosion.
 Pasture and leguminous forage crops in rotation enhance soil quality and reduce erosion; livestock manure,
in turn, contributes to soil fertility.
 Livestock can buffer the negative impacts of low rainfall periods by consuming crop residue which in “plant
only” systems would have been considered crop failure.
 Feeding and marketing are flexible in animal production systems. This can help cushion farmers against price
fluctuations and, make more efficient use of farm labour.

Soil Management
• Healthy soil produces crops less susceptible to pests and diseases. Accordingly, the soil must be protected
and nurtured to ensure long-term productivity and stability. Methods of protection include using cover
crops, and compost, reducing tillage, and conserving soil moisture with dead mulches.

Vermicomposting (Palekar opposes the use of vermicompost in ZBNF)

• Vermicomposting is an appropriate technique for efficiently recycling animal wastes, crop residues, and
agro-industrial wastes with the help of earthworms.
• Vermicompost can be prepared from all sorts of organic residues – animal waste, sericulture residues, dairy
and poultry residues, bagasse from sugarcane factories, weeds (particularly Parthenium hysterophorus or
Congress weed before flowering), etc.

Nutrient Management
• Sixteen nutrients are essential for plants. Air supplies carbon and oxygen, hydrogen comes from water, and
soil supplies thirteen nutrients. Amongst these, six are required in large quantities and are called mac-
ronutrients. The other seven are required in small quantities and are therefore called micronutrients.
Source Nutrient
Air Carbon, Oxygen
Water Hydrogen, Oxygen
Soil  Macronutrients: Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium, Calcium, Magnesium, Sulphur
 Micronutrients: Iron, Manganese, Boron, Zinc, Copper, Molybdenum, Chlorine

Nitrogen (N)
• N is an essential constituent of proteins and is present in many other compounds of great physiological
importance in plant metabolism. It is an integral part of chlorophyll, the primary observer of light energy
needed for photosynthesis. It imparts vigorous vegetative growth and dark green colour to plants.

Phosphorus (P)
• Phosphorus (P) is an essential part of the enzymes which help the crop to fix light energy. It forms an integral
part of nucleic acids, the carriers of genetic information, and is important in stimulating root growth.

Potassium (K)
• Potassium (K) is involved in processes that ensure carbon assimilation and transportation throughout the
plant for growth and storing sugars and proteins. Furthermore, sufficient potassium ensures resistance to
frost, drought, and certain diseases. The potassium ion is essential for water regulation and uptake (osmo-
sis).

Others
• Magnesium occurs in chlorophyll and is also an activator of enzymes.
• Sulphur forms part of two essential amino acids which are among the many building blocks of protein. It is
also found in vitamin B1 and several necessary enzymes.
• Calcium is required for plant growth, cell division, and enlargement. The growth of root and shoot tips
and storage organs is also affected by calcium as it is a component of cell membranes. Calcium is also vital
for pollen growth and preventing leaf fall.
{Agri – Tech – 2022/05} Direct Seeding of Rice (DSR)
IE | TOI | Prelims + Mains | GS3 > Science & Technology
• Context: Punjab government recently announced incentives for farmers opting for Direct Seeding of Rice
(DSR) in order to save water.

Direct Seeding of Rice (DSR)

• Direct Seeding of Rice (DSR), also called the ‘broadcasting seed technique’, is a water-saving paddy cul-
tivation method.
• In this method, the fields are levelled and pre-sowing irrigation is done, and then seeds are directly sown into
the fields.
• Seeds are sown earlier than in the transplantation method
Direct Seeding of Rice (DSR) Transplantation Method
• Seeds are directly sown into the fields • Seeds are first sown in a nursery bed for 20-25
days and then seedlings are transplanted to wa-
terlogged fields.
• Needs more fertiliser • Needs less fertiliser.
• Interspacing between plants is not uniform • Interspacing between plants is uniform
• Require less labour • Require high labour
• Average yield is high • Average yield is lower
• Plants are usually healthier and have strong, • Plants do not have deep root systems.
deeper root systems.
• Large amounts of seeds are required • Fewer amounts of seeds are required
• Density of plants is more • Density of plants is high
• Weed control is difficult • Weed control is easy
• Relatively cheaper • Relatively costlier

Advantages of Direct Seeding Method (DSR)

• DSR technique can help save 15% to 25% water as it requires less irrigation rounds.
• It can solve labour shortage problems because it requires less labour.
• It helps in replenishment of ground water because the hard crust that forms beneath the plough layer in
transplanted method which prevents water percolation is not formed in the DSR method.
• It helps control the stubble burning problem (which causes air pollution) because crops grown by the DSR
method mature earlier than transplanted crops giving more time for paddy straw management.
• It saves up to 27% energy as pumping energy for field preparation and irrigation is required less.
• It enhances fertilizer use efficiency because of the use of fertilizer in the root zone.
• It reduces methane emissions (which causes global warming) as there is no need to flood the paddy field.
Flooding of fields in the transplantation method cuts off oxygen supply from the atmosphere leading to
 anoxic decomposition (a condition in which microorganisms use nitrate for decomposition in the absence
of oxygen) emitting methane.
• It causes less disturbance to soil structure.

Disadvantages of Direct Seeding Method (DSR)

• It is difficult to control weeds in DSR due to the variety and severity of weed infestation caused by the lack
of a standing water layer at the time of plant growth.
• It requires large amounts of seeds.
• It needs laser land levelling (a more advanced technique for smoothing the land surface with a certain degree
of the desired slope using a guided laser beam) which is costly.
• It is very sensitive to rain; seeding must be completed before the arrival of monsoon rains and also sudden
rain immediately after seeding has a negative impact.
• This method uses largescale herbicide for weed control which leads to the development of herbicide re-
sistance in some weeds.
• Aerobic soil (presence of oxygen) conditions in DSR methods leads to higher nitrous oxide emissions
(nitrous oxide = the most important greenhouse gas after methane and carbon dioxide).
• Uneven cropping may lead to failure in achieving the potential yield in this method

Rice
• Rice accounts for 1/3rd production of food grains in India.
• India is the 2nd largest producer of rice in the world after China.
• It is an indigenous crop grown all over the country with the highest concentration in northeastern and
southern parts.
• It grows best in warm (>25°C), humid areas and heavy rainfall areas (>150 cm)
• It is a Kharif crop in north India while in south India, it can be grown throughout the year if irrigation is
available.
• In India, three varieties of rice are grown. They are - Aman (sown in the rainy season, i.e., July-August
and harvested in winter), Aus (sown in summer along with the pre-monsoon showers and harvested in
autumn) and Boro (sown in winter and harvested in summer; it is also called spring rice).
• India’s leading rice-producing states are West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Tamil Nadu and Andhra
Pradesh.

{Agri – Tech – 2022/05} Tissue Culture Plants

PIB | Prelims + Mains | GS3 > Science & Technology
• Context: Exports of tissue culture plants promoted by offering help to exporters to access new markets and
to enhance quality standards to meet the norms of importing countries.
• Top ten countries importing tissue culture plants from India are the Netherlands (accounting for around
50% of imports), the USA, Italy, Australia, Canada, Japan, Kenya, Senegal, Ethiopia and Nepal.
• The demand for tissue culture plants is increasing with the increasing demand for crop plants, forest plants,
potted plants, ornamental, and landscaping plants.
• India is bestowed with knowledge, biotech experts with vast tissue culture experience and a low-cost labour
force to help produce export quality tissue culture plants.

Tissue Culture of Plants

• Tissue culture makes use of parts of a plant to generate multiple copies of the plant in a very short
duration.
• It is the in vitro (performed in a test tube, culture dish, or elsewhere outside a living organism) aseptic cul-
ture (culture free from contamination caused by harmful bacteria, viruses, or other microorganisms) of cells,
tissues, organs or whole plants under controlled nutritional and environmental conditions often to produce
clones of plants.

Application of Tissue Culture of Plants

• Tissue culture helps in producing somaclones (genetically identical plants from one single parent plant)
• It helps in micropropagation (the rapid multiplication of plants at a large scale under artificial conditions) of
commercial plants.
• It is the most efficient technique to get rid of pathogens, pests and microbes that attack plants.
• It helps in developing disease-free plants from disease-rode plants.
• It helps in the production of synthetic seeds (encapsulated plant tissues, such as somatic embryos, shoot
buds, shoot tips, etc.) that have the potential to grow like a plant, under in-vivo or in-vitro conditions when
sown as seeds.
• It makes germplasm preservation (germplasm = living genetic resources such as seeds or tissues main-
tained for breeding, preservation, and research uses) possible using slow-growth conditions (low temperature
or growth-retarding compounds in the medium) or cryopreservation (preserving cells, tissues and seeds by
cooling them below the freezing point of water).

Steps taken to Improve Tissue Culture Plants Exports of India

• Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), the apex export promo-
tion body have taken steps to promote exports of tissue culture plants.
 It is running a Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS) to help tissue culture laboratories to produce export
quality tissue culture plants by meeting the phytosanitary needs
 It facilitates exports of tissue culture plants through market development, market analysis and exhi-
bition of tissue culture plants at international exhibitions.
 It has asked the exporters to provide a list of germplasms of plants/crops which can be imported from
producing countries.
{Agri – Tech – 2022/06} Liquid Nano Urea
IE | Prelims + Mains | GS3 > Agriculture
• Context: Recently, the first Liquid Nano Urea (LNU) plant at Kalol, Gujarat was inaugurated.

What is Nano Urea?

• It is a nanotechnology-based revolutionary Agri-input which provides nitrogen to plants.
• It is indigenously developed and introduced by the Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited (IFFCO).
• Nano urea is a potential component of 4 R nutrient stewardship as it promotes precision and sustainable
agriculture.

What is the 4R Nutrient Stewardship?

• It provides a framework to achieve cropping system goals, such as increased production, increased farmer
profitability, enhanced environmental protection and improved sustainability.
• To achieve those goals, the 4R concept incorporates the following:

The Science Behind Nano Urea

• Nano urea (Liquid) contains 4% nanoscale nitrogen particles (small size 20-50 nm)  more surface area
and particles per unit area than conventional urea.
• The nanoparticles easily penetrate via cell walls or leaf stomatal pores.
• Foliar application (applying liquid fertilizer directly to the leaves as opposed to in the soil) of nano urea liquid
 efficient nitrogen absorption  better physiological growth  Improvement in production.
• After entering the plant they are transported to other plant parts via phloem cells, plasmodesmata or can
bind to carrier proteins.

Potential Benefits Of Nano Urea

• Boosts crop production and can decrease traditional Urea requirements by 50%.
• High uptake efficiency of more than 80% compared to traditional Urea.
• Reduce NOx and Ammonia emissions  limiting climate change.
• Eco Safe  Help in enhancing soil health  improving aquatic life by reducing decreasing nitrate leaching
and improving groundwater quality.
• Produce more  Improves Crop Productivity
• Required Less  Reduces use of Conventional Urea
• Easy Transportation  Transportation would be simpler and more cost-effective since one 500 mL bottle
would be comparable to one bag of traditional urea fertiliser.
• Non-Toxic  It is completely safe for humans, animals, birds, rhizosphere organisms and the environment
at the recommended levels of application.
• Economically Affordable  Cheaper than regular Urea.

Prelims Practice: Which of the following is/are the effects of the injudicious application of
Urea?
1. It increases NOx and Ammonia emissions.
2. Its runoff into water bodies causes excessive algae growth (Eutrophication).
3. Excessive Nitrates leaching to the ground causes water pollution.
4. Excess use of Urea results in susceptibility of crops to Insects, Pests & Diseases
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 1, 2 and 3 only
c) 2, 3 and 4 only
d) All of the above

Injudicious application of Urea causes:

 • Excess use of Urea causes environmental issues & results in susceptibility of crops to Insects, Pests &
Diseases.
• Excessive foliage growth leads to crop lodging.
• It leads to deterioration of soil health due to the mining of micronutrients.
• Use of N-fertilizers causes NOx and Ammonia emissions.
• Runoff to rivers, lakes and oceans causing excessive algae growth.
• Excessive Nitrates in Drinking Water causes water pollution.
• NPK ratio is skewed and distorted due to the overuse of fertilizers.
• Low use efficiency of Urea (30-40 %) – Compromises health of Soil-Air-Water.
Answer: (d) All of the above.

{Agri – Tech – 2022/09} Plant-Based Meat

TOI | Prelims | GS3 > Agriculture
• Context: India exported the first consignment of plant-based meat products from the Kheda district of
Gujarat to California.
• Due to their rich fibre and lesser cholesterol contents, vegan food products are becoming popular. So,
plant-based food products have a huge export potential in the international market.
• The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Authority (APEDA) has planned to promote a variety
of vegan foods products for export.

Plant-Based Meat Products

• Plant-based meats are made of ingredients derived from plants, but they look and taste like real meat.
• Plant-based meats should not be mistaken for cultured meat (meat grown in a lab from a small sample of
cells taken from an animal).
Benefits of Plant-based Product over Real Meat

Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Authority (APEDA)

• APEDA (statutory body  established by an act of parliament) is an apex-export trade promotion
government body established under the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Develop-
ment Authority Act, 1985.
• It functions under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
  The Agricultural & Processed Food Products Export Authority (APEDA) functions under the
Commerce Ministry (not under the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare)
 The Marine Products Exports Development Authority (MPEDA) also functions under the Com-
merce Ministry (not under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying).

Functions of APEDA
• Development of industries relating to the scheduled products for export.
• Registration of persons as exporters of the scheduled products.
• Fixing standards and specifications for the scheduled products for the purpose of exports.
• Carrying out inspection of meat and meat products in slaughterhouses, processing plants, storage prem-
ises, conveyances or other places where such products are kept or handled.
• Improving packaging of the Scheduled products.
• Improving marketing of the Scheduled products outside India.

Scheduled Products under APEDA

1. Fruits, Vegetables and their Products 2. Groundnuts, Peanuts and Walnuts
3. Meat and Meat Products 4. Pickles, Papads and Chutneys
5. Poultry and Poultry Products 6. Guar Gum
7. Dairy Products 8. Floriculture and Floriculture Products
9. Confectionery, Biscuits and Bakery Products 10. Herbal and Medicinal Plants
11. Honey, Jaggery and Sugar Products 12. De-oiled rice bran
13. Cocoa and its products, Chocolates of all 14. Green pepper in brine
15. Alcoholic and Non-Alcoholic Beverages 16. Cashew Nuts and Its Products
17. Cereal and Cereal Products