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Q1 (IAS/2014) Economy › Agriculture & Rural Economy › Sustainable farming practices Official Key

What are the significances of a practical approach to sugarcane production known as 'Sustainable Sugarcane Initiative'? 1. Seed cost is very low in this compared to the conventional method of cultivation. 2. Drip irrigation can be practiced very effectively in this. 3. There is no application of chemical/inorganic fertilizers at all in this. 4. The scope for intercropping is more in this compared to the conventional method of cultivation. Select the correct answer using the code given below.

Result
Your answer: —  Âˇ  Correct: B
Explanation

The Sustainable Sugarcane Initiative (SSI) is a set of better management practices for sugarcane cultivation. SSI involves using less seeds, raising[2] seedlings in a nursery,[1] and using less water, which makes **statement 1 correct** as seed costs are significantly reduced. SSI uses wider plant spacing and is an alternative to conventional seed, water and space intensive sugarcane cultivation[3], which makes **statement 4 correct** as wider spacing allows for intercropping opportunities. Drip irrigation involves precise, slow application of water and has proved successful in terms of economy of water and increased yield in a wide range of crops[4], and given SSI's focus on water efficiency, **statement 2 is correct** as drip irrigation can be effectively practiced. However, SSI involves better water and nutrient[5] management [6]with optimum use of inputs, which implies balanced fertilizer use rather than complete elimination of chemical fertilizers, making **statement 3 incorrect**. Therefore, statements 1, 2, and 4 are correct.

Sources
  1. [2] https://www.cabidigitallibrary.org/doi/pdf/10.5555/20193144595
  2. [4] Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 12: Major Crops and Cropping Patterns in India > Other Methods of Irrigation > p. 73
  3. [6] https://www.cabidigitallibrary.org/doi/pdf/10.5555/20193144595
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Don’t just practise – reverse-engineer the question. This panel shows where this PYQ came from (books / web), how the examiner broke it into hidden statements, and which nearby micro-concepts you were supposed to learn from it. Treat it like an autopsy of the question: what might have triggered it, which exact lines in the book matter, and what linked ideas you should carry forward to future questions.
Q. What are the significances of a practical approach to sugarcane production known as 'Sustainable Sugarcane Initiative'? 1. Seed cost is …
At a glance
Origin: Books + Current Affairs Fairness: Low / Borderline fairness Books / CA: 2.5/10 ¡ 5/10
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This question is a classic 'Logic over Knowledge' test. While SSI was a specific current affair (WWF-ICRISAT project), the answer is derived entirely by eliminating the extreme Statement 3. If a method is 'Sustainable' (not 'Organic' or 'Natural'), it optimizes chemicals rather than banning them completely.

How this question is built

This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.

Statement 1
Does the Sustainable Sugarcane Initiative (SSI) significantly reduce seed/seedling cost compared to conventional sugarcane cultivation?
Origin: Weak / unclear Fairness: Borderline / guessy
Indirect textbook clues
Indian Economy, Vivek Singh (7th ed. 2023-24) > Chapter 11: Agriculture - Part II > Advantages of protected cultivation: > p. 356
Strength: 4/5
“• Better quality of produce• Higher productivity• Efficient use of resources• Better insect and disease control and reduced use of pesticides• Production of exotic/non-native & off-season vegetables & for raising quality seedlings”
Why relevant

Protected cultivation is noted as useful for 'raising quality seedlings' and for more efficient resource use.

How to extend

A student could infer that if SSI uses protected/quality-seedling methods, it might change per-unit seedling costs and then compare typical protected‑nursery costs with conventional practice.

Indian Economy, Vivek Singh (7th ed. 2023-24) > Chapter 10: Agriculture - Part I > 10.6 Agriculture Extension Services > p. 309
Strength: 4/5
“Sub Mission on Agricultural Extension (SMAE): Adoption of quality seeds is the most cost-effective means for increasing agricultural production and productivity. Agri Clinics, Agri business centres, Kisan Call Centres will be used for providing extension services.• 2. Sub-Mission on Seed and Planting Material (SMSP): The Sub-Mission will cover the entire gamut of seed chain from nucleus seed to supply to farmers for sowing. SMSP also envisages strengthening of Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Authority (PPV&FRA) in order to put in place an effective system for protection of plant varieties, rights of farmers and plant breeders and to encourage development of new varieties of plants.• 3.”
Why relevant

The Sub-Mission on Seed and Planting Material emphasizes the seed supply chain and importance of access to quality planting material.

How to extend

One could use this to check whether SSI relies on institutional seed supply (with known costs/subsidies) versus farmer‑saved material and thus infer relative cost changes.

Indian Economy, Nitin Singhania .(ed 2nd 2021-22) > Chapter 9: Agriculture > SEEDS > p. 299
Strength: 5/5
“• The efficiency of other agricultural inputs like fertilizers is dependent on seed.• Developed variety of seeds augment agriculture production and productivity.• Only 9.4 per cent of the total operational holding in India use certified seeds and only 9.8 per cent use hybrid seeds.• Seed Replacement Ratio: It is a measure of how much of the total cropped area was sown with certified seeds in comparison to farm-saved seeds.”
Why relevant

Only a small share of holdings use certified or hybrid seeds; many farmers rely on farm‑saved seeds (seed replacement ratio concept).

How to extend

Using this, a student might compare whether SSI increases use of certified/raised seedlings (raising upfront cost) or promotes on‑farm low‑cost methods (reducing cost) by estimating how SSI changes the seed source distribution.

Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 9: Agriculture > Geographical Constraints in the Adoption of New Seeds > p. 46
Strength: 4/5
“The new seeds are undoubtedly land substituting, water economising, more labour using, and employment generating innovations. Nevertheless, they are very delicate and therefore, require a great deal of care for obtaining a successful harvest. For example, the new seeds are less resistant to droughts and floods and need an efficient management of water, chemical fertilisers, insecticides and pesticides. Any lapse on the part of the farmer in the application of these inputs may reduce the production substantially. In order to obtain a satisfactory agricultural return, the farmer should be in a position to arrange the costly inputs on time for which sufficient surplus capital should be available.”
Why relevant

New seed varieties frequently require careful management and costly inputs to succeed.

How to extend

If SSI involves adopting improved planting material, a student could reason that associated management costs might offset seed cost savings — so compare total seed+input costs under SSI vs conventional.

Indian Economy, Nitin Singhania .(ed 2nd 2021-22) > Chapter 9: Agriculture > Role of Subsidies in Cropping Pattern > p. 311
Strength: 3/5
“Subsidies include: Minimum Support Price (MSP), power subsidy, higher farm credit, etc. • Subsidies work as an incentive to the farmers for the production of crops even in the dry areas. • Rice and wheat aside, in recent years, cash crops sugarcane and cotton too have taken a larger share of the crop land due to better price incentives. However, States like”
Why relevant

Subsidies (power, credit, etc.) and price incentives alter cropping and input choices for cash crops like sugarcane.

How to extend

A student could investigate whether seed/seedling costs under SSI are affected by available subsidies (reducing farmer outlays) versus conventional systems lacking such support.

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