Name the first State of India which is dependent on organic farming.
- (a)Madhya Pradesh
- (b)Kerala
- (c)Sikkim
- (d)Arunachal Pradesh
Correct — C, Sikkim. Sikkim is India's first fully organic state: it phased out chemical fertilisers and pesticides across its farmland and was officially declared 100% organic in January 2016. The switch was driven by the Sikkim Organic Mission, and in 2018 the state won the FAO-backed Future Policy Gold Award for the world's first fully organic agriculture policy.
- (a)Madhya Pradesh — A strong trap — Madhya Pradesh has the LARGEST area under organic certification in India, but it is not a fully organic state; Sikkim was the first to convert entirely.
- (b)Kerala — Kerala actively promotes organic farming and framed an organic-farming policy, but it was not the first state to become fully organic.
- (d)Arunachal Pradesh — Arunachal has large tracts of default chemical-free farming and organic potential, but it was not the first officially declared organic state.
A 'fully organic state' is one where all cultivated land is certified organic — grown without synthetic fertilisers or pesticides. Sikkim reached this over roughly a decade (mission launched in 2003, completed around 2015-16) across about 75,000 hectares of farmland, becoming a global model.
Two distractors are genuinely 'organic-active' states (Kerala's policy, MP's large certified area) placed to pull you away from the 'first FULLY organic' answer. Separate 'largest organic area' (Madhya Pradesh) from 'first 100% organic state' (Sikkim).
- Sikkim = India's first fully organic state, declared 100% organic in January 2016.
- Achieved through the Sikkim Organic Mission across about 75,000 hectares.
- Won the FAO / World Future Council 'Future Policy Gold Award' in 2018.
- Madhya Pradesh leads India in AREA under organic certification — but is not fully organic.
- Picking Madhya Pradesh because it has the most organic AREA — the question asks for the first FULLY organic state
- Assuming a large agricultural state must automatically be the 'first organic' one
Asked as a one-liner ('first organic state = Sikkim') or as statement questions bundling NPOP, APEDA and Sikkim (as UPSC did in 2018).
With reference to organic farming in India, consider the following statements: 1. "The National Programme for Organic Production" (NPOP) is operated under the guidelines and directions of the Union Ministry of Rural Development. 2. "The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority" (APEDA) functions as the Secretariat for the implementation of NPOP. 3. Sikkim has become India's first fully organic State. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- (a) 1 and 2 only
- (b) 2 and 3 only
- (c) 3 only
- (d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer(b) 2 and 3 only
UPSC 2018 statement 3 reads 'Sikkim has become India's first fully organic State' — the exact fact this question tests.
- practice — not a real PYQ
The National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP) in India is implemented with which body acting as its secretariat?
- (a)FSSAI
- (b)APEDA
- (c)ICAR
- (d)NABARD
Answer(b) APEDA — under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry.
- practice — not a real PYQ
Which Indian state has the largest area under organic certification, even though Sikkim was the first fully organic state?
- (a)Sikkim
- (b)Madhya Pradesh
- (c)Kerala
- (d)Rajasthan
Answer(b) Madhya Pradesh — largest certified organic area in India.