Agriculture Quiz

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The Odisha Government, in partnership with International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), launched a “Compendium of Regenerative Agriculture” to promote sustainable farming. This compendium was released at the International Symposium on Shree Anna and Forgotten Foods. It outlines five key principles: minimizing soil disturbance, maximizing crop diversity, maintaining soil cover, keeping living roots year-round, and integrating livestock. ICRISAT is an international organization focused on improving dryland farming and food systems in Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and other semi-arid regions.

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Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) released the State of Food and Agriculture 2024 (SOFA) report. FAO’s “State of Food and Agriculture 2024” report focuses on transforming agrifood systems for sustainability. It highlights hidden costs, which are external costs or economic losses from market and policy failures. The report emphasizes unhealthy diets, contributing 70% of global hidden costs, including non-communicable diseases. Industrial agrifood systems contribute the most to hidden costs, around $5.9 trillion. India’s hidden costs are approximately $1.3 trillion annually, ranking third globally, mainly from unhealthy dietary patterns. The SOFA report is an annual overview of FAO’s key topics. It focuses on emerging areas like agrifood systems and digital agriculture technologies.

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Member countries of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, Heads of Delegations and partners of the Global Framework on Water Scarcity in Agriculture (WASAG) adopted the Rome Declaration on Water Scarcity in Agriculture during the High-level Rome Water Dialogue. This event occurred alongside FAO’s annual World Food Forum. The declaration aims to tackle water scarcity, which is worsened by the climate crisis. WASAG was launched at the 2016 UN Climate Conference in Marrakesh to help countries with water scarcity challenges. The initiative focuses on supporting nations in managing water scarcity issues effectively.

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The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) released a report titled “Agriculture and Conservation.” The report explores the complex relationship between agriculture and biodiversity conservation. Agriculture directly threatens 34% of species on the IUCN Red List due to habitat conversion to croplands, pasturelands, plantations, and irrigation. Indirect threats include invasive species, nutrient loading, soil erosion, agrochemicals, and climate change.
On the positive side, agriculture provides habitat for about 17% of species on the IUCN Red List.

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The Fourth Agriculture Roadmap of Bihar will be effective from the year 2023 to 2028. This roadmap is proposed to enhance crop productivity, reduce costs, and improve farmers’ livelihoods in Bihar through strategic investments in irrigation, technological advances, and infrastructure development. The Agriculture Roadmaps are a set of strategic plans proposed by the Bihar government to promote and strengthen the agricultural sector in the state.

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The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is developing a National Agriculture Code (NAC) similar to the National Building and Electrical Codes. The NAC will cover the entire agriculture cycle, from crop selection to post-harvest operations. It will have two parts: general principles for all crops and crop-specific standards for paddy, wheat, oilseeds, and pulses. It aims to guide farmers, universities, and officials in agriculture. NAC will address input management, sustainability, natural farming, organic farming, and IoT in agriculture. It will support quality standards, decision-making, and capacity building in Indian agriculture.

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The Union Cabinet, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the rationalization of Centrally Sponsored Schemes into two main umbrella schemes: Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (PM-RKVY) and Krishonnati Yojana (KY). PM-RKVY aims to promote sustainable agriculture, while Krishonnati Yojana focuses on food security and agricultural self-sufficiency. This restructuring allows state governments to create comprehensive strategic plans tailored to their agricultural needs, addressing challenges like climate resilience and value chain development. The total proposed expenditure for these schemes is Rs. 1,01,321.61 crore, enhancing the efficiency of agricultural programs across India.

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According to the Union Agriculture Ministry, India is projected to achieve a record foodgrain production of 3,322.98 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) for the financial year 2023-24. This figure represents an increase of 26.11 LMT from the previous year’s production of 3,296.87 LMT. The rise is attributed to higher yields of rice, wheat, and millet, despite declines in pulses and oilseeds due to drought-like conditions affecting various states.

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The Union Ministry of Agriculture plans to launch a Smart Precision Horticulture Programme under the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH). The program will use technologies like IoT, AI, drones, and data analytics to boost production while reducing environmental impact. It will cover 15,000 acres over five years, benefiting around 60,000 farmers from 2024-25 to 2028-29. The Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) provides financing for smart and precision agriculture projects. The government is exploring collaborations with the Netherlands and Israel for modern farming solutions. 22 Precision Farming Development Centres (PFDCs) have been set up for testing and adapting new technologies.

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India participated in the G20 Agriculture Ministerial Meeting in Cuiabá, Brazil on September 12-13, 2024. Minister Ram Nath Thakur held talks with Japan, focusing on agricultural technology, cold storage, and market access for Indian pomegranates and grapes. Discussions with Brazil covered ethanol production and science cooperation; both aimed to finalize an MOU. Talks with the U.S. included climate-smart agriculture, crop insurance, and market access for Indian fruits and vegetables. Germany focused on AI in farming, agroecology, and organic farming. The UK discussed sustainability, precision breeding, and gene editing. Spain and the UAE explored climate-resilient agriculture and technology collaboration.