Agricultural commodities are the bedrock of most rural developing economies, contributing to livelihoods, food security and poverty reduction. Yet agricultural production is jeopardized by climate change, water scarcity, competition for arable land and ecosystem degradation. Poor farming practices and a lack of investment in the sector mean that sustainable and equitable development for farmers remains elusive. All these factors lead to acute food insecurity, therefore mastering the art of agriculture under harsh conditions remains imperative.
India’s food security depends on producing cereal crops, as well as increasing its production of fruits, vegetables and milk to meet the demands of a growing population with rising incomes. To do so, a productive, competitive, diversified and sustainable agricultural sector will need to emerge at an accelerated pace and in order to achieve this, a few attempts should be made.
New technologies should be promoted, howe-ver, major reforms and strengthening of India’s agricultural research and extension systems have declined over time due to chronic under-funding of infrastructure and operations, no replacement of aging researchers or broad access to state-of-the-art technologies. Research now has little to provide beyond the time-worn packages of the past. Public extension services are struggling and offer little new knowledge to farmers. There is too little conn-ection between research and extension, or between these services and the private sector.
Encouraging farmers to diversify to higher value commodities will be a significant factor for higher agricultural growth, particularly in rain-fed areas where poverty is high. Moreover, considerable potential exists for expanding agro-processing and building competitive value chains from producers to urban centres and export markets. While diversification initiatives should be left to farmers and entrepreneurs, the Government can, also play a small regulatory role, taking due care that this does not become an impediment.
In parts of India, the over-pumping of water for agricultural use is leading to falling groundwater levels. Conversely, water-logging is leading to the build-up of salts in the soils of some irrigated areas. In rain-fed areas on the other hand, agricultural
Practices need adapting to reduce soil erosion and increase the absorption of rainfall. Overexploited and degrading forest land needs mitigation measures. The most comprehensive solution is through watershed management programs, where communities engage in land planning and adopt agricultural practices that protect soils, increase water absorption and raise productivity through higher yields and crop diversification. The issue, however, is how to scale up such initiatives to cover larger areas of the country. More extreme events – droughts, floods, erratic rains – are expected and would have greatest impact in rain-fed areas. The watershed program, allied with initiatives from agricultural research and extension, may be the most suited agricultural program for promoting new varieties of crops and improved farm practices. But other thrusts, such as the livelihoods program and development of off-farm employment may also be key
1. How does a poor production environment affect rural communities?
1. It impacts the arable land and leads to degradation of the ecosystem.
2. It leads to stagnation in growth and development of farmers.
3. Farmers are able to explore other avenues for income.
4. The rural farmers have to migrate to urban areas in search of work.
5. Rural communities have to engage in crop diversification.
2. Which of the following is not a reason for declining research in the field of agriculture?
1. Under-funded operations
2. Financial constraints for developing infrastructure
3. Shortage of experts to conduct extensive research
4. Over-reliance on existing procedures
5. No access to advanced technologies
3. The author uses the word ‘bedrock’ in ‘Agricultural commodities are the bedrock of most rural developing economy
1. highlight the fact that livelihood of dominantly rural economies depends upon agriculture
2. suggest the fact that agriculture is the basic requirement in India
3. emphasize the importance of agriculture in India
4. stress on the fact that rural economies are unable to achieve their agricultural goals
5. hint at increasing problems that threaten the agricultural production
4. Which of the following can help to minimise the impact of drought-like conditions in rain-fed areas?
1. Using off-farm employment techniques
2. Adoption of new ploughing technologies that leave the land fertile
3. Efficient usage of freshwater
4. Diversification to higher value commodities
5. Adopting watershed management programs
5. Which of the following is a consequence of insufficient funding in the agricultural sector?
1. Inequitable development of farmers
2. Poor farm practices
3. Diversification in food crops
4. Production of non-agricultural commodity
5. Degradation in the quality of crops produced
6. Which of the following statements cannot be inferred from the passage?
A. Watershed management programs are limited in scope.
B. Conditions like heavy rains lead to crop production issues in rain-fed areas.
C. Over-pumping of water is the main reason for low agricultural production.
1. B
2. C
3. B and C
4. A and B
5. A and C
7. What can be inferred about the present scenario of India’s agricultural sector from the passage?
1. It is attempting to achieve food security through consistent efforts.
2. It is not able to meet the food requirements of growing population.
3. It is completely reliant on rural communities for production.
4. It needs a lot of reforms to ensure sustainability.
5. It keeps on providing knowledge of latest techniques to the farmers.
8. In context of the passage, choose the word which is most opposite in meaning to the given word. Mitigation
1. Agitation
2. Irrigation
3. Extension
4. Aggravation
5. Enlargement
9. In context of the passage, choose the word which is most opposite in meaning to the given word. Jeopardized
1. Planned
2. Protected
3. Exposed
4. Designed
5. Threatened
10. In context of the passage, choose the word which is most similar in meaning to the given word. Imperative
1. Peculiar
2. Attainable
3. Essential
4. Temporary
5. Assertive
(11-15). Directions: Rearrange the following sentences (A), (B), (C), (D), (E) and (F) in the proper sequence to form a meaningful paragraph, then answer the question given below them.
A) Nor that we should be perfect in everything.
B) Learning is a process that begins at birth and lasts till death.
C) It only means that we are capable of learning, changing and growing throughout the span of our earthly life.
D) Given that we are here to continually learn on the journey of life, it seems that the ultimate goal of learning.
E) This development through understanding new things, transforming and developing throughout may be considered as the perfection of soul.
F) Is to propose the idea of becoming a perfect soul, which is not the same as saying that we human beings can be perfect
11. Which of the following would be the FIRST sentence after rearrangement?
1. A
2. B
3. C
4. D
5. E
12. Which of the following would be the SECOND sentence after rearrangement?
1. A
2. F
3. E
4. D
5. C
13. Which of the following would be the THIRD sentence after rearrangement?
1. A
2. B
3. F
4. C
5. E
14. Which of the following would be the LAST sentence after rearrangement?
1. A
2. B
3. C
4. D
5. E
15. Which of the following would be the FIFTH sentence after rearrangement?
1. B
2. C
3. D
4. E
5. F
(16-20) Directions: In the following passage at certain points, you are given a choice of five words, one of which fits the meaning of the passage. Choose the best word out of them.
In ....(i).... parts of the world elder abuse occurs with little recognition or response. Until recently, this serious and widely spread social problem was hidden from the public view and considered mostly a ....(ii).... matter. Even today, elder abuse continues to be .... (iii)...., mostly underestimated and ignored by societies across the world. Evidence is accumulating, ...(iv)..., to indicate that elder abuse is an important public health and societal problem. As such, it demands a global multifaceted response, one which ...(v)... on protecting the rights of older persons.
16. Fill in the blank (i).
1. much
2. Every
3. Least
4. Few
5. many
17. Fill in the blank (ii).
1. secret
2. Private
3. Remote
4. Confidential
5. local
18. Fill in the blank (iii).
1. dogma
2. Banned
3. Denunciated
4. Anathema
5. taboo
19. Fill in the blank (iv).
1. however
2. Therefore
3. Eventually
4. Specifically
5. generally
20. Fill in the blank (v).
1. pivots
2. Consolidates
3. Aims
4. Focuse
5. attempts
(21-23) Directions: In the following sentence there are two blank spaces. Below each five pairs of words have been denoted. Find out the pair of words which fills the blanks in the sentence in the same sequence to make the sentence meaningfully complete.
21. ..... the activities of moneylenders could have an adverse impact on those who access to bank credit?
1. Encouraging, enjoying
2. Permitting, denied
3. Confining, entitled
4. Promoting, benefit
5. Curbing, lack
22. The Budget announced subst-antial ...... of ..... to critical sectors like education and healthcare.
1. expenditure, capital
2. sanction, initiative
3. allotment, security
4. disbursement, investment
5. allocation, resources
23. The government has decided not to make any ..... changes in the country’s tax.....
1. sweeping, regime
2. transparent, hike
3. drastically, net
4. constitutional, revenue
5. existing, structure
24. The RBI has ..... a statement that the implementation of KYC norms should not lead to the denial of banking ..... to customers.
1. released, asset
2. issued, services
3. drafted, clearing
4. made, tariff
5. notified, transaction
25. The new scheme ..... all persons with disabilities defined .... the Disabilities Act.
1. discriminates, according
2. recognises, beneath
3. profits, within
4. covers, under
5. promises, by
