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Subject: Agriculture

  • An AI and agriculture compact for Andhra Pradesh

    Why in the News

    A proposal ties a planned large data centre in Andhra Pradesh to a new compact between artificial intelligence and agriculture. The idea is to use farmer-owned solar generation and agrivoltaics to power data infrastructure while raising farm incomes, linking a technology investment to rural livelihoods.

    What is agrivoltaics?

    1. Meaning: Agrivoltaics is the practice of using the same land for both solar power generation and crop cultivation.
    2. Dual output: Panels are raised or spaced so crops grow beneath them, producing electricity and food from one plot.
    3. Income effect: Farmers earn from power sales alongside crop income, diversifying their earnings.

    What is the Deemed Distribution Licence (DDL) idea?

    1. Meaning: A Deemed Distribution Licence (DDL) would let farmer solar cooperatives supply power directly to large consumers such as a data centre.
    2. Purpose: It creates a guaranteed buyer for farmer-generated solar power, making the investment viable.

    How would the compact work?

    1. Data centre demand: A proposed data centre provides a large, steady electricity buyer located near farms.
    2. Farmer solar cooperatives: Farmers pool land for solar and agrivoltaics, selling power to that demand.
    3. PM-KUSUM base: The model builds on the PM-KUSUM scheme, which already supports farm-based solar generation.

    What are the challenges to the AI-agriculture compact

    1. Grid and pricing rules: Direct farmer-to-consumer supply needs regulatory clearance that does not yet exist at scale.
    2. Upfront capital: Solar and agrivoltaic installations require finance that smallholders often cannot raise alone.
    3. Crop suitability: Not all crops grow well under panels, limiting where agrivoltaics works.
    4. Water and land tension: Land pooling and water use must not displace food production or small tenants.
    5. Demand certainty: Farmer incomes depend on the data centre actually materialising and buying the power.

    Conclusion

    The compact links a technology investment to rural incomes by making farmers power suppliers to a data centre. Agrivoltaics and a DDL model, built on PM-KUSUM, are the enabling tools. Its viability depends on regulatory clearance, upfront finance and a certain power buyer.

  • Beyond MSP: Farmers need income, not price support

    Why in the News

    Madhya Pradesh has raised its guaranteed procurement of summer moong at Minimum Support Price (MSP) from 25% to 60% of estimated yield, after farmers demanded the state’s declared MSP be honoured in practice, not left on paper. The concession exposes the deeper conflict between expanding price-support procurement, which is fiscally unsustainable for any state, and shifting toward direct income support that does not distort what farmers choose to grow.

    What is driving Madhya Pradesh’s decision to raise the procurement threshold?

    1. Price gap: Moong is wholesaling in mandis at about Rs 7,000 a quintal, well below the MSP of Rs 8,768 a quintal.
    2. Prior cap: The state had earlier guaranteed MSP procurement only for up to 1.2 quintals of yield per acre, since raised to 3 quintals.
    3. Unequal benefit: Farmers harvesting 6 to 8 quintals an acre, twice the state’s assessed average yield, still stand to lose the most on the extra output sold below MSP.
    4. Broader demand: The demand for MSP as a guaranteed entitlement is no longer confined to Punjab and Haryana’s wheat and rice growers. It now extends to pulses and oilseed farmers in states like Madhya Pradesh.

    Why is expanded physical procurement not a sustainable solution?

    1. Fiscal capacity: No state government, including Madhya Pradesh, has the resources to procure and stock all the moong or soyabean farmers bring for MSP sale.
    2. Existing surplus problem: Even in wheat and rice, where government agencies already hold stocks beyond the requirements of the public distribution system and welfare schemes, continued procurement adds to storage costs without matching need.
    3. Best available alternative still costly: Paying only the price difference between MSP and the market rate, rather than physically procuring the crop, is a cheaper alternative but still not a long-term sustainable solution.

    What alternative does the case for reform point to?

    1. Minimum Income Support (MIP): A per-acre direct cash transfer, described as Minimum Income Support (MIP), would guarantee farmers income without requiring the state to procure or store any crop.
    2. Market-aligned incentive: Once assured of an MIP, farmers would have the freedom to grow crops the market actually wants, rather than crops guaranteed a price floor.
    3. Complementary measures: Crop insurance and greater public investment in agricultural research and rural infrastructure are identified as the support structures that should accompany an MIP.
    4. Policy stance: Agricultural policy should complement markets rather than displace or distort them, an approach both MSP-based procurement and open-ended input subsidies have failed to deliver.

    What are the challenges to a Minimum Income Support (MIP) approach

    1. Land record dependence: A per-acre transfer requires accurate, updated land records, which many tenant farmers and sharecroppers lack access to.
    2. Moral hazard risk: A flat per-acre payment could be gamed through short-term land leasing arrangements designed solely to capture the transfer.
    3. State fiscal capacity still tested: An MIP still requires sustained budgetary commitment from state or central governments. Its affordability has not been demonstrated at the scale MSP procurement currently operates.
    4. Loss of price floor: Removing procurement-based price support exposes farmers fully to market price volatility, without the safety net an assured MSP purchase currently provides.
    5. Political resistance: Farmer groups that have organised around MSP as an entitlement may resist a transition away from procurement guarantees they have fought to expand.

    Conclusion

    Madhya Pradesh’s expanded moong procurement buys short-term calm but adds to a fiscal burden no state can sustain at scale. The alternative on the table, a per-acre Minimum Income Support transfer paired with crop insurance and rural investment, would let farmers respond to market signals instead of price guarantees, though its own implementation challenges remain unresolved.

    Back2Basics

    1. Minimum Support Price (MSP): A price floor announced by the central government for select crops, based on recommendations of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP).
    2. Coverage: MSP currently covers 22 crops, but assured physical procurement at scale is concentrated overwhelmingly in wheat and rice through the Food Corporation of India (FCI) and state procurement agencies.
    3. Pulses and oilseeds: Procurement of pulses and oilseeds like moong at MSP has historically been far more limited than for cereals, leaving a wider gap between announced MSP and actual market realisation for these crops.

    Committee/Report

    1. Ashok Dalwai Committee (Doubling Farmers’ Income): Shift focus from price support to income enhancement through diversification, value addition and market reforms.
    2. Shanta Kumar Committee (2015): Recommended restricting MSP procurement and replacing it with Direct Benefit Transfers (DBTs) where feasible.

    Economic Survey

    1. Economic Survey 2016-17: Advocated replacing input subsidies with direct income transfers for better efficiency and lower market distortions.

    International Examples

    1. United States: Income support through Farm Bill programmes (Price Loss Coverage and crop insurance) rather than open-ended government procurement.
    2. European Union: Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) provides direct income payments largely decoupled from production, reducing production distortions.

    PYQ Relevance

    [UPSC 2018] What do you mean by Minimum Support Price (MSP)? How will MSP rescue the farmers from the low-income trap?

    Linkage: The PYQ tests the role of MSP in ensuring remunerative prices and improving farmers’ incomes. The article examines the limitations of MSP-based procurement and the case for Minimum Income Support (MIP) as an alternative.

  • Cabinet approves 5-year extension of PM-KISAN scheme

    Why in the News?

    The Union Cabinet approved a five-year extension of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) from 2026-27 to 2030-31, with an outlay of ₹3.15 lakh crore. The annual assistance of ₹6,000 per farmer remains unchanged.

    What is PM-KISAN?

    • Launched in February 2019.
    • A Central Sector Scheme under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
    • Provides ₹6,000 per year to eligible landholding farmer families in three equal instalments of ₹2,000 through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).
    • Fully funded by the Central Government.

    Key Highlights

    • Scheme extended till 2030-31.
    • Total outlay: ₹3.15 lakh crore.
    • 23rd instalment (June 2026): Over 9.49 crore farmers received ₹18,984 crore.
    • Since launch, over ₹4.47 lakh crore has been transferred through 23 instalments.
    • Women beneficiaries have received over ₹1.06 lakh crore.

    Significance

    • Provides assured income support for purchasing seeds, fertilisers and other inputs.
    • Reduces dependence on informal credit.
    • Promotes financial inclusion through DBT.
    • Strengthens farmers’ income security.

    Challenges

    • Annual assistance (₹6,000) has remained unchanged since 2019 despite rising input costs.
    • Excludes tenant farmers and sharecroppers due to land ownership criteria.
    • Errors in Aadhaar and land records may exclude genuine beneficiaries.
    • Uniform benefit irrespective of landholding size or farm distress.

    Features of PM-KISAN

    • Type: Central Sector Scheme.
    • Funding: 100% Central Government.
    • Transfer Mode: Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).
    • Implementing Ministry: Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.

    Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT)

    • Introduced to transfer subsidies directly into beneficiaries’ bank accounts.
    • Reduces leakages and improves transparency.
    • Uses the JAM Trinity: Jan Dhan Accounts, Aadhaar, and Mobile

    Related Schemes

    • PM Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY)
    • Kisan Credit Card (KCC)
    • PM Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY)
    • e-NAM (National Agriculture Market)

    [2015, GS3, 12.5 marks] In what way could replacement of price subsidy with direct benefit Transfer (DBT) change the scenario of subsidies in India? Discuss.”

    [2020] Consider the following statements:
    1.Aadhaar metadata cannot be stored for more than three months.
    2.State cannot enter into any contract with private corporations for sharing of Aadhaar data.
    3.Aadhaar is mandatory for obtaining insurance products.
    4.Aadhaar is mandatory for getting benefits funded out of the Consolidated Fund of India.
    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    [A] 1 and 4 only

    [B] 2 and 4 only

    [C] 3 only

    [D] 1, 2 and 3 only

  • National Advisory Board on Management of Genetic Resources (NABMGR)

    Why in the News?

    The reconstituted National Advisory Board on Management of Genetic Resources (NABMGR) held its first meeting on 29 July 2026 at ICAR–National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR), New Delhi, to strengthen India’s agrobiodiversity conservation and promote the sustainable utilization of genetic resources for food security, climate resilience, and Viksit Bharat.

    What is NABMGR?

    • A national advisory body constituted by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).
    • First constituted: 2011. Reconstituted: 2026.
    • Chairman: Dr. R.S. Paroda. Co-Chairman: Dr. M.L. Jat (Secretary, DARE & DG, ICAR).

    Objectives

    • Recommend national policies on agrobiodiversity.
    • Promote integrated management of Plant genetic resources, Animal genetic resources, Fish genetic resources, Microbial genetic resources, and Insect genetic resources
    • Advise on national and international issues related to genetic resources.

    Key Recommendations

    • Strengthen pre-breeding programmes to utilize conserved germplasm.
    • Identify unexplored regions for systematic germplasm collection (2026–2031).
    • Develop an integrated national genetic resources management framework.
    • Mainstream traditional and underutilized crop varieties, animal breeds, fish species, microbes, and insects.
    • Strengthen implementation of Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
    • Expedite establishment of the National Safety Genebank (NSG) before ICAR’s centenary (2028–29).
    • Enhance international collaboration, especially with Central Asia and South-East Asia, for germplasm exchange.

    Significance

    • Conserves India’s rich agrobiodiversity.
    • Broadens the genetic base for developing climate-resilient, high-yielding crops and livestock.
    • Strengthens food, nutrition and livelihood security.
    • Supports sustainable agriculture and achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
    • Promotes scientific collaboration and evidence-based policy making.

    Important Institutions Mentioned

    • ICAR – Indian Council of Agricultural Research
    • ICAR-NBPGR – National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources
    • National Biodiversity Authority (NBA)
    • Department of Biotechnology (DBT)
    • Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC)
    • Botanical Survey of India (BSI)
    • National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB)

    Value Addition

    • Agrobiodiversity: It refers to the variety and variability of plants, animals, fish, microorganisms and insects used directly or indirectly for food, agriculture and ecosystem services.
    • Germplasm: The hereditary genetic material (seeds, tissues, pollen, embryos, etc.) preserved for crop and livestock improvement.
    • Pre-breeding: The process of transferring useful genes from wild relatives or unadapted genetic resources into breeding materials to develop improved varieties.
    • Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS): A mechanism under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, ensuring fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of biological resources and associated traditional knowledge.
    • National Safety Genebank (NSG): A secure backup repository for conserving valuable genetic resources against natural disasters or accidental loss.

    [2012] How does the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) help in protecting the Indian agriculture?
    1. NBA checks the biopiracy and protects the indigenous and traditional genetic resources.
    2. NBA directly monitors and supervises the scientific research on genetic modification of crop plants.
    3. Application for Intellectual Property Rights related to resources genetic/biological cannot be made without approval of NBA.
    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    (a) 1 Only

    (b) 2 and 3 only

    (c) 1 and 3 only

    (d) 1, 2 and 3

  • Madhya Pradesh farmers march to Bhopal demanding 100% moong procurement at MSP

    Why in News?

    Around 2,000 Madhya Pradesh farmers under the Samyukt Kisan Morcha marched to Bhopal demanding 100% moong procurement at Minimum Support Price (MSP), against the current 25% cap under the central Price Support Scheme, along with fixes to fertiliser distribution.

    Key Highlights

    1. Scale: Around 2,000 farmers marched to Bhopal.
    2. Organiser: March organised under the Samyukt Kisan Morcha banner.
    3. Demand: 100% moong procurement at MSP, against the current 25% cap.
    4. Scheme cited: Current cap operates under the central Price Support Scheme.
    5. Additional demand: Fixes to fertiliser distribution.

    What is the Price Support Scheme (PSS)?

    1. A component of the PM-AASHA (Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan).
    2. Implemented by the Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare.
    3. Provides physical procurement of notified pulses, oilseeds and copra at the Minimum Support Price (MSP) when market prices fall below MSP.
    4. Procurement is undertaken by Central Nodal Agencies in coordination with State governments.

    What is Minimum Support Price (MSP)?

    1. MSP is the minimum price at which the government purchases crops from farmers to protect them from sharp price declines.
    2. Recommended by the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) and announced by the Central Government.
    3. MSP is currently announced for 23 crops.

    “[2018, GS3, 10 marks] What do you mean by Minimum Support Price (MSP)? How will MSP rescue the farmers from the low-income trap?”

    [2020] Consider the following statements:

    1.In the case of all cereals, pulses and oil-seeds, the procurement at Minimum Support Price (MSP) is unlimited in any State/UT of India.
    2.In the case of cereals and pulses, the MSP is fixed in any State/UT at a level to which the market price will never rise.

    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
    a) 1 only
    b) 2 only
    c) Both 1 and 2
    d) Neither 1 nor 2

  • Cabinet’s National Investment Policy for Urea (NIPU) 2026

    Why in the News?

    The Union Cabinet has approved the National Investment Policy for Urea (NIPU) 2026, restructuring the return framework for urea manufacturers to attract fresh investment in domestic capacity. This comes against an annual urea subsidy bill of Rs 1,42,175.74 crore for 2025-26.

      What are the Pillars of the National Investment Policy for Urea (NIPU) 2026?

      1. Aim: The policy aims to encourage the establishment of new gas-based urea manufacturing plants across the country to reduce dependence on imports and bridge the gap between domestic production and demand.
      2. The National Investment Policy for Urea-2026 (NIPU-2026) rests on three core pillars: cost separation, assured returns, and foreign exchange risk mitigation.
      3. Return band: The policy sets a Return on Equity (ROE) band of 12 to 16 percent for new urea manufacturing investment.
      4. Cost restructuring: It restructures how production costs are calculated and reimbursed to manufacturers.
      5. Subsidy delivery: Distribution continues through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), credited after retailers confirm sale to farmers.
      6. Self-reliance objective: The stated goal is to reduce India’s dependence on imported urea by making domestic capacity commercially viable.

      Why does urea self-reliance remain unresolved despite this policy?

      1. Subsidy scale: The current annual subsidy bill of Rs 1,42,175.74 crore reflects the price gap between controlled retail urea prices and actual production cost.
      2. Investment history: Previous urea policy revisions have not sufficiently attracted new private investment in domestic plants.
      3. Import dependence: India continues to import a share of its urea requirement despite decades of subsidy support to domestic units.
      4. Farmer price link: Retail urea prices remain fixed for farmers regardless of the ROE band offered to manufacturers.

      Conclusion

      The National Investment Policy for Urea 2026 targets manufacturer incentives rather than farm gate prices, betting that better returns on investment will draw the domestic capacity that decades of subsidy alone did not. Whether the 12 to 16 percent ROE band is sufficient to shift investment decisions remains to be tested against actual capacity additions.

      Value Addition:

      Urea Subsidy Scheme:

      Urea fertiliser subsidy in India is a central government scheme where the state fixes a low Maximum Retail Price (MRP) of ₹242 per 45-kg bag for farmers, while the government pays the remaining high production or import cost directly to manufacturers.

      Scheme Mechanics

      1. Fixed MRP: Farmers pay a low, controlled price of ₹242 per 45-kg bag (excluding taxes and neem-coating charges).
      2. Government Payout: The center pays the difference between the actual high cost of making or importing urea and the low selling price directly to the factory owners.
      3. Control: The Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers manages the policy and distribution across the country.

      PYQ Relevance

      [UPSC 2023] What are the direct and indirect subsidies provided to farm sector in India? Discuss the issues raised by the World Trade Organization (WTO) in relation to agricultural subsidies.

      Linkage: The PYQ examines India’s fertiliser subsidy regime and related WTO concerns. NIPU 2026 reforms urea subsidies to boost domestic production while retaining farmer subsidies, linking directly to agricultural subsidy debates.

      1. Rajasthan farmers object to GI tag for Unjha jeera and saunf

        Why in News?

        Rajasthan’s cumin and fennel farmers have objected to Geographical Indication tags granted to Gujarat’s ‘Unjha Jeera’ and ‘Unjha Fennel’ (saunf), arguing Unjha is a trading hub, not the growing region.

        Key Highlights

        1. The GI tags for ‘Unjha Jeera’ and ‘Unjha Fennel’ were registered in the name of Gujarat’s Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC), Unjha.
        2. Farmers from Rajasthan contend that a significant share of the crops is cultivated in Rajasthan, making the GI registration misleading.
        3. The Unjha APMC has defended the GI registrations, citing over 1,000 pages of scientific, historical, and commercial evidence submitted during the registration process.
        4. The dispute raises questions over the criteria for GI registration, particularly the link between a product’s reputation, production area, and marketing centre.

        Geographical Indication (GI) Tag

        • A Geographical Indication (GI) identifies goods that possess qualities, reputation, or characteristics essentially attributable to their geographical origin.
        • Governed by the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999.
        • Registration is granted by the Geographical Indications Registry, Chennai, under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT).
        • Validity: 10 years, renewable indefinitely.
        • GI protection applies to agricultural products, natural products, handicrafts, manufactured goods, and foodstuffs.

        Value Addition

        • First GI tag in India: Darjeeling Tea (2004-05).
        • Benefits of GI: Protects producers from misuse, preserves traditional knowledge, enhances product value, promotes exports, and supports rural livelihoods.
        • Difference from Trademark: A GI belongs collectively to eligible producers from a specific region, whereas a trademark is an exclusive right owned by an individual or company.

        [2018] India enacted The Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999 in order to comply with the obligations to

        (a) ILO

        (b) IMF

        (c) UNCTAD

        (d) WTO

      2. White Gold: India’s Cotton Story

        Why in News?

        The Government released “White Gold: India’s Cotton Story – From Seed to Shirt”, highlighting India’s global leadership in cotton production and new initiatives to improve productivity, quality, and sustainability.

        Key Highlights

        • India is the only country cultivating all four recognized cotton species.
        • Ranks: 1st in global cotton acreage. 2nd in production and consumption.
        • Cotton production (2025–26, provisional): 290.91 lakh bales.
        • Domestic consumption: 328 lakh bales.
        • Contributes nearly 19% of global fibre production.
        • Supports livelihoods of 6 million farmers and employment for 40–50 million people in allied sectors.

        Four Cotton Species

        • Gossypium arboreum (Asian cotton)
        • Gossypium herbaceum (Asian cotton)
        • Gossypium hirsutum (American upland cotton; ~90% of India’s hybrid cotton)
        • Gossypium barbadense (Egyptian cotton)

        Bt Cotton

        • Genetically modified cotton containing genes from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt).
        • Commercially introduced in 2002.
        • Resistant to bollworms, reducing insecticide use and improving yields.

        Major Cotton Growing Zones

        • Northern: Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan
        • Central: Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh
        • Southern: Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka
        • Also cultivated in Tamil Nadu and Odisha.

        Government Initiatives

        Mission for Cotton Productivity (2025–26)

        • Five-year mission with an outlay of ₹5,659.22 crore.
        • Target: Increase production from 297 lakh bales to 498 lakh bales by 2031.
        • Focus on: Climate-resilient varieties, Pest-resistant seeds, Extra-Long Staple (ELS) cotton, and Advanced breeding and biotechnology.

        Minimum Support Price (MSP)

        • Procurement by Cotton Corporation of India (CCI).
        • MSP (2026–27): Medium Staple: ₹8,267/quintal and Long Staple: ₹8,667/quintal

        Special Project on Cotton (NFSM)

        • Promotes: High Density Planting System (HDPS), Closer Spacing Planting System, and ELS cotton technologies.
        • Demonstrations recorded 30–40% yield improvement.

        Kapas Kisan App

        • Digital platform for Farmer registration, MSP procurement slot booking, Aadhaar-linked payments, and SMS updates.

        Kasturi Cotton Bharat

        • National branding and traceability initiative.
        • Features: QR-code certification, Blockchain-based traceability, and NABL-accredited quality testing.
        • Promotes Indian cotton as a premium global brand.

        Economic Importance

        • Cotton is known as “White Gold”.
        • Integral to the textile value chain and India’s export earnings.
        • Cottonseed provides: Edible oil, Animal feed, Biomass fuel, and Surgical cotton and medical products.

        [2020] “The crop is subtropical in nature. A hard frost is injurious to it. It requires at least 210 frost-free days and 50 to 100 centimeters of rainfall for its growth. A light well-drained soil capable of retaining moisture is ideally suited for the cultivation of the crop.” Which one of the following is that crop?

        a) Cotton
        b) Jute
        c) Sugarcane
        d) Tea

      3. India Secures Three New Codex Standards for Spices

        Why in News?

        The Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) adopted global standards for Large Cardamom, Coriander, and Vanilla at its 49th Session (CAC49) in Geneva. India also became Co-Chair of a new Electronic Working Group (EWG) on risk analysis for new food products.

        Key Highlights

        • Three Codex Standards Adopted: Large Cardamom, Coriander, and Vanilla.
        • Codex Commission: Jointly established by FAO and WHO to develop international food safety and quality standards.
        • India’s Role:
          • Hosts the Codex Committee on Spices and Culinary Herbs (CCSCH).
          • Spices Board India serves as the Secretariat of CCSCH.
        • Significance:
          • Harmonised global quality standards for spices.
          • Improves market access, fair trade, and export competitiveness.
        • Large Cardamom: Indigenous to the North-Eastern Himalayan region of India.
        • New Leadership Role: India accepted as Co-Chair of the Electronic Working Group (EWG) on risk analysis for new food products.

        Prelims Facts

        • Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC):
          • Established in 1963 by FAO and WHO.
          • Develops science-based international food standards.
          • Protects consumer health and promotes fair practices in food trade.
        • Codex Committee on Spices and Culinary Herbs (CCSCH): Hosted by India. Secretariat: Spices Board India.

        [2022] With reference to the “Tea Board” in India, consider the following statements:
        1. The Tea Board is a statutory body.
        2. It is a regulatory body attached to the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
        3. The Tea Board’s Head Office is situated in Bengaluru.
        4. The Board has overseas office at Dubai and Moscow.
        Which of the statements given above are correct?

        [A] 1 and 3

        [B] 2 and 4

        [C] 3 and 4

        [D] 1 and 4

      4. ICAR Foundation Day 2026

        Why in News?

        The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) celebrated its 98th Foundation Day (16 July 2026), highlighting its achievements in climate resilient agriculture, biofortified crops and technology dissemination.

        Key Highlights

        • Established: 16 July 1928
        • India’s apex organization for agricultural research, education and extension under the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE), Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare.
        • During 2025-26, ICAR developed 386 improved varieties across 44 crops: 94% are climate resilient and 29 varieties are biofortified.
        • Released: 43 improved crop varieties, 17 agricultural technologies and 14 publications
        • New technologies include:
          • Climate resilient and salinity/alkalinity tolerant rice varieties
          • Export-oriented mango production technology
          • India’s first indigenous African Swine Fever (ASF) vaccine
          • Digital Swine Disease Atlas
          • Affordable cassava harvester for smallholders.
        • 72 Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) signed with 51 industry partners for commercialization of ICAR technologies.
        • 18 international MoUs signed to strengthen global agricultural cooperation.
        • ICAR technologies reached: Nearly 1 crore farmers directly. Over 5 crore farmers through media and social media.

        Economic Impact

        • Agriculture, horticulture, livestock and fisheries generated an additional economic value of about ₹1.70 lakh crore in 2025-26.
        • Agricultural research alone contributed an estimated ₹55,000 crore.

        About ICAR

        • Full Form: Indian Council of Agricultural Research
        • Established: 16 July 1928
        • Headquarters: New Delhi
        • Parent Department: Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE)
        • Parent Ministry: Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare
        • Coordinates: Agricultural research, Agricultural education and Extension services through Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs)
        • Played a major role in: Green Revolution, Food and nutritional security, Development of improved crop varieties, Livestock, fisheries and horticulture research, and Climate resilient agriculture

        [2021] In the context of India’s preparation for climate-smart agriculture, consider the following statements:
        1. The ‘Climate-Smart village’ approach in India is a part of a project led by the climate change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS), an international research programme.
        2. The project of CCAFS is carried out under consultative group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) headquartered in France.
        3. The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) in India is one of the CGIAR’s research centres.
        Which of the statements given above are correct?

        [A] 1 and 2 only

        [B] 2 and 3 only

        [C] 1 and 3 only

        [D] 1,2 and 3