UPSC Food And Agriculture Mains Previous Year Questions

Here we are provided subject-wise previous Year questions. This will help more understanding of the topic and exam pattern.

Provided questions from 2024 to 2013. 

Syllabus for UPSC Food And Agriculture Mains Previous Year Questions

1. Major crops cropping patterns in various parts of the country, different types of irrigation and irrigation systems storage, transport and marketing of agricultural produce and issues and related constraints; e-technology in the aid of farmers
2. Issues related to direct and indirect farm subsidies and minimum support prices; Public Distribution System- objectives, functioning, limitations, revamping; issues of buffer stocks and food security; Technology missions; economics of animal-rearing
3. Food processing and related industries in India- scope and significance, location, upstream and downstream requirements, supply chain management
4. Land Reforms in India

Last Updated on: 01-12-2024

2024 UPSC IAS Food And Agriculture Mains

1. Explain the role of millets for ensuring health and nutritional security in India. (Answer in 150 words) Marks 10
2. What are the major challenges faced by the Indian irrigation system in recent times? State the measures taken by the government for efficient irrigation management. (Answer in 250 words) Marks 15
3. Elucidate the importance of buffer stocks for stabilizing agricultural prices in India. What are the challenges associated with the storage of buffer stock? Discuss (Answer in 250 words) Marks 15

2023 UPSC IAS Food And Agriculture Mains

1. How does e-Technology helps farmers in production and marketing of agricultural procedure? Explain it. (Answer in 150 words, Marks: 10)
2. State the objectives and measures of land reforms in India. Discuss how land ceiling policy on landholding can be considered as an effective reform under economic criteria. (Answer in 150 words, Mark: 10)
3. Explain the changes in cropping pattern in India in the context of changes in consumption pattern and marketing conditions.
   (Answer in 250 words, Marks: 15)
4. 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. (Answer in 250 words, Marks: 15)

2022 UPSC IAS Food And Agriculture Mains

1. What are the major challenges of Public Distribution System (PDS) in India? How can it be made effective and transparent? (Answer in 150 words, Marks: 10)
2. Elaborate the scope and significance of food processing industry in India. (Answer in 150 words, Marks: 10)
3. What are the main bottlenecks in upstream and downstream process of marketing of agricultural products in India? (Answer in 250 words, Marks: 15)
4. What is Integrated Farming System? How is it helpful to small and marginal farmers in India? (Answer in 250 words, Marks: 15)

2021 UPSC IAS Food And Agriculture Mains

1. How did land reforms in some parts of the country help to improve the socio-economic conditions of marginal and small farmers?
2. How and to what extent would micro-irrigation help in solving India’s water crisis? (Answer in 150 words)
3. What are the salient features of National Food Security Act, 2013? How has the Food Security Bill helped in eliminating hunger and malnutrition in India? (Answer 250 words)
4. What are the present challenges before crop diversification? How do emerging technologies provide an opportunity for crop diversification?

2020 UPSC IAS Food And Agriculture Mains

1. What are the main constraints in transport and marketing of agricultural produce in India?
2. What are the challenges and opportunities of food processing sector in the country? How can income of the farmers be substantially increased by encouraging food processing?
3. What are the major factors responsible for making rice-wheat system a success? In spite of this success how has this system become bane in India?
4. Suggest measures to improve water storage and irrigation system to make its judicious use under depleting scenario.

2019 UPSC IAS Food And Agriculture Mains

1. How far is the Integrated Farming System (IFS) helpful in sustaining agricultural production.
2. Elaborate on the impact of the National Watershed Project in increasing agricultural production from water-stressed areas.
3. How has India benefited from the contributions of Sir M. Visvesvaraya and Dr. M. S. Swaminathan in the fields of water engineering and agricultural science respectively?
4.  What are the reformative steps taken by the Government to make the food grain distribution system more effective?
5. Elaborate on the policy taken by the Government of India to meet the challenges of the food processing sector.

2018 UPSC IAS Food And Agriculture Mains

1. What do you mean by the Minimum Support Price (MSP)? How will MSP rescue the farmers from the low-income trap?
2. xamine the role of supermarkets in supply chain management of fruits, vegetables, and food items. How do they eliminate the number of intermediaries?
3. Assess the role of the National Horticulture Mission (NHM) in boosting the production, productivity, and income of horticulture farms. How far has it succeeded in increasing the income of farmers?
4. How has the emphasis on certain crops brought about changes in cropping patterns in the recent past? Elaborate the emphasis on millet production and consumption.

2017 UPSC IAS Food And Agriculture Mains

1. Explain various types of revolutions, took place in Agriculture after Independence in India. How these revolutions have helped in poverty alleviation and food security in India?
2. What are the reasons for poor acceptance of cost-effective small processing units? How can the food processing unit be helpful to uplift the socio-economic status of poor farmers?
3. What are the major reasons for declining rice and wheat yield in the cropping system? How crop diversification is helpful to stabilize the yield of the crop in the system?
4. How do subsidies affect the cropping pattern, crop diversity and economy of farmers? What is the significance of crop insurance, minimum support price and food processing for small and marginal farmers?

2016 UPSC IAS Food And Agriculture Mains

1. What is water-use efficiency? Describe the role of micro-irrigation in increasing water-use efficiency.
2. Discuss the role of land reforms in agricultural development. Identify the factors that were responsible for the success of land reforms in India.
3. Given the vulnerability of Indian agriculture to vagaries of nature, discuss the need for crop insurance and bring out the salient features of the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY).

2015 UPSC IAS Food And Agriculture Mains

1. Livestock rearing has a big potential for providing non-farm employment and income in rural areas. Discuss suggesting suitable examples.
2. In view of the declining average size of land holdings in India which has made agriculture non-viable for a majority of farmers, should contract farming and land leasing be promoted in agriculture? Critically evaluate the pros and cons.

2014 UPSC IAS Food And Agriculture Mains

1. There is also a point of view that agriculture produce market committees (APMCs) set up under the state acts have not only impeded the development of agriculture but also have been the cause of food inflation in India. Critically examine.
2. “In the villages itself, no form of credit organization will be suitable except the cooperative society.” – All Indian rural credit survey. Discuss this statement in the background of agriculture finance in India. What constraints and challenges do financial institutions supply agricultural finances? How can technology be used to better reach and serve rural clients?

2013 UPSC IAS Food And Agriculture Mains

1. Food Security Bill is expected to eliminate hunger and malnutrition in India. Critically discuss various apprehensions in its effective implementation along with the concerns it has generated in WTO.
2. What are the different types of agriculture subsidies given to farmers at the national and at state levels? Critically analyse the agricultural subsidy regime with reference to the distortions created by it.
3. India needs to strengthen measures to promote the pink revolution in the food industry for ensuring better nutrition and health. Critically elucidate th-e statement.
4.  Establish relationships between land reforms, agricultural productivity and elimination of poverty in the Indian economy. Discuss the difficulties in designing and implementation of agriculture – friendly land reforms in India.

For UPSC previous Year Quetions: UPSC