# Agro-ecology for UPSC: Conservation Agriculture, Soil Health Card, Natural Farming, Micro-irrigation and Rice Emissions Source: https://tracknation.in/story/agro-ecology-for-upsc-conservation-agriculture-soil-health-card-natural-farming-micro-irrigation-and-rice-emissions (TrackNation — free UPSC notes with PYQs) > Agro-ecology for UPSC: conservation agriculture, permaculture and fertigation, soil health and the fertiliser imbalance, Soil Health Cards (25.55 crore), micro-irrigation and irrigated area, rice paddies as a methane and nitrous oxide source, PKVY and the National Mission on Natural Farming. Includes practice questions, the real PYQs and exact Mains questions. ## How UPSC Tests Agro-ecology 🎯 **Exam priority: Tier-2. UPSC asks which farming practice does what to soil, water and emissions.** *UPSC asked: the principles of conservation agriculture (2018); effects of organic matter, irrigation and the sulphur cycle on soil (2018); advantages of fertigation (2020); eco-friendly practices such as crop diversification, legume intensification and tensiometer-based irrigation (2020); permaculture, salinity and monoculture (2021); the crop that is the leading source of methane and nitrous oxide (2022: flooded rice); India's share of the world's groundwater and its cause (2023); the 100 Million Farmers platform (2024); and the Rainfed Area Development component of the National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (2026). Mains asked about the Integrated Farming System (2022) and Sikkim as India's first organic State (2018).* Three boxes: **soil** (health, carbon, nutrients), **water** (irrigation efficiency, groundwater) and **practice** (conservation, organic, natural and integrated farming). ## Soil, Nutrients and Water ## Soil and nutrients - **Soil health:** a decline in soil organic carbon is a major threat to productivity (Economic Survey 2025-26). The Soil Health Card scheme has issued over **25.55 crore cards** (as of 14 November 2025) to promote integrated nutrient management: chemical fertilisers combined with organic manures and bio-fertilisers. - **Fertiliser imbalance:** the N:P:K ratio has deteriorated, because prices favour nitrogenous fertilisers, so crop response is falling. Excess nitrogen also reduces soil organic matter. - **Organic matter** raises (it does not drastically reduce) a soil's water-holding capacity; soil does play a role in the sulphur cycle; and irrigation over time can salinise some agricultural land. In the 2018 PYQ only the third statement, on salinisation, was correct. ## Water and irrigation - **Micro-irrigation:** drip and sprinkler systems get **55 per cent** assistance for small and marginal farmers and 45 per cent for others under the Per Drop More Crop component of PMKSY. - **Irrigated share:** gross irrigated area rose from 41.7 per cent of gross cropped area in 2001-02 to **55.8 per cent in 2022-23**, but coverage is under 15 per cent for millets, about 26 per cent for pulses and about 67 per cent for rice. - **Groundwater:** India draws about a quarter of the world's groundwater, mainly because irrigation demand is driven by incentives such as cheap power and procurement, not by drinking-water needs (2023 PYQ). ## Farming Practices and Organic and Natural Farming ## Farming practices the exam has tested | **Practice** | **What to remember** | | Conservation agriculture | Minimum soil disturbance (no-till), permanent soil cover with crop residues, and crop rotations or sequences (2018 PYQ: avoiding monoculture and plantation crops are not core principles) | | Fertigation | Applying fertiliser through irrigation water (usually drip): the alkalinity of the irrigation water can be controlled, nutrients become more available to plants and leaching losses fall; rock phosphate and many phosphatic fertilisers dissolve poorly, so they do not suit it (2020 PYQ: 1, 3 and 4 correct) | | Eco-friendly practices | Crop diversification, legume intensification and tensiometer-based irrigation scheduling (2020 PYQ); vertical farming is not typical of Indian conditions | | Permaculture | Discourages monoculture and builds soil organic matter, which reduces salinity; conventional chemical farming can raise salinity; it does not suit arid areas (2021 PYQ) | | Rice paddies | Flooded rice is the leading crop source of both methane and nitrous oxide (2022 PYQ); alternate wetting and drying and direct seeding reduce methane | | Integrated farming | Rainfed Area Development under the National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture promotes integrated farming systems, the opposite of monoculture (2026 PYQ) | | 100 Million Farmers | A platform to accelerate the shift to climate- and nature-friendly agriculture and food systems (2024 PYQ) | ## Organic and natural farming in India - **PKVY** (Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana) promotes organic farming in all States and UTs except the North East, where the **Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region** works. **Bhartiya Prakritik Krishi Paddhati** was scaled up as the **National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF)**. - **NMNF in numbers:** a budget of ₹2,481 crore; 17,632 clusters covering 6.39 lakh hectares; 15.79 lakh farmers enrolled. Even so, organic and natural farming still cover only a small share of cultivated land. - **Sikkim** became India's first fully organic State (Mains 2018): benefits include soil health, biodiversity, premium markets and health, while costs include yield transition and market access. ## How UPSC Could Ask This Next - **Principles:** conservation agriculture, permaculture and fertigation. - **Emissions:** rice paddies, fertiliser (nitrous oxide) and livestock (methane). - **Schemes:** Soil Health Card, PKVY, NMNF, Per Drop More Crop. - **Groundwater:** why India over-extracts and how to correct it. ## Further Reading - NCERT Biology (Class 12) and Geography textbooks, the India State of Forest Report, the MoEFCC Annual Report, the Economic Survey and the official lists cited in this note — the primary sources behind every figure above. ## Test Yourself: Practice Questions and PYQs Twelve practice questions on soil health, irrigation and farming practices, followed by the real UPSC Prelims questions and exact Mains questions. ## Practice Questions **Q1.** Which of the following are core principles of conservation agriculture? 1. Minimum soil disturbance 2. Permanent soil cover with crop residues 3. Crop rotations or sequences 4. Intensive monoculture - (a) 1, 2, 3 and 4 - (b) 1, 2 and 3 only - (c) 2 and 4 only - (d) 1 and 4 only **Answer: (b)** — Minimum tillage, residue cover and rotations are the principles; monoculture is the opposite (UPSC 2018 key: 2, 4 and 5). **Q2.** Which crop is the leading source of both methane and nitrous oxide among crops? - (a) Sugarcane - (b) Flooded rice - (c) Wheat - (d) Maize **Answer: (b)** — Flooded paddies produce methane through anaerobic decomposition and nitrous oxide from fertiliser. **Q3.** The Soil Health Card scheme promotes - (a) crop insurance - (b) integrated nutrient management using chemical, organic and bio-fertilisers - (c) only chemical fertiliser use - (d) pesticide subsidies **Answer: (b)** — Over 25.55 crore cards have been issued. **Q4.** Under the Per Drop More Crop component, assistance for drip and sprinkler systems is what percentage for small and marginal farmers? - (a) 55 per cent - (b) 100 per cent - (c) 45 per cent - (d) 25 per cent **Answer: (a)** — Other farmers get 45 per cent. **Q5.** Which of the following is NOT a feature of permaculture? - (a) Encouraging monoculture - (b) Discouraging monoculture - (c) Building soil organic matter - (d) Reducing salinity **Answer: (a)** — Permaculture discourages monoculture; it does not suit arid areas. **Q6.** India draws about a quarter of the world's groundwater mainly because - (a) irrigation demand is driven by incentives such as cheap power and procurement - (b) no other source exists - (c) of low rainfall everywhere - (d) of drinking water needs alone **Answer: (a)** — Statement-II of the 2023 question, about drinking water and sanitation, was rejected. **Q7.** Which of the following are eco-friendly agricultural practices? 1. Crop diversification 2. Legume intensification 3. Tensiometer-based irrigation scheduling - (a) 2 and 3 only - (b) 1 and 2 only - (c) 1 and 3 only - (d) 1, 2 and 3 **Answer: (d)** — UPSC's 2020 key: all three; vertical farming was the distractor. **Q8.** The Rainfed Area Development component of the National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture promotes - (a) integrated farming systems in rainfed areas - (b) fertiliser plants - (c) monoculture of rice - (d) sugar mills **Answer: (a)** — It is the opposite of monoculture. **Q9.** The 100 Million Farmers platform is meant to - (a) set up cold storage - (b) build irrigation canals - (c) accelerate the shift to climate- and nature-friendly agriculture and food systems - (d) export wheat **Answer: (c)** — UPSC's 2024 question. **Q10.** Gross irrigated area as a share of gross cropped area in India in 2022-23 was about - (a) 41.7 per cent - (b) 30 per cent - (c) 80 per cent - (d) 55.8 per cent **Answer: (d)** — It was 41.7 per cent in 2001-02. **Q11.** Under which scheme is organic farming promoted in all States and UTs except the North East? - (a) PM-KISAN - (b) Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana - (c) Soil Health Card - (d) National Mission on Natural Farming only **Answer: (b)** — In the North East the Mission Organic Value Chain Development operates. **Q12.** Which statement about the National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF) is correct? - (a) It was launched in 1950 - (b) It has a budget of ₹2,481 crore and has enrolled 15.79 lakh farmers - (c) It covers all agricultural land - (d) It replaces PMKSY **Answer: (b)** — It had established 17,632 clusters covering 6.39 lakh hectares. ### UPSC Previous Year Questions (PYQs) *Real UPSC Prelims questions, checked against the official paper and answer key.* **Q1.** (2018) With reference to the circumstances in Indian agriculture, the concept of “Conservation Agriculture” assumes significance. Which of the following fall under the Conservation Agriculture? 1. Avoiding the monoculture practices 2. Adopting minimum tillage 3. Avoiding the cultivation of plantation crops 4. Using crop residues to cover soil surface 5. Adopting spatial and temporal crop sequencing/crop rotations Select the correct answer using the code given below: - (a) 2, 4 and 5 - (b) 2, 3, 4 and 5 - (c) 1, 3 and 4 - (d) 1, 2, 3 and 5 **Answer: (a)** — Conservation agriculture rests on minimum soil disturbance (2), a permanent soil cover using crop residues (4) and crop rotations or sequences (5). Avoiding monoculture and avoiding plantation crops (1 and 3) are not listed among its core principles, so 2, 4 and 5. **Q2.** (2018) With reference to agricultural soils, consider the following statements: 1. A high content of organic matter in soil drastically reduces its water holding capacity. 2. Soil does not play any role in the sulphur cycle. 3. Irrigation over a period of time can contribute to the salinization of some agricultural lands. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? - (a) 1 and 2 only - (b) 3 only - (c) 1 and 3 only - (d) 1, 2 and 3 **Answer: (b)** — Organic matter raises a soil's water-holding capacity and soil plays a central role in the sulphur cycle, so 1 and 2 are wrong. Long irrigation can salinise land, so only 3 is correct. **Q3.** (2020) What are the advantages of fertigation in agriculture ? 1. Controlling the alkalinity of irrigation water is possible. 2. Efficient application of Rock Phosphate and all other phosphatic fertilizers is possible. 3. Increased availability of nutrients to plants is possible. 4. Reduction in the leaching of chemical nutrients is possible. Select the correct answer using the code given below: - (a) 1, 2 and 3 only - (b) 1, 2 and 4 only - (c) 1, 3 and 4 only - (d) 2, 3 and 4 only **Answer: (c)** — Fertigation delivers fertiliser through the irrigation water. It lets the alkalinity of the irrigation water be controlled (for example by acidifying it), makes nutrients more available to plants near the roots, and cuts leaching losses because small doses go straight to the root zone, so 1, 3 and 4. Statement 2 is wrong: rock phosphate and many other phosphatic fertilisers dissolve poorly, so they cannot be applied efficiently this way. **Q4.** (2020) In the context of India, which of the following is/are considered to be practice(s) of eco-friendly agriculture? 1. Crop diversification 2. Legume intensification 3. Tensiometer use 4. Vertical farming Select the correct answer using the code given below: - (a) 3 only - (b) 1, 2 and 3 only - (c) 1, 2, 3 and 4 - (d) 4 only **Answer: (b)** — Crop diversification, legume intensification and tensiometer-based irrigation scheduling are eco-friendly practices; vertical farming is not typical of Indian conditions, so 1, 2 and 3. **Q5.** (2021) How is the permaculture farming different from conventional chemical farming? 1. Permaculture farming discourages monocultural practices but in conventional chemical farming, monoculture practices are predominant. 2. Conventional chemical farming can cause increase in soil salinity but the occurrence of such phenomenon is not observed in permaculture farming. 3. Conventional chemical farming is easily possibly in semi-arid regions but permaculture farming is not so easily possible in such regions. 4. Practice of mulching is very important in permaculture farming but not necessarily so in conventional chemical farming. Select the correct answer using the code given below. - (a) 4 only - (b) 1 and 3 - (c) 2 and 3 - (d) 1, 2 and 4 **Answer: (d)** — Permaculture discourages monoculture and builds soil organic matter, which reduces salinity; conventional chemical farming can raise salinity. Permaculture also suits arid areas, so statement 3 is wrong. Statements 1, 2 and 4 are right. **Q6.** (2022) Among the following crops, which one is the most important anthropogenic source of both methane and nitrous oxide ? - (a) Cotton - (b) Rice - (c) Wheat - (d) Sugarcane **Answer: (b)** — Flooded rice paddies are the leading crop source of both methane and nitrous oxide. **Q7.** (2023) Consider the following statements : Statement-I : According to the United Nations 'World Water Development Report, 2022', India extracts more than a quarter of the world's groundwater withdrawal each year. Statement-II : India needs to extract more than a quarter of the world's groundwater each year to satisfy the drinking water and sanitation needs of almost 18% of world's population living in its territory. Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements? - (a) Statement-I is incorrect but Statement-II is correct - (b) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I - (c) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I - (d) Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect **Answer: (d)** — India draws about a quarter of the world's groundwater (Statement-I). The reason is irrigation demand driven by incentives such as cheap power and procurement, not mainly drinking water and sanitation needs, so Statement-II is wrong. **Q8.** (2024) Which one of the following is the correct description of “100 Million Farmers” ? - (a) It is an international alliance and a network of individuals and farming organisations interested in supporting and strengthening the development of the organic animal husbandry. - (b) It is a platform with the mission of encouraging the farmers to form Farmer Product Organisations or Agribusiness Consortiums, thus facilitating the access to global open markets to sell their products. - (c) It is a platform for accelerating the transition towards food and water systems that are net- zero (carbon), nature-positive and that aims to increase farmer resilience. - (d) It is a digital platform fully integrated with service providers and built on blockchain that lets buyers, sellers and third parties trade fertilizers quickly and securely. **Answer: (c)** — 100 Million Farmers is a platform to accelerate the shift to climate- and nature-friendly agriculture and food systems. **Q9.** (2026, provisional key) Which among the following is/are the objective(s) of the Rainfed Area Development (RAD) initiative under the National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) ? 1. Encouraging monoculture in rainfed areas 2. Increasing rice cultivation in irrigated regions 3. Enhancing productivity and minimising climatic risks through Integrated Farming Systems (IFS) - (a) 1 and 2 - (b) 1 only - (c) 3 only - (d) 2 and 3 **Answer: (c)** — The Rainfed Area Development component of the National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture promotes integrated farming systems in rainfed areas, the opposite of monoculture, so only 3. ### Mains Practice Questions Use these to frame full-length answers. You don't have to answer one exactly — they show the angles UPSC tests, so let them guide which points you cover. - What is an Integrated Farming System? How is it helpful to small and marginal farmers in India? - Sikkim is the first 'Organic State' in India. What are the ecological and economic benefits of an organic State? - Discuss the causes of falling soil organic carbon and fertiliser imbalance in India. How can Soil Health Cards and nutrient policy reverse them? - Rice cultivation contributes to methane and groundwater depletion. Suggest crop and water management reforms for Punjab and Haryana. - Evaluate natural farming as a climate-resilient and low-input alternative. What constraints limit scaling? ### UPSC Mains — Previous Years’ Questions on this topic (last 10 years) These are the **actual GS Mains questions** UPSC has asked on this theme — real proof of how, and when, it is tested. Try to write a full answer to each. - 2022 (GS-III): What is Integrated Farming System? How is it helpful to small and marginal farmers in India? (Answer in 250 words) - 2018 (GS-III): Sikkim is the first 'Organic State' in India. What are the ecological and economical benefits of Organic State?