Prelims 2021 · Q51
Mediumस्थायी कृषि (पर्माकल्चर), पारंपरिक रासायनिक कृषि से किस तरह भिन्न है?
- 1.स्थायी कृषि एकधान्य कृषि पद्धति को हतोत्साहित करता है, किन्तु पारंपरिक रासायनिक कृषि में एकधान्य कृषि पद्धति की प्रधानता है।
- 2.पारंपरिक रासायनिक कृषि के कारण मृदा की लवणता में वृद्धि हो सकती है, किन्तु इस तरह की परिघटना स्थायी कृषि में दृष्टिगोचर नहीं होती है।
- 3.पारंपरिक रासायनिक कृषि अर्धशुष्क क्षेत्रों में आसानी से संभव है, किन्तु ऐसे क्षेत्रों में स्थायी कृषि इतनी आसानी से संभव नहीं है।
- 4.मल्च बनाने (मल्चिंग) की प्रथा स्थायी कृषि में काफी महत्त्वपूर्ण है, किन्तु पारंपरिक रासायनिक कृषि में ऐसी प्रथा आवश्यक नहीं है।
नीचे दिए गए कूट का प्रयोग कर सही उत्तर चुनिए।
Read this question in English
How is 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 possible 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) 1 and 3 · (b) 1, 2 and 4 · (c) 4 only · (d) 2 and 3
उत्तर और व्याख्या · explanation in English
Answer: (b) 1, 2 और 4
Statements 1, 2 and 4 describe real differences: permaculture is built on diverse plantings, builds soil with compost and mulch rather than depending on the fertiliser-and-irrigation practices that salinise soil, and relies on mulch cover. Statement 3 is the odd one out, because permaculture is not held back in dry regions and chemical farming there is itself prone to salt build-up.
- ✓ 1. Permaculture is a design system that stresses diversity, with many different species and perennial polyculture, whereas conventional chemical farming typically grows one crop over large areas.
- ✓ 2. FAO notes that soils become salt-affected through poorly managed irrigation or fertilisation, both of which chemical farming leans on. Permaculture builds soil with on-site compost and mulch instead.
- ✗ 3. UPSC's key treats this as wrong. Food production in arid and semi-arid regions needs irrigation, and FAO notes that most salt-affected soils lie in those climates, so chemical farming there is itself exposed to salinity; permaculture is not held back in dry regions.
- ✓ 4. Mulching means covering the soil with straw, leaves or similar material to protect it. It is a core soil-building habit in permaculture (growing and mulching with cover crops), while chemical farming relies on fertilisers instead.
Remember · Permaculture means diverse perennial polyculture, compost and mulched soil; chemical farming with heavy fertiliser and irrigation tends towards soil salinity.
📘 Read it in NCERT: Class 8 Exploring Society: India and Beyond (Part 1), Ch 7 (practise this chapter)
Sources
- FAO Agroecology Knowledge Hub: Permaculture for agroecology (review) ↗ “Distinctive approaches to perennial polyculture, water management, and the importance of agroecosystem configuration exceed what is documented in the scientific literature”
- FAO Global Soil Partnership: Salt-affected soils are a global issue ↗ “Soils often become affected by salinity due to inappropriate management, e.g. by poorly managed irrigation or fertilization; or through saline water intrusion from sea, river or groundwater. … Since most of the salt-affected soils occur under arid or semi-arid climates, food production in these regions requires irrigation.”
- NCERT Class 8 · Exploring Society: India and Beyond (Part 1), Chapter 7 “Mulching: Covering the soil with a layer of material (like straw or leaves) to protect it and improve its condition.”
- NC State Extension Gardener Handbook, Appendix G: Permaculture Design ↗ · reference work “A diversity of crops allows for resilience in a landscape and helps to support a more dynamic ecosystem including both beneficial and pest animals, insects, and plants. … For soil, have multiple ways to continuously add nutrients and build soil: compost on site, grow and mulch with cover crops, and rotate crops.”
Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2021, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 1 Oct 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·