Q.(a) The more widespread aspect of the globalisation of agriculture is the entry of multinationals into this sector as sellers of agricultural inputs such as seeds, pesticides and fertilisers. Over the last decade or so, the government has scaled down its agricultural development programmes and 'agricultural extension' agents have been replaced in the villages by agents of seed, fertiliser and pesticide companies. Based on the given passage, answer the following question : How is agriculture becoming more commercialised ?
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Start your 14-day free trial to unlock the full solution →Concept understanding — Commoditisation Definition
Commoditisation De …
Part (a): Agriculture is becoming more commercialised through the globalisation of inputs - MNCs selling seeds, pesticides and fertilisers, the state withdrawing its extension services, and company agents guiding farmers to buy proprietary inputs.
Part (b): The scheme is the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY); its overall result is feeder separation and strengthened rural infrastructure giving more reliable rural power.
The passage highlights that the most widespread aspect of the globalisation of agriculture is the entry of multinationals as sellers of inputs - seeds, pesticides and fertilisers. Reading the passage, agriculture is becoming more commercialised in a specific, direct way:
- The state has withdrawn from active guidance: it has "scaled down its agricultural development programmes."
- The public "agricultural extension" agent - who once advised farmers with no commercial stake - has been replaced by agents of seed, fertiliser and pesticide companies whose income depends on selling their products.
- Consequently, farming decisions are increasingly shaped by market and corporate interests rather than by public agronomic support, and farmers come to depend on purchasing costly, often proprietary inputs each season rather than relying on saved seed or state help.
In short, the passage shows agriculture moving from a state-supported livelihood to a market-driven commercial enterprise organised around purchased inputs - the essence of commercialisation.
Concept understanding — Hydel Power Generation
Hydel power generation is simply electricity made from falling water. You already know the intuition: if you stand under a strong waterfall, the force of the water pushes you down. That force — the energy of moving water — is what we capture to spin a turbine and produce electricity.
The word "hydel" comes from "hydro" (water) and "electricity". In your NCERT textbook, hydel power is described as a renewable source of energy because it uses the natural flow of rivers, which is continuously replenished by rainfall and snowmelt. Unlike coal or petroleum, water is not "burnt up" in the process — it simply passes through the power station and continues downstream.
Here is how it works, step by step:
- A dam is built across a river to create a reservoir (a large artificial lake). This stores water and gives it height — the higher the water is stored, the more potential energy it has.
- Water is released from the reservoir through large pipes called penstocks. As it falls down, its potential energy converts into kinetic energy (the energy of motion).
- The fast-moving water strikes the blades of a turbine, causing it to spin. The turbine is connected to a generator — a machine that converts mechanical rotation into electrical current.
- The electricity is then sent through transmission lines to homes, factories, and cities.
Hydel power is considered clean energy because it produces no smoke, no ash, and no greenhouse gases during operation. However, building large dams can displace communities and affect river ecosystems — this is a key trade-off discussed in your syllabus under "environmental concerns of development".
Why does this matter for a commerce or humanities student? Because hydel power is a major part of India's energy mix. It provides cheap, reliable electricity for industries, agriculture (pumping irrigation water), and households. States like Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and the northeastern states rely heavily on hydel projects. Understanding it helps you grasp topics like energy security, sustainable development, and regional economic disparities — all of which appear in your Economics and Geography papers.
A few key points to remember for exams: …
Part (a): Agriculture is becoming more commercialised through the globalisation of inputs - MNCs selling seeds, pesticides and fertilisers, the state withdrawing its extension services, and company agents guiding farmers to buy proprietary inputs.
Part (b): The scheme is the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY); its overall result is feeder separation and strengthened rural infrastructure giving more reliable rural power.
The passage notes that the state invested in rural infrastructure - irrigation, roads and electricity - and that uninterrupted power supply to rural India is a necessity for regular agricultural growth. The recent Government of India scheme in this direction is the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY).
Its overall result has been: …
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