28. Which among the following is/are the objective(s) of the Rainfed Area Development (RAD) initiative under the National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA)?

28. Which among the following is/are the objective(s) of the Rainfed Area Development (RAD) initiative under the National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA)?

1. Encouraging monoculture in rainfed areas

2. Increasing rice cultivation in irrigated regions

3. Enhancing productivity and minimising climatic risks through Integrated Farming Systems (IFS)

Select the answer using the code given below:

(a) 1 only (b) 1 and 2 (c) 2 and 3 (d) 3 only

Answer: (d) 3 only

Only statement 3 is correct. The Rainfed Area Development (RAD) component under the National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) aims to enhance productivity and minimise climatic risks in rainfed areas by promoting Integrated Farming Systems (IFS). These systems integrate multi-cropping, rotational/inter/mixed cropping with allied activities (horticulture, livestock, fishery, agroforestry, etc.) for diversified, climate-resilient livelihoods. Statements 1 and 2 are incorrect: RAD explicitly discourages monoculture/single-cropping and targets rainfed (not irrigated) areas, without any objective of increasing rice cultivation in irrigated regions.

Proper nouns evaluation and sources

• Rainfed Area Development (RAD): A key component/sub-scheme of NMSA (operational since 2014-15), focused on rainfed areas via area-based/watershed-plus approaches and IFS models developed by ICAR. It supports diversification to build resilience against drought and extreme weather.

• National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA): One of the eight missions under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC). It promotes productive, sustainable, remunerative, and climate-resilient agriculture, with a strong emphasis on rainfed areas, soil health, water-use efficiency (“more crop per drop”), and integrated farming.

• Integrated Farming Systems (IFS): Core strategy of RAD/NMSA involving combined crop–livestock–horticulture–fishery–agroforestry systems for higher returns and risk reduction.

AppearancesThese terms appear routinely in official government documents and PIB releases. NMSA guidelines (available via agriculture ministry / state sites such as http://nmsa.dac.gov.in and state agriculture departments) state the objectives of promoting location-specific IFS, natural resource conservation, and climate resilience, while noting that single-cropping is not recommended. Recent PIB releases (e.g., 2025–2026) detail RAD implementation statistics (funds released, area covered, farmers benefited) and explicitly link it to IFS for diversified, risk-resilient agriculture under NMSA / PM-RKVY.

Coverage in The Hindu, Indian Express, and other English newspapers is typically secondary—appearing in reports on climate-resilient agriculture, budget allocations for NMSA components, or government scheme updates—rather than as standalone major news stories. The concepts are standard in agricultural policy and UPSC-oriented material drawn directly from official guidelines and PIB.