Which among the following is/are the objective(s) of the Rainfed Area Development (RAD) initiative under the National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) ? 1. Encouraging monoculture in rainfed areas 2. Increasing rice cultivation in irrigated regions 3. Enhancing productivity and minimising climatic risks through Integrated Farming Systems (IFS) Select the answer using the code given below :

The correct option is D (3 only).

The Rainfed Area Development (RAD) scheme was launched in 2014-15 as a core component of the National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA), which operates under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC). Its primary goal is to make rainfed agriculture more sustainable, productive, and resilient to climate variations.

• Statement 1 is incorrect: RAD actively discourages monoculture. Instead, it promotes crop diversification (such as multi-cropping, rotational, inter-cropping, and mixed-cropping) because relying on a single crop in unpredictable rainfed conditions heavily increases the risk of total crop failure.
• Statement 2 is incorrect: As the name implies, RAD is exclusively designed for rainfed areas (regions dependent on monsoons lacking assured irrigation facilities) to improve their agricultural footprint. It does not target irrigated regions or specifically aim to increase water-intensive crop cultivation like rice in those areas.
• Statement 3 is correct: The hallmark of RAD is its area-based approach focusing on the Integrated Farming System (IFS). IFS integrates traditional crop cultivation with allied activities like horticulture, livestock rearing, fisheries, agro-forestry, and apiculture. This holistic integration maximizes farm returns and minimizes climatic risks (like droughts or extreme weather events) by providing farmers with alternative income opportunities if their primary crops fail.

Takeaway: Remember the core formula for RAD: Rainfed Areas + Integrated Farming Systems (IFS) = Climate Resilience. It shields farmers from the unpredictability of rain-dependent farming by diversifying their income sources.