Theme T140 · Agriculture & Food

Technology in agriculture: e-technology, Digital India, nano, satellites

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What UPSC asks

UPSC asks how e-technology helps production and marketing, Digital India for farmers, nanotechnology in agriculture, science-led changes in agriculture, and satellite-based climate-smart farming.

Prepare these

• Digital Agriculture Mission, AgriStack, soil health cards
• Drones (Kisan drones), remote sensing
• Nano urea and nano-fertilisers
• Climate-smart practices

Answer writing

• Link each technology to farmer income

Directive words in these PYQs: Analyse (1), Explain (1).

Linked themes

Builds on: study these first

These come earlier in the roadmap. Questions in this theme use them.

Comes back later in

Later themes that take this one further.

Syllabus lines covered

• GS1-L12 — Important Geophysical phenomena such as earthquakes, Tsunami, Volcanic activity, cyclone etc., geographical features and their location- changes in critical geographical features (including water-bodies and ice-caps) and in flora and fauna and the effects of such changes.
• GS3-L4 — 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
• GS3-L6 — Food processing and related industries in India- scope and significance, location, upstream and downstream requirements, supply chain management.
• GS3-L11 — Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life
• GS3-L12 — Achievements of Indians in science & technology; indigenization of technology and developing new technology.
• GS3-L13 — Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nano-technology, bio-technology and issues relating to intellectual property rights.

All 5 PYQs, newest first

1. GS1202615 marks · 250 wordsGS1-GEO-07-M2026-S02

   Analyze the role of satellite-based technologies in achieving climate-smart agriculture and food security in India

   Also needs: T146 Space & geospatial technology: Chandrayaan, JWST, NavIC, asteroids, GISAlso needs: T159 Climate change impacts on India: food security, Himalayan & coastal statesCopyReport a typo
2. GS3202515 marks · 250 wordsGS3-SCI-04-M2025-Q15

   How does nanotechnology offer significant advancements in agriculture? How can this technology help to uplift the socio-economic status of farmers?

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3. GS3202310 marks · 150 wordsGS3-AGR-02-M2023-Q03

   How does e-Technology help farmers in production and marketing of agricultural produce? Explain it.

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4. GS32020GS3-SCI-01-M2020-S01

   How is science interwoven deeply with our lives? What are the striking changes in agriculture triggered off by science-based technologies?

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5. GS32015GS3-AGR-02-M2015-S01

   How can the ‘Digital India’ programme help farmers to improve farm productivity and income? What steps has the Government taken in this regard?

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