UPSC CSE Prelims
Question 60
How is permaculture farming different from conventional chemical farming?
- Permaculture farming discourages monocultural practices but in conventional chemical farming, monocultural practices are pre-dominant.
- Conventional chemical farming can cause increase in soil salinity but the occurrence of such phenomenon is not observed in permaculture farming.
- Conventional chemical farming is easily possible in semi-arid regions but permaculture farming is not so easily possible in such regions.
- 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.
View correct answer and explanation
Correct answer: B
Correct Option: B (1, 2 and 4)
Explanation: Permaculture generally promotes mixed planting, soil cover and mulching, while chemically intensive monoculture can aggravate soil-salinity problems; permaculture can be practiced in dry regions, so the stated exclusion is wrong.
Statement / Pair / Item-wise Analysis:
1. Correct / qualifies - Permaculture favours diverse intercropping and ecological polycultures rather than monocultures.
2. Correct / qualifies - Irrigation/chemical-intensive practices can worsen salinisation; mulching and soil care reduce that risk in permaculture.
3. Incorrect / does not qualify - Dryland permaculture uses water-harvesting and drought-adapted design, so semi-arid regions are not excluded.
4. Correct / qualifies - Mulch is central to permaculture water retention and soil life but optional in many conventional systems.
Option-wise Analysis:
A. Incorrect-includes item 3, which is not valid (Dryland permaculture uses water-harvesting and drought-adapted design, so semi-arid regions are not excluded); omits valid item 2 (Irrigation/chemical-intensive practices can worsen salinisation; mulching and soil care reduce that risk in permaculture); omits valid item 4 (Mulch is central to permaculture water retention and soil life but optional in many conventional systems).
B. Correct-selects exactly the supported statements/items: 1, 2, 4.
C. Incorrect-omits valid item 1 (Permaculture favours diverse intercropping and ecological polycultures rather than monocultures); omits valid item 2 (Irrigation/chemical-intensive practices can worsen salinisation; mulching and soil care reduce that risk in permaculture).
D. Incorrect-includes item 3, which is not valid (Dryland permaculture uses water-harvesting and drought-adapted design, so semi-arid regions are not excluded); omits valid item 1 (Permaculture favours diverse intercropping and ecological polycultures rather than monocultures); omits valid item 4 (Mulch is central to permaculture water retention and soil life but optional in many conventional systems).
Review note: Statement 2 is too absolute as worded (“not observed”): permaculture cannot eliminate salinity under all soils/climates. Key preserved as the intended comparative claim.