MCQs on “The Impact of Agriculture on Environment: Sustainable Farming Practices.”

1. Which of the following is considered a major environmental impact of conventional agriculture?

a) Soil erosion
b) Crop diversification
c) Reduced water consumption
d) Increased biodiversity
Answer: a) Soil erosion

2. What is the main goal of sustainable farming practices?

a) Maximizing immediate profits
b) Minimizing long-term environmental damage
c) Reducing crop yield
d) Overusing chemical fertilizers
Answer: b) Minimizing long-term environmental damage

3. Which of the following is an example of a sustainable farming practice?

a) Monoculture
b) Agroforestry
c) Slash-and-burn farming
d) Excessive pesticide use
Answer: b) Agroforestry

4. What is the term used for the practice of planting a variety of crops in one field to promote biodiversity?

a) Crop rotation
b) Monoculture
c) Polyculture
d) Irrigation
Answer: c) Polyculture

5. Which agricultural practice can lead to soil degradation and loss of fertility?

a) Organic farming
b) Conservation tillage
c) Overgrazing
d) Crop rotation
Answer: c) Overgrazing

6. Which of the following is a major contributor to water pollution in agriculture?

a) Organic pesticides
b) Green manure
c) Runoff of chemical fertilizers
d) Agroforestry
Answer: c) Runoff of chemical fertilizers

7. What is the primary environmental issue associated with intensive monoculture farming?

a) Loss of soil fertility
b) Increased biodiversity
c) Reduced water usage
d) Enhanced ecosystem services
Answer: a) Loss of soil fertility

8. Which of the following practices helps in reducing soil erosion in agriculture?

a) Tilling the soil intensively
b) Cover cropping
c) Heavy pesticide usage
d) Excessive irrigation
Answer: b) Cover cropping

9. What does the term “agroecology” refer to?

a) The practice of genetically modifying crops
b) The use of industrial fertilizers and pesticides
c) Integrating ecological principles into agricultural practices
d) The use of fossil fuels in agriculture
Answer: c) Integrating ecological principles into agricultural practices

10. What is a key benefit of using organic farming practices?

a) Decreased biodiversity
b) Reduced soil health
c) Improved water retention in soil
d) Increased pesticide residue
Answer: c) Improved water retention in soil

11. Which farming practice involves rotating different crops in the same field to improve soil fertility?

a) Agroforestry
b) Crop rotation
c) No-till farming
d) Overgrazing
Answer: b) Crop rotation

12. Which of the following is a sustainable water management practice in agriculture?

a) Excessive irrigation
b) Drip irrigation
c) Flood irrigation
d) Open channel irrigation
Answer: b) Drip irrigation

13. What is the main environmental advantage of using conservation tillage?

a) It prevents soil erosion
b) It increases the use of synthetic fertilizers
c) It decreases crop yield
d) It promotes monoculture
Answer: a) It prevents soil erosion

14. Which of the following is a major environmental concern associated with the overuse of chemical fertilizers?

a) Soil fertility improvement
b) Reduced pesticide use
c) Groundwater contamination
d) Enhanced crop biodiversity
Answer: c) Groundwater contamination

15. How does agroforestry help in environmental conservation?

a) By increasing monoculture
b) By improving soil fertility and biodiversity
c) By reducing water usage
d) By eliminating the need for fertilizers
Answer: b) By improving soil fertility and biodiversity

16. What is the primary aim of Integrated Pest Management (IPM)?

a) To eliminate all pests using chemical pesticides
b) To maintain ecological balance by using a variety of methods to control pests
c) To reduce crop yields
d) To encourage the growth of only one type of crop
Answer: b) To maintain ecological balance by using a variety of methods to control pests

17. What role do cover crops play in sustainable agriculture?

a) They increase soil erosion
b) They deplete the soil of essential nutrients
c) They protect soil from erosion and improve soil fertility
d) They prevent the growth of beneficial microorganisms
Answer: c) They protect soil from erosion and improve soil fertility

18. What is a major drawback of monoculture farming?

a) It encourages biodiversity
b) It increases pest resistance
c) It reduces the nutritional content of food
d) It increases soil fertility
Answer: b) It increases pest resistance

19. Which of the following is a key feature of sustainable agriculture?

a) Dependence on chemical inputs
b) Long-term preservation of soil and water resources
c) Focus on maximizing short-term profits
d) Excessive mechanization
Answer: b) Long-term preservation of soil and water resources

20. What is the role of organic fertilizers in sustainable farming?

a) They degrade soil health
b) They increase the risk of pesticide contamination
c) They enhance soil fertility without harming the environment
d) They require significant energy inputs for production
Answer: c) They enhance soil fertility without harming the environment

21. Which of the following practices promotes sustainable agriculture by reducing greenhouse gas emissions?

a) Tilling and soil disturbance
b) Use of synthetic fertilizers
c) Zero-tillage farming
d) Overgrazing
Answer: c) Zero-tillage farming

22. What is the impact of overuse of water in agriculture on the environment?

a) Enhanced soil fertility
b) Increased groundwater levels
c) Depletion of water resources and salinization of soil
d) Improved crop yields
Answer: c) Depletion of water resources and salinization of soil

23. Which of the following is an environmental benefit of agroecology?

a) Increased dependency on chemical inputs
b) Greater monoculture practices
c) Conservation of biodiversity and soil health
d) Increased water pollution
Answer: c) Conservation of biodiversity and soil health

24. How does organic farming contribute to carbon sequestration?

a) By reducing the amount of water used in farming
b) By using synthetic pesticides
c) By promoting practices that increase soil organic matter
d) By focusing on genetically modified crops
Answer: c) By promoting practices that increase soil organic matter

25. What is one of the disadvantages of conventional agricultural practices?

a) Increased soil erosion
b) Improved water quality
c) Enhanced biodiversity
d) Better crop resilience
Answer: a) Increased soil erosion

26. Which of the following practices helps in reducing the environmental impact of livestock farming?

a) Overgrazing
b) Intensive confinement systems
c) Sustainable grazing systems
d) Clearing forests for grazing land
Answer: c) Sustainable grazing systems

27. Which of the following methods is employed to reduce the environmental impact of pesticide use in agriculture?

a) Use of harmful chemicals
b) Biological pest control
c) Excessive tilling
d) Heavy irrigation
Answer: b) Biological pest control

28. Which of the following is an example of a sustainable farming technique for water conservation?

a) Flood irrigation
b) Rainwater harvesting
c) Excessive irrigation
d) Draining wetlands
Answer: b) Rainwater harvesting

29. What is the main advantage of agroforestry in comparison to conventional farming?

a) It encourages monoculture practices
b) It reduces the diversity of crops
c) It enhances biodiversity and stabilizes ecosystems
d) It increases reliance on chemical inputs
Answer: c) It enhances biodiversity and stabilizes ecosystems

30. What is the key objective of the National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) in India?

a) To promote monoculture farming
b) To increase the use of chemical fertilizers
c) To enhance agricultural productivity while ensuring environmental sustainability
d) To focus only on irrigation development
Answer: c) To enhance agricultural productivity while ensuring environmental sustainability