Sustainable Marine Fisheries Management

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations guides its global work through a strategic framework aimed at supporting the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The core organizing principle of this framework is the transformation to more efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable agrifood systems to achieve the "Four Betters". The "Four Betters" are officially defined as:
1. Better Production: Ensuring sustainable consumption and production patterns.
2. Better Nutrition: Ending hunger, achieving food security, and improving access to healthy diets.
3. Better Environment: Protecting, restoring, and promoting the sustainable use of terrestrial and marine ecosystems.
4. Better Life: Promoting inclusive economic growth and reducing inequalities, leaving no one behind. The Blue Transformation is a specific FAO vision and programmatic priority area that aims to secure and maximize the contribution of aquatic food systems (fisheries and aquaculture) to achieve these overarching "Four Betters". Options A, C, and D are incorrect because they include fabricated pillars such as "better ocean", "better coral reefs", "better estuaries", or "better mangrove vegetation", which are not part of the FAO's official strategic framework. Therefore, Option B is the correct answer.

Statement 1 is incorrect: India has a National Seeds Policy (2002), which provides a framework for quality assurance, seed certification, and private sector participation. Statement 2 is incorrect: The private sector plays a significant role in the production and distribution of seeds, particularly for hybrid and vegetable crops (e.g., Mahyco, Syngenta, Nunhems, etc.). Statement 3 is correct: For crops like pulses, coarse cereals, and oilseeds, which are low-value but high-volume, there is indeed a shortage of certified seeds due to lower profitability and investment. Thus, only statement three is correct.

* Statement 1 is correct. According to the United Nations World Water Development Report 2022, with an estimated 251 km3 annual withdrawal from an estimated 20 million wells and tube wells, India is the world's greatest groundwater user. This accounts for more than a quarter of the total groundwater extracted internationally. * Statement 2 is incorrect. India uses about 89% of this groundwater for irrigation. Major share of total groundwater extracted by India is utilised for irrigation purposes and not for drinking and sanitation purposes.

Out of the listed statements about the Soil Health Card Scheme : Statement 1 is Incorrect: Expanding the cultivable area under irrigation is not a primary objective of the scheme. Statement 2 is Incorrect: Banks don't directly use soil cards to assess loan quantum. Loan approvals depend on various factors like land ownership, crop type, and credit history. Statement 3 is Correct: A key objective of the scheme is to promote the judicious use of fertilisers. By informing farmers about their soil's nutrient status, the scheme encourages them to apply only the required amount of fertilisers, reducing overuse and potential environmental damage. Therefore, the correct answer is 3 only (checking the overuse of fertilisers in farmlands).Hence, option B is the correct answer.

Sustainable Sugarcane Initiative is a method of sugarcane production that involves the use of less seeds , less water and optimum utilization of fertilizers and land to achieve more yields . The major principles that govern SSI are - Transplanting young seedlings (25-35 days old).
- Maintaining wide spacing (5X2 feet) in the main field.
- Providing sufficient moisture and avoiding inundation of water.
- Encouraging organic method of nutrient and plant protection measures.
- Practicing intercropping for effective utilization of land.
- NPK (fertilizers) can be applied at the rate of 112 kg, 25 kg, and 48 kg per acre, respectively, through inorganic or organic methods. Hence statement 3 is wrong, this eliminates A, C, and D.