INDIAN BANKING RADAR (IBR) -IBPS AFO MAINS INTELLIGENCE MOCK

🔥 PLATINUM SERIES 2.0 | VOL. 172

📅 18 SEPTEMBER 2026 | FRIDAY

🎯 TARGET EXAMS

IBPS AFO • Agriculture Officer • NABARD • RRB • State Agriculture Exams

🧠 20-MCQ AFO MAINS INTELLIGENCE MOCK TEST

⏱️ Suggested Time: 15 Minutes

🎯 Focus: Current Agriculture Affairs + Agronomy + Soil Science + Horticulture + Animal Husbandry + Fisheries + Agricultural Finance

📝 20-MCQ TEST

Q1. India’s first soil-carbon payment programme recently highlighted by the Government is associated with which agricultural approach:

A. Regenerative agriculture

B. Contract farming

C. Vertical farming

D. Plantation agriculture

E. Protected cultivation

Q2. The South Zonal Agriculture Conference held in Hyderabad in September 2026 identified which combination among its key priorities:

A. Only export promotion and food processing

B. Digital Agriculture, high-value horticulture, edible-oil and pulse self-reliance, natural farming and balanced fertiliser management

C. Only livestock vaccination and dairy development

D. Only agricultural taxation and crop insurance

E. Only farm mechanisation and tractor manufacturing

Q3. Under India’s existing seed regulatory framework, action against spurious or sub-standard seeds can include:

A. Waiver of all seed certification requirements

B. Automatic MSP compensation to dealers

C. Inspection, sampling, seizure, stop-sale orders and prosecution

D. Removal of State Seed Inspectors

E. Exemption of private seed dealers from regulation

Q4. BRICS AgriN refers to:

A. Agricultural Insurance and Risk Network

B. Agricultural Research and Innovation Network

C. Agro-Rural Investment Network

D. Agro Inputs, Genetic Resources and Information Network

E. Agricultural Infrastructure and Nutrition Network

Q5. Cooperation under the BRICS digital agriculture initiative includes technologies such as:

A. Only agricultural taxation systems

B. Only fertiliser subsidy databases

C. Only crop procurement platforms

D. Only export documentation systems

E. Artificial intelligence, geospatial technologies, IoT and data analytics

Q6. Moth bean is particularly important for dryland agriculture in western Rajasthan because it is adapted to:

A. Hot arid conditions and prolonged dry spells

B. Waterlogged soils and high rainfall

C. Cool humid conditions

D. Heavy clay soils under continuous irrigation

E. High-altitude temperate conditions

Q7. The AI-based system developed by ICAR for monitoring Mithun primarily uses technology to:

A. Estimate milk yield in dairy cattle

B. Detect and track Mithun behaviour in real time

C. Predict rainfall in hill districts

D. Identify crop diseases through satellite imagery

E. Measure soil moisture in grazing areas

Q8. As reported by the Government in July 2026, the number of Farmer IDs generated in India had crossed:

A. 2 crore

B. 5 crore

C. 10.18 crore

D. 15 crore

E. 20 crore

Q9. A major implementation feature of the Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana is:

A. Replacement of all existing agricultural schemes

B. Exclusive dependence on private investment

C. Focus only on irrigation projects

D. Convergence of schemes with outcome-based monitoring

E. Withdrawal of district-level agricultural planning

Q10. A farmer uses GPS/GIS field maps, soil-test data and variable-rate equipment. The main purpose of this precision-agriculture approach is to:

A. Apply identical quantities of inputs throughout the field

B. Eliminate the need for field monitoring

C. Replace soil testing in every situation

D. Increase irrigation irrespective of crop requirement

E. Match input application with spatial variability within the field

Q11. Which combination is most closely associated with regenerative agriculture and improvement of soil organic carbon:

A. Reduced soil disturbance, residue retention and diversified cropping

B. Continuous monocropping and residue burning

C. Excessive tillage and removal of all crop residues

D. Unbalanced fertiliser application and intensive soil disturbance

E. Continuous fallowing without soil-cover management

Q12. The SATHI portal introduced for the seed sector is primarily associated with:

A. Agricultural commodity price forecasting

B. End-to-end digital seed authentication and traceability

C. Livestock vaccination monitoring

D. Irrigation-water accounting

E. Fertiliser subsidy transfer

Q13. For selecting a crop variety in a drought-prone region, the most important criterion for climate resilience is:

A. Highest market price alone

B. Maximum crop duration irrespective of rainfall

C. Drought tolerance combined with agro-climatic suitability

D. Highest fertiliser requirement

E. Highest water requirement

Q14. Which practice most directly supports regenerative agriculture in a rainfed cropping system:

A. Burning crop residues after harvest

B. Increasing soil disturbance every season

C. Continuous cultivation of a single crop

D. Residue retention, minimum tillage and diversified cropping

E. Removing all organic material from the field

Q15. Cage culture in fisheries is primarily used for:

A. Groundwater recharge

B. Soil nitrogen fixation

C. Crop seed multiplication

D. Terrestrial livestock disease control

E. Intensifying fish production in suitable water bodies

Q16. The standard reclamation approach for a sodic soil generally involves:

A. Gypsum application followed by appropriate leaching and drainage

B. Increasing soil sodicity through sodium salts

C. Applying only nitrogen fertiliser

D. Complete removal of topsoil

E. Permanent exclusion of irrigation

Q17. Trichogramma used in biological control is primarily:

A. A fungal pathogen of crop roots

B. An egg parasitoid used against insect pests

C. A nitrogen-fixing bacterium

D. A predatory fish species

E. A plant-growth-promoting nematode

Q18. Farm A produces agricultural output worth ₹8,000 using 5,000 litres of irrigation water, while Farm B produces ₹9,000 using 6,000 litres. Which farm has higher water productivity:

A. Farm B, because its output is higher

B. Both farms have equal water productivity

C. Farm A, because its output per litre is higher

D. Farm B, because it uses more water

E. Cannot be determined from the data

Q19. In agricultural credit appraisal, which factor is most directly relevant for assessing the borrower’s repayment capacity:

A. Farmer’s social-media activity

B. Colour of the farm equipment

C. Size of the farmer’s household alone

D. Projected cash flows, repayment capacity and market risk

E. Distance of the farm from the district headquarters alone

Q20. Which approach best represents integrated agricultural innovation for improving farm resilience:

A. Dependence on a single input technology

B. Increasing chemical inputs irrespective of soil condition

C. Replacing all traditional practices with one technology

D. Focusing only on yield without considering resource efficiency

E. Combining digital tools, climate-resilient practices, improved genetics and efficient resource management

🔑 ANSWER KEY

Q1.A

Q2.B

Q3.C

Q4.D

Q5.E

Q6.A

Q7.B

Q8.C

Q9.D

Q10.E

Q11.A

Q12.B

Q13.C

Q14.D

Q15.E

Q16.A

Q17.B

Q18.C

Q19.D

Q20.E

🌾 IBR AFO MAINS INTELLIGENCE

1️⃣ SOIL CARBON PAYMENTS — FARMER INCENTIVE MODEL

India has recently highlighted its first soil-carbon payment initiative, under which more than 2,500 farmers in Punjab and Haryana are to receive over ₹2.9 crore.

The programme links measurable changes in soil carbon and greenhouse-gas reductions with farmer payments.

Important practices include:

• Direct Seeded Rice

• Reduced tillage

• Crop-residue management

• Water conservation

• Diversified cropping

• Improved soil biology

EXAM TRAP:

Carbon farming is not merely “planting more trees”. In agriculture, changes in soil management and measurable carbon outcomes can also generate carbon-credit value.

2️⃣ SOUTH ZONAL AGRICULTURE CONFERENCE — HYDERABAD

The September 2026 conference highlighted:

• Digital Agriculture and Farmer Registry

• High-value horticulture and value addition

• Self-reliance in edible oils and pulses

• Natural farming

• Integrated farming systems

• Balanced fertiliser management

• Action against spurious pesticides and fertilisers

• Storage, processing and marketing infrastructure

AFO MAINS LINK:

Agricultural development is increasingly moving from production-centric planning → value-chain + technology + climate-resilience approach.

3️⃣ PM DHAN-DHAANYA KRISHI YOJANA — CURRENT UPDATE

PM-DDKY covers 100 identified districts and is implemented through convergence of 36 Central schemes across 11 Ministries/Departments, along with State schemes and private-sector participation.

The September 2026 review emphasised outcome-based monitoring and district-level performance.

EXAM TRAP:

PM-DDKY is not simply a new standalone subsidy scheme. Convergence + district planning + measurable outcomes are central to its implementation.

4️⃣ FARMER ID — DIGITAL AGRICULTURE

As of 20 July 2026, more than 10.18 crore Farmer IDs had been created.

Farmer IDs can facilitate integration with:

• PM-KISAN

• PMFBY

• MSP-based procurement

• Credit delivery

• Input distribution

• Disaster relief

CONCEPT:

Farmer ID → Digital identity → Scheme integration → Better targeting and service delivery.

5️⃣ SEED TRACEABILITY — SATHI

The SATHI portal stands for:

Seed Authentication, Traceability & Holistic Inventory.

Its objective is to strengthen digital traceability across the seed supply chain and help prevent circulation of spurious/sub-standard seeds.

EXAM TRAP:

SATHI is a seed-sector traceability and authentication platform, not a fertiliser-subsidy platform.

🧮 QUICK CALCULATION

WATER PRODUCTIVITY

Farm A:

₹8,000 ÷ 5,000 L

= ₹1.60/L

Farm B:

₹9,000 ÷ 6,000 L

= ₹1.50/L

Therefore:

Farm A has higher water productivity.

📌 Formula:

Water Productivity = Agricultural Output ÷ Water Used

⚠️ AFO MAINS EXAM TRAPS

🔸 Carbon farming ≠ only tree plantation

🔸 Regenerative agriculture ≠ zero fertiliser under every circumstance

🔸 Precision agriculture ≠ simply mechanisation

🔸 Farmer ID ≠ merely Aadhaar number

🔸 SATHI ≠ fertiliser database

🔸 Trichogramma ≠ predator; it is an egg parasitoid

🔸 Sodic soil reclamation ≠ simply adding more water; amendment + leaching + drainage are important

🔸 Water productivity ≠ total production alone

🔸 PM-DDKY ≠ a single standalone scheme

🎯 SCORE GUIDE

18–20: 🔥 AFO Mains Platinum Zone

15–17: ⭐ Strong Preparation

12–14: 📘 Good — Revise Concepts

9–11: ⚠️ Need Targeted Revision

Below 9: 🚨 Rework Fundamentals + Current Affairs

🚀 IBR PREMIUM EDGE

For serious AFO aspirants, don't just memorise the current affair.

Study it as:

CURRENT AFFAIR → AGRICULTURE CONCEPT → APPLICATION → BANKING LINKAGE → EXAM TRAP

That is the difference between ordinary preparation and AFO MAINS INTELLIGENCE.

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