Sustainable Agriculture

Contour Bunding is associated with terracing, to check the flow of water on a hill slope in order to reduce soil erosion. This method is crucial for preventing soil erosion and is a part of sustainable land management practices.

Out of the three organisms listed, only 2. Nostoc is commonly used as a biofertilizer. **Agaricus:** This is a type of mushroom and not typically used as a biofertilizer. **Nostoc:** This is a filamentous, nitrogen-fixing cyanobacterium. Cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae, are one of the main groups of organisms used in biofertilizers due to their ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen and make it available to plants. **Spirogyra:** This is a green alga and not generally used as a biofertilizer.

Sustainable Sugarcane Initiative is a method of sugarcane production that involves the use of less seeds , less water and optimum utilization of fertilizers and land to achieve more yields . The major principles that govern SSI are - Transplanting young seedlings (25-35 days old). - Maintaining wide spacing (5X2 feet) in the main field. - Providing sufficient moisture and avoiding inundation of water. - Encouraging organic method of nutrient and plant protection measures. - Practicing intercropping for effective utilization of land. - NPK (fertilizers) can be applied at the rate of 112 kg, 25 kg, and 48 kg per acre, respectively, through inorganic or organic methods. Hence statement 3 is wrong, this eliminates A, C, and D.

**Statement 1 is correct:** Reduced or zero tillage of the land minimises soil disturbance, promoting better water retention. Less disturbed soil creates a more compact surface that reduces evaporation and allows rainwater to infiltrate deeper into the ground. **Statement 2 is incorrect:** Applying gypsum before irrigating the field Gypsum (calcium sulfate) is a soil amendment that can improve soil structure and drainage in some situations. However, it doesn't directly conserve water. In some cases, excessive gypsum application might even increase the leaching of nutrients and salts. **Statement 3 is correct:** Allowing crop residue to remain in the field Leaving crop residue on the soil surface acts like a mulch. This mulch helps suppress weeds, reduces soil erosion, and minimises water evaporation from the soil surface.

**Statement 1 is incorrect.** GACSA was launched in 2014 at the UN Climate Summit in New York, not at the Paris Climate Summit in 2015. **Statement 2 is correct.** GACSA is a voluntary partnership, and membership does not create any legally binding obligations for its members. **Statement 3 is incorrect.** GACSA was launched by the Netherlands and several other countries, but India was not among the founding members or instrumental in its creation.

Conservation Agriculture is a set of practices aimed at minimizing soil disturbance, maintaining permanent soil cover, and adopting crop rotations or intercropping.  **Avoiding monoculture practices:** This does not directly fall under Conservation Agriculture. Monoculture refers to the cultivation of a single crop over a wide area. **Adopting minimum tillage:** Minimum or no tillage is one of the key principles of Conservation Agriculture, as it reduces soil disturbance. **Avoiding the cultivation of plantation crops:** This is not a part of Conservation Agriculture. Plantation crops like tea, coffee, or rubber can be cultivated using conservation agriculture practices. **Using crop residues to cover the soil surface:** Maintaining soil cover with crop residues or mulches is a crucial component of Conservation Agriculture. **Adopting spatial and temporal crop sequencing/crop rotations:** Crop rotations and intercropping are recommended practices under Conservation Agriculture to improve soil fertility and reduce pest and disease incidence. Therefore, the correct options that fall under Conservation Agriculture are 2, 4, and 5.

**Statement 1 is correct:** Zero tillage is a method of farming that involves sowing crop seeds directly into the soil without disturbing it. This method has several advantages. In zero tillage, the residue of the previous crop is left on the field, which acts as a natural mulch, reducing soil erosion and improving soil fertility. Therefore, there is no need to burn the residue of the previous crop before sowing wheat. **Statement 2 is correct:** In zero tillage, seeds are directly planted into the soil, eliminating the need for a nursery of rice saplings. This not only saves time and labor but also reduces the cost of cultivation. **Statement 3 is correct:** Carbon sequestration refers to the process of capture and long-term storage of atmospheric carbon dioxide. In zero tillage, the carbon in the crop residue is returned to the soil, which helps in carbon sequestration.  Therefore, all three statements are correct.

Eco-friendly agriculture refers to farming practices that are sustainable and cause minimal harm to the environment. **Crop diversification** is one such practice. It involves growing a variety of crops in the same area over different seasons. This method enhances soil health, reduces the need for excessive water and fertilizers, and boosts biodiversity in the ecosystem. By rotating crops, it also helps in preventing soil depletion and improves resilience against pests and diseases. **Legume intensification** is another eco-friendly practice. Legumes are known to improve soil fertility by fixing nitrogen from the atmosphere. This reduces the need for synthetic fertilizers, making agriculture more sustainable. **Tensiometer** is a useful tool in efficient water management. It measures the water tension in soil, which helps in determining the availability of water for crops. By ensuring that water is used efficiently, it reduces waste and promotes sustainable water usage, making it an eco-friendly farming practice. **Vertical farming** involves growing crops in vertically stacked layers, often using advanced techniques like hydroponics, aeroponics, and aquaponics, which do not require soil. While this method can increase production and reduce land usage, it requires high energy consumption and specialized technology. Hence, it is not widely considered as an eco-friendly practice. Therefore, the correct answer is A. 1, 2, and 3 only.

Biochar is a solid product obtained during the pyrolysis of biomass. It is a porous, carbon-rich material that has a wide range of uses, with soil improvement, remediation, and pollution control playing the most significant roles. In agriculture, biochar is primarily used to increase crop nutrition, plant growth, and soil fertility. **Statement 1 is correct.** Biochar can indeed be used as a part of the growing medium in vertical farming. It helps in improving the soil structure and fertility, thereby promoting plant growth. **Statement 2 is correct.** Biochar promotes the growth of nitrogen-fixing microorganisms. These microorganisms play a crucial role in the nitrogen cycle by converting atmospheric nitrogen into a form that plants can use. **Statement 3 is correct.** Biochar also enables the growing medium to retain water for a longer time. Its porous nature allows it to hold onto water and nutrients, making them readily available for plant roots. Therefore, all three statements are correct.

**Statement 1 is correct:** Permaculture farming indeed discourages monocultural practices, promoting biodiversity and the efficient use of available resources. On the other hand, conventional chemical farming often involves monoculture practices. **Statement 2 is correct:** Conventional chemical farming can lead to an increase in soil salinity due to the heavy use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, while permaculture farming promotes soil health and does not contribute to soil salinity. **Statement 3 is incorrect:** The statement about conventional chemical farming being easily possible in semi-arid regions but permaculture farming not being so easily possible in such regions is not necessarily true. Permaculture farming can be adapted to various climates and environments, including semi-arid regions, by using appropriate design principles and techniques. **Statement 4 is correct:** The practice of mulching, which involves covering the soil with organic material to conserve moisture, suppress weeds, and improve soil health, is an important aspect of permaculture farming, but it is not necessarily a key practice in conventional chemical farming.

**Statement 1 is correct.** The Climate-Smart Village (CSV) approach is an initiative under the CCAFS program, which focuses on improving climate resilience in agriculture through research and innovation. CCAFS operates in multiple countries, including India, and works on sustainable farming practices, resource efficiency, and climate adaptation strategies in rural areas. **Statement 2 is correct.** CCAFS is a global research initiative under the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), which is a network of international agricultural research organizations. However, CGIAR’s global headquarters is in Montpellier, France, making the statement factually accurate. **Statement 3 is correct.** ICRISAT, based in Hyderabad, India, is a major research institute focusing on improving dryland agriculture. It is indeed one of the CGIAR’s 15 global research centers, working on climate resilience, crop improvement, and food security in semi-arid regions.

System of Rice Intensification (SRI) includes a method called Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) which is a form of controlled irrigation of the rice crops. The benefits from the program include 1. Reduction in methane emissions as compared to traditional rice cultivation. 2. Reduction in water consumption . 3. Reducing fuel consumption . 4. Increase paddy yields . 5. Reduce required seeds for transplanting. 6. Reduce use of chemical fertilizers and agrichemicals . 7. Reduce irrigation demand . 8. Reduce production costs . 9. With increased output and reduced costs, farmers net income is increased .