GS PrelimsAgricultureGovernment Policies and Schemes for Agriculture2015
Which one of the following best describes the main objective of 'Seed Village Concept?
A
Encouraging the farmers to use their own farm seeds and discouraging them to buy the seeds from others
B
Involving the farmers for training in quality seed production and thereby to make available quality seeds to others at appropriate time and affordable cost
C
Earmarking some villages exclusively for the production of certified seeds
D
Identifying the entrepreneurs in villages and providing them technology and finance to set up seed companies
Correct Answer: Option B
Explanation
1. The question asks for the best description of the main objective of the 'Seed Village Concept'.
2. The Seed Village Concept is a programme aimed at upgrading the quality of farmer-saved seed, which constitutes a major part of the total seed requirement in India.
3. The core idea is to organize a group of farmers in a compact area (village), provide them with foundation/certified seed of suitable varieties, provide necessary technical training on quality seed production, and facilitate the production of quality seeds by these farmers.
4. Option (B) accurately captures this: 'Involving the farmers for training in quality seed production and thereby to make available quality seeds to others at appropriate time and affordable cost'. This reflects the goals of capacity building, quality improvement, and local availability.
5. Option (A) is incorrect because while it encourages using local seeds, the primary focus is on improving the *quality* of those seeds through intervention, not just using existing farm seeds without quality checks.
6. Option (C) is too narrow; it's not about exclusively earmarking villages but about empowering farmers within villages for decentralized seed production.
7. Option (D) misinterprets the goal; it's about empowering existing farmers, not primarily identifying and setting up new entrepreneurs or seed companies.