UPSC Essentials | Mains answer practice — GS 3 : Questions on cropping pattern and COP 29 (Week 80)

QUESTION 2

The 29th Conference of the Parties (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan, concluded with a significant climate finance agreement. What are the key takeaways of COP 29?

General points on the structure of the answers

Introduction

— The introduction of the answer is essential and should be restricted to 3-5 lines. Remember, a one-liner is not a standard introduction.

— It may consist of basic information by giving some definitions from the trusted source and authentic facts.

Body

— It is the central part of the answer and one should understand the demand of the question to provide rich content.

— The answer must be preferably written as a mix of points and short paragraphs rather than using long paragraphs or just points.

— Using facts from authentic government sources makes your answer more comprehensive. Analysis is important based on the demand of the question, but do not over analyse.

QUESTION 1: The dynamics of cropping patterns in India have undergone significant transformations, influenced by environmental, economic, technological, and policy factors. Discuss.

Introduction:

— India’s agriculture is distinguished by substantial crop variability, owing mostly to its various climate, topography, and soil types. Agriculture is a cornerstone of India’s economy due to its unique agro-climatic landscape, which allows for the production of a wide range of crops in different locations.

— The agriculture sector around the world is confronting changing difficulties and rising opportunities that necessitate a new approach.

Body:

— Cropping pattern is the distribution of various crops within a specified area at a given period. It represents the yearly sequence and spatial layout of crops that grow in a certain area. The monsoons have traditionally shaped cropping patterns in India, determining the country’s agricultural calendar.

— India’s agricultural landscape is broadly divided into:

Kharif (monsoon)

— Kharif cropping begins in July and ends around September or October. This season is primarily reliant on monsoon rains, which have a considerable impact on crop varieties and yields.

— Rice, maize, sorghum, millet, pulses (arhar and moong) and oilseeds (groundnut and soybean) are among the most important Kharif crops.

Rabi (winter)

— Rabi cropping normally begins with the arrival of winter in October and ends with the harvesting season in March or April. This season is critical to India’s food security, accounting for a sizable portion of the country’s overall food grain production.

— Wheat, barley, mustard, gramme, and lentils are the most often grown Rabi crops.

Zaid cropping

— Zaid crops are planted during the short season between Kharif and Rabi, which normally lasts from March to June.

— Common Zaid crops include watermelon, cucumber, pumpkin, bitter gourd, and fodder crops.

Factors determining cropping patterns

— Environmental factors: With the country’s numerous agro-climatic zones and variable soil types governing crop compatibility, the environment has a significant impact on agricultural output. Farmers chose crops that are less susceptible to local hazards since pests and illnesses are more common in certain places.

— Technological adoption and varietal improvement: The employment of modern farming techniques, high-yield variety (HYV) seeds, and mechanisation has allowed farmers to plant crops that were not previously viable in specific places, hence altering traditional cropping patterns.

— Social and cultural aspects: Deeply ingrained socio-cultural influences have a considerable impact on crop production in different places. Crop choices are frequently influenced by long-standing traditions, local customs, and cultural practices, with some crops grown for specific religious festivals or community needs.

— Government interventions: Policy changes have a considerable impact on cropping patterns. Government policies on subsidies, lending facilities, crop insurance, and agricultural extension services can either stimulate or discourage the development of specific crops.

Conclusion:

— The shift in planting patterns has prompted farmers to abandon conventional subsistence farming in favour of a more diverse and economically orientated agricultural approach.

— As more farmers switch to high-value crops, the balance between cash crops and vital food grains is shifting, potentially jeopardising food security.

(Source: Shift in cropping pattern dynamics in India and its impact)

Points to Ponder

What are the concerns associated with the Rabi crop?

How does La Niña affect the cropping pattern in India?

Read about MSP

Related Previous Year Questions

What are the present challenges before crop diversification? How do emerging technologies provide an opportunity for crop diversification? (2021)

How has the emphasis on certain crops brought about changes in cropping patterns in recent past? Elaborate the emphasis on millets production and consumption. (2018)

QUESTION 2: The 29th Conference of the Parties (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan, concluded with a significant climate finance agreement. What are the key takeaways of COP 29?

Introduction:

— The COP29 climate meeting in Baku ended in disappointment. On the key issue of financing, industrialised countries committed to raise only $300 billion for developing countries each year, a threefold increase over their current mission of $100 billion but well short of the $1 trillion that all evaluations concluded was required.

— This is not the first time that the annual climate summit has yielded unsatisfactory results. Each of them has performed well below expectations during the last 15 years. As a result, the deliberations and outcomes of these summits have become almost entirely disconnected from the need to attain the temperature targets outlined in the 2015 Paris Agreement.

Body:

Key outcomes of COP 29

New global climate finance target

— Negotiators faced the vital job of establishing a new global climate financing target for 2025 and beyond, building on the existing $100 billion per year commitment.

— Parties agreed on a “New Collective Quantified Goal for Climate Finance” to help developing countries in two ways:

(i) $1.3 trillion annually to be “enabled” by all actors.

(ii) $300 billion for wealthy countries to take the lead in delivery.

Article 6: Establishing a global architecture for carbon markets

— For international commerce in mitigation results (Article 6.2), COP29 detailed how nations will authorise carbon credit transactions and operate tracking registries. It also established systems to assure environmental integrity through upfront technical reviews transparently.

— Under the centralised carbon crediting method (Article 6.4), the Paris Agreement Crediting method now includes mandatory environmental and human rights safeguards.

— Progress in Article 6 negotiations at COP29 will be critical for establishing functional carbon markets, which are required to satisfy the Paris Agreement’s reduction targets and mobilise much-needed financing.

Nationally determined contributions

— State delegates came under increasing pressure to enhance their ambition and set expectations for the next cycle of national climate policies. With the deadline for reporting revised nationally determined contributions (NDCs) in 2025, countries were encouraged to update their climate commitments to be more ambitious, investable, and equitable as part of the five-year update cycle.

— This phase necessitates stronger emissions reduction objectives and major results from previous COPs, such as pledges to phase out fossil fuels and treble renewable energy capacity by 2030.

Missing momentum on fossil fuels transition and COP28 energy pledges

— Despite Brazil’s Group of 20 statement acknowledging the UAE consensus and supporting mid-conference negotiations, Baku was divided on the global commitment to shift away from fossil fuels and go forward with the COP28 energy targets.

— Unfortunately, the final decision made no clear mention of “transitioning away from fossil fuels.”

— Furthermore, focused actions to reduce transition barriers to meeting the doubling renewables targets, including significantly decreasing permitting periods, improving grid preparedness, and driving more project funding into developing countries, will be critical for future COPs to succeed.

Conclusion:

— The industrialised countries claim that the amount of financial requirements has expanded dramatically, and that because many other countries have become wealthy in the last two decades, they should also be expected to contribute to climate finance.

— This year’s financing negotiations in Baku focused on expanding the contributor base, and several criteria for bringing in other countries were proposed.

(Source: Key takeaway of COP29? The dismantling of climate talks, http://www.weforum.org)

Points to Ponder

Paris agreement

Outcomes of COP 28

Related Previous Year Questions

Explain the purpose of the Green Grid Initiative launched at the World Leaders Summit of the COP26 UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow in November, 2021. When was this idea first floated in the International Solar Alliance (ISA)? (2021)

Describe the major outcomes of the 26th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). What are the commitments made by India in this conference? (2021)

Previous Mains Answer Practice

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 1 (Week 79)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 1 (Week 78)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 2 (Week 78)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 2 (Week 79)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 3 (Week 78)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 3 (Week 79)

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