Ans: C

Exp:

Food security means the availability, accessibility, and affordability of food for all people at all times. 

• Availability of food means food production within the country, food imports, and the previous year’s stock stored in government granaries is in sufficient amounts.
• Accessibility means food is within reach of every person. 
• Affordability implies that an individual has enough money to buy sufficient, safe, and nutritious food to meet one’s dietary needs.

However, it is important to note that food security does not mean self-sufficiency. Self-sufficiency refers to a country’s ability to source goods without relying on imports.  It is a balancing act between domestic production and reliance on specific imports.

Reference: Chapter 4, Food Security in India, Class 9- Economics.

Ans: C

Exp:

Statement 1 is incorrect: The National Food Security Act (NFSA) provides for food and nutritional security at affordable prices and enables people to live a life with dignity. Under this act, 75% of the rural population and 50% of the urban population have been classified as eligible households for food security. 

Statement 2 is incorrect: The NFSA mandates the centre with the responsibility of allocating and transporting food grains to designated depots in the states and UTs. The centre must provide central assistance to states/UTs for the distribution of food grains from authorised FCI godowns to the doorsteps of Fair Price Shops. whereas the states and union territories are responsible for the effective implementation of the Act. They are responsible for identifying eligible households, issuing ration cards, distributing foodgrain entitlements through fair price shops, licencing and monitoring Fair Price Shop (FPS) dealers, etc. 

Reference: Chapter 4, Food Security in India,  class 9- Economics. NFSA.

Ans: C

Exp:

Climate Smart Agriculture is an approach to managing agricultural activities with the dynamics of the climate change and mitigating the effects of climate change on productivity. The concept of Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA)  was introduced by FAO in 2010.

Some of the best practises of the Climate Smart Agriculture are as follows:

• To promote conservation agriculture and sustainable mechanisation.
• To diversify through agro-forestry, intercropping or other diversification strategies.
• To identify and utilise improved seed varieties that are adapted to climate change (e.g. drought resistant, heat tolerant and flood tolerant).
• To expand irrigation as appropriate based on water availability.
• To improve fertiliser application practises to increase fertiliser-use efficiency.
• To use fertilisers that are less carbon-intensive.
• To divert animal waste for reuse (e.g. organic fertiliser, biogas production).
• To improve water-use efficiency.

Reference: Chapter 9, Agriculture,  Nitin Singhania’s Economy.

Ans: A

Exp:

Statement 1 is correct: The Public Distribution System (PDS) is the most important step taken by the Government of India towards ensuring food security. The Public Distribution System comprises of Procurement of Foodgrains at remunerative prices and the distribution of foodgrains to the vulnerable sections of the society.

Statement 2 is incorrect: The Food Corporation of India (FCI) is the nodal agency that undertakes the procurement and storage of food grains. The PDS has proven to be the most effective instrument of government policy over the years in stabilising prices and making food available to consumers at affordable prices. It has been instrumental in averting widespread hunger and famine by supplying food from surplus regions of the country to deficit ones.

Reference: Chapter 9, Agriculture, Nitin Singhania’s Economy.

Ans: C

Exp:

Hunger is another aspect indicating food insecurity. The attainment of food security therefore involves eliminating current hunger and reducing the risks of future hunger.

Statement 1 is incorrect: Chronic hunger is a consequence of diets that are persistently inadequate in terms of quantity and quality of food. Poor people suffer from chronic hunger because of their very low income and, in turn, their inability to buy food even for survival. 

Statement 2 is incorrect: Seasonal hunger is related to cycles of food growing and harvesting. This is prevalent in rural areas because of the seasonal/periodic nature of agricultural activities and in urban areas because of the casual labour. e.g., there is less work for casual construction labour during the rainy season. This type of hunger exists when a person is unable to get work for the entire year.

Reference: Chapter 4, Agriculture, Food Security in India.