How is permaculture farming different from conventional chemical farming?
- 1.Permaculture farming discourages monocultural practices but in conventional chemical farming, monoculture practices are predominant.
- 2.Conventional chemical farming can cause increase in soil salinity but the occurrence of such phenomenon is not observed in permaculture farming.
- 3.Conventional chemical farming is easily possible in semi-arid regions but permaculture farming is not so easily possible in such regions.
- 4.Practice of mulching is very important in permaculture farming but not necessarily so in conventional chemical farming.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
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Answer: B. Statement 1 is correct: permaculture uses many crops together, while chemical farming relies on monoculture. Statement 2 is correct: heavy fertilisers and irrigation in chemical farming can raise soil salinity. Statement 3 is wrong: permaculture is actually suited to dry and semi-arid areas. Statement 4 is correct: mulching is central to permaculture. So 1, 2 and 4.
Watch for: Students assume traditional or organic methods struggle in dry regions; permaculture is designed for them.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Wrong because permaculture works well in semi-arid regions.
- C. Wrong because statements 1 and 2 are also correct.
- D. Wrong because statement 3 is false.
Source to check: FAO resources on permaculture and agroecology; Bill Mollison, Permaculture: A Designers' Manual
Answer from the official UPSC key. Written and fact-checked by AI against the official key. Spotted a mistake? Report it.