Agriculture Notes For UPSC are mandatory to study for the UPSC IAS prelims and mains exams. Agriculture is an unpopular yet relevant optional subject that shares similarities with the Indian Economy section. Thus, candidates must put in good efforts to start preparing with these Agricultural Optional UPSC notes. In the IAS exam, questions from Agriculture and related domains like Fishery, Horticulture, Livestock farming, etc. can also be asked in UPSC Prelims & Mains GS papers. Candidates can refer to these Agriculture UPSC Notes and score well in the prelims, mains and optional papers.
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98% of UPSC toppers follow a study plan to crack the exam Get your personalized AI-generated study plan made by industry experts.The Agriculture optional subject is mostly opted by the rural & remote aspirants as they are knowledgeable about farming and cropping applications. It is also a common subject for Zoology and Botany students. But in recent years, Agriculture is selected by several aspirants as it overlaps with Economy topics in UPSC Mains GS Paper 3 Syllabus. Thus, you are recommended to study these Agriculture notes for UPSC properly.
While going through these notes, candidates can also create their own notes on key topics like farming in India, government Kisan schemes, sustainable agriculture and rural livelihood, etc. Meanwhile, candidates can download the Agriculture UPSC Notes PDF and keep a copy to refer to these later.
In the UPSC Agriculture optional paper 1, descriptive questions will be asked on topics like Agro-ecology, Climate Change, concepts of various cropping & farming systems, forestry plantations, the role of irrigation and farm management, farmer training programmes, etc. Thus, our optional subject experts have made these agriculture notes for UPSC accessible for IAS 2023 exam preparation.
| Agriculture UPSC Notes - Optional Paper 1 | ||
| Rabi and Kharif Crops | Remote Sensing | Farm forestry |
| Global warming and Climate Change | Geographic Information System (GIS) | Social Forestry |
| Greenhouse Gases | Agriculture Facts & GK | Classification of Soil in India |
| Objectives & Water Resources in India | Fertilizer Policy in India | Types of Irrigation in India |
| Soil Erosion | Crop Diversification | Role of Krishi Vigyan Kendras |
| Agricultural Pricing and Crop Insurance Issues | Difference Between NGOs and SHGs | - |
| Practice Agriculture MCQs | ||
| Ecology and Ecosystem | Major Crops grown in India and Agro-Climatic Regions | Classification of Weeds |
| Ecology and Its Relevance To Man | Organic Farming | Watershed Management |
| UNFCCC | Principles of Silviculture | Agriculture Extensions |
| Cropping System | Rainwater Harvesting | - |
The Agriculture UPSC notes for optional paper 2 will be more specific towards biological and scientific applications and matters of crops and other plants. Some of the major topics to study from the UPSC Agriculture Optional Syllabus for Paper 2 include cell structure, cycle, mutation of crops, seed production & processing technologies, food production and consumption trends in India, etc. Click on the below-listed topics to study for agriculture optional paper 2.
| Agriculture Notes UPSC - Optional Paper 2 | ||
| Cell – Its Structure & Functions | Endosulfan | Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) |
| Botany | WTO Agreement on Agriculture | Issues & Challenges of Food Security in India |
| Plant Kingdom | WTO Ministerial Conference on Food Security | World Food Programme |
| Bt Brinjal | Aerobic Rice Cultivation | Hidden Hunger, Its Causes & More |
| National Nutrition Strategy | FSSAI Acts and Functions on Agricultural Food Products | |
| Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) | The International Year of Millets | Livestock Census |
| National Agriculture Market (eNAM) | Minimum Support Price (MSP) | Farmer Suicides |
| All-India Consumer Price Index for Agricultural and Rural Labourers | Consumer Price Index (CPI) | - |
| Practice Agriculture MCQs | ||
| Genetic & Plant Breeding | Plant Morphology | Herbicides and Pesticides |
| Seed Technology | Crop Horticulture | Plant Morphology |
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English,Hindi + 7 More Available in: English, Hindi, Bengali, Marathi, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Gujarati, Kannada,
Apart from these Agriculture notes for UPSC, candidates must also refer to other study materials to devise their preparation in a solid way. You also need to stay updated with the latest developments and world conventions for Agricultural development. Some of the highly recommended Agriculture study materials are given below -
Check the complete UPSC Exam Pattern to devise your preparation strategy.
Starting from the state government to central government subsidy schemes for agriculture and farmers, UPSC aspirants have a lot to cover. However, we have researched an exhaustive list of Government schemes and initiatives towards this field for your quick reference. Quickly memorize important agricultural schemes by the government by going through the following Agriculture notes for UPSC:
| Agriculture Notes UPSC – Government Schemes & Initiatives | |
| Name of the Scheme/Initiative | Year Formed |
| Pradhan Mantri Van Dhan Yojana | 2018 |
| PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana | February, 2019 |
| Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samapada Yojana | 2016 |
| PM Kusum Scheme | 2019 |
| Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) | 2015 |
| Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) | 2015 |
| Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) | 2007 |
| Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana | September, 2020 |
| Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan | 12th May, 2020 |
| Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro food processing Enterprises Scheme | June, 2020 |
| Project CHAMAN | September, 2014 |
| Kisan Credit Card Scheme (KCC) | 1998 |
| Deen Dayal Upadhayay Gram Jyoti Yojana | 3rd December, 2014 |
| Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) | 2008 |
| Pradhaan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana | 18th February, 2016 |
| Soil Health Card Scheme | 2015 |
| Nutrient Based Subsidy Scheme | 2010 |
| KALIA Scheme | 2019 |
| Krishi Kalyan Cess | June, 2016 |
| Kisan Vikas Patra Scheme (KVP) | 1988 (launched), 2014 (revised) |
| POSHAN Abhiyan National Nutrition Mission | 8th March, 2018 |
| Rythu Bandhu scheme | 2018 |
| PM AASHA Scheme | September, 2018 |
| Operation Greens Scheme (Top to Total) | 2018-19 |
| Micro Irrigation Fund | 2015 |
Aspirants can get confused studying so many Agriculture notes for UPSC optional papers. However, remembering the names of PM schemes, funds, and other global conventions can be challenging too. Thus, we have provided some expert tips to help you prepare for the agriculture subject with ease, have a look at them below -
We hope that this article has helped you to study with the Best Agriculture Notes for UPSC exam preparation. If you want to access more preparation notes for UPSC, download the Testbook App now and stay ahead in UPSC and other top competitive exams across the country.
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First, you must refer to the complete UPSC Agriculture optional syllabus for both papers, then study relevant topics from Economy GS syllabus. Once done, go through Agriculture Notes UPSC, and other tips mentioned here.
Yes, if you are an aspirant with Biology, Zoology, Botany or Economics background, Agriculture is a good scoring UPSC optional subject.
Yes, these Agriculture notes for UPSC can be accessed for free and downloaded using direct PDF link mentioned in the article.
Some of the best books for UPSC Agriculture optional subject are - 1.) Agriculture Optional - UPSC CSE (IAS) Mains: Solved Previous Years and Model Questions by R.P Meena, 2.) A Text Book of Agricultural Statistics by R. Rangaswamy, 3.) Agronomy by Yellamanda Reddy, 4.) Survey Of Indian Agriculture by The Hindu.
Some of the important topics that cover these Agriculture Notes For UPSC are as follows -Plant physiology, Organic Farming, Classification of Soils, Climate Change and Global Conventions, Farmer Extension Programs, Ecology and Its Relevance To Man, Government KISAN schemes, etc.
Agriculture notes for UPSC can be used to cover the exam syllabus. However, applying this knowledge to solve questions is of equal importance. Candidates are advised to take topic and section tests regularly to solidify their preparation with UPSC Agriculture notes.
