Passage

We are witnessing a dangerous dwindling of biodiversity in our food supply. The green revolution is a mixed blessing. Over time farmers have come to rely heavily on broadly adapted, high-yield crops to the exclusion of varieties adapted to the local conditions. Monocropping vast fields with the same genetically uniform seeds helps boost yield and meet immediate hunger needs. Yet high-yield varieties are also genetically weaker crops that require expensive chemical fertilizers and toxic pesticides. In our focus on increasing the amount of food we produce today, we have accidentally put ourselves at risk for food shortages in the future.

QUESTION

CSAT

Easy

Comprehension

Prelims 2016

Which among the following is the most logical and critical inference that can be made from the above passage?

Select an option to attempt

Explanation

Statement A is incorrect: The passage mentions that reliance on chemical fertilizers and toxic pesticides is a result of high-yield crops used in monocropping, but it does not solely attribute this to the green revolution. The green revolution is associated with high-yield varieties, but the passage does not say that these practices began only due to the green revolution.

Statement B is incorrect: The passage does suggest that monocropping with high-yield varieties has been a consequence of the green revolution. However, it doesn't focus solely on this as the critical point.

Statement C is incorrect: The passage doesn't suggest that monocropping with high-yield varieties is the only way to ensure food security. Instead, it highlights the long-term risks, including potential food shortages in the future.

Statement D is correct: The passage concludes that green revolution has led to monocropping with genetically uniform seeds and high-yield varieties, which are associated with a dwindling of biodiversity and the risk of food shortages in the future. This makes it the most logical and critical inference.

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