UPSC Prelims 1999 · General Studies
Question 121: Environment and Ecology
Which one of the following agricultural practices is eco-friendly?
AnswerThe answer is (a).
Organic farming avoids chemical fertilisers and pesticides and relies on compost, manure, crop rotation and biological pest control, so it protects soil life, water and biodiversity. Shifting cultivation clears and burns forest, causing erosion and loss of biodiversity. High yielding varieties usually need heavy chemical inputs and irrigation, and glass-houses are an energy-using controlled environment, not an ecological practice. Remember: organic farming is the eco-friendly choice.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Right. Organic farming avoids chemical inputs and protects soil and water.
- (b) Wrong. Shifting cultivation clears forest by burning and harms soil and biodiversity.
- (c) Wrong. High yielding varieties usually depend on heavy fertiliser and pesticide use.
- (d) Wrong. Glass-houses are energy-using controlled environments, not an ecological practice as such.
Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.
Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 1999, General Studies. UPSC's own paper isn't online; the words are from a published compilation. The paper on upsc.gov.in.