UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Prime Minister receives Agricola Medal from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations in Rome

Q1. Which one of the following is the highest honour conferred by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations?

  • A. A.H. Boerma Award
  • B. B.R. Sen Award
  • C. Agricola Medal
  • D. Margarita Lizárraga Medal

Q2. With reference to the Agricola Medal of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), consider the following statements: 1. It is FAO's highest honour and is conferred by the Director-General of the FAO. 2. It is awarded for exceptional leadership in food security, sustainable agriculture and rural development. 3. The medal was conferred on the Prime Minister of India at the FAO Headquarters in Geneva in 2026. 4. The award recognises distinguished world leaders, and past recipients include several Heads of State and Government. Which of the statements given above is/are correctly identified?

  1. It is FAO's highest honour and is conferred by the Director-General of the FAO.
  2. It is awarded for exceptional leadership in food security, sustainable agriculture and rural development.
  3. The medal was conferred on the Prime Minister of India at the FAO Headquarters in Geneva in 2026.
  4. The award recognises distinguished world leaders, and past recipients include several Heads of State and Government.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1, 2 and 4
  • C. 2, 3 and 4
  • D. 1 and 4 only

Q3. With reference to the conferment of the Agricola Medal 2026 on the Prime Minister of India, consider the following statements: 1. The medal was conferred at the Headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Rome. 2. It was presented by Dr. Qu Dongyu, the Director-General of FAO. 3. The visit marked the first time in three decades that an Indian Head of Government visited the FAO Headquarters. 4. The Prime Minister is the first head of government from any Asian country ever to be conferred the Agricola Medal. Which of the statements given above are correct?

  1. The medal was conferred at the Headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Rome.
  2. It was presented by Dr. Qu Dongyu, the Director-General of FAO.
  3. The visit marked the first time in three decades that an Indian Head of Government visited the FAO Headquarters.
  4. The Prime Minister is the first head of government from any Asian country ever to be conferred the Agricola Medal.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1, 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q4. The Agricola Medal 2026, conferred on the Prime Minister of India at Rome, was presented by which one of the following?

  • A. António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations
  • B. Qu Dongyu, Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization
  • C. Gilbert Houngbo, President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development
  • D. Cindy McCain, Executive Director of the World Food Programme

Q5. Which one of the following statements most accurately describes the institutional status of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) within the United Nations system?

  • A. It is a specialized agency of the United Nations, with its own constitution, membership and governing bodies, linked to the UN through a relationship agreement with ECOSOC.
  • B. It is a subsidiary organ of the United Nations General Assembly, established by a Resolution and financed wholly from the regular UN budget.
  • C. It is a programme of the United Nations Economic and Social Council, with no independent membership of its own.
  • D. It is an autonomous research institute of the World Bank Group, working in partnership with the United Nations on food security.

Q6. Which one of the following is the FAO's flagship annual report that presents the headline global estimate of the number of undernourished people and tracks progress towards SDG 2 (Zero Hunger)?

  • A. The State of Food and Agriculture (SOFA)
  • B. The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI)
  • C. The State of the World's Forests (SOFO)
  • D. The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture (SOFIA)

Q7. With reference to International Years declared by the United Nations General Assembly and facilitated by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), consider the following statements: 1. The International Year of Millets 2023 was proposed by India and adopted by the UN General Assembly, with India chairing the Steering Committee of the Year. 2. The International Year of Pulses 2016 was declared by the 68th session of the UN General Assembly, with the FAO nominated to facilitate its implementation. 3. Unlike the International Year of Pulses 2016, the closing ceremony of the International Year of Millets 2023 was held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The International Year of Millets 2023 was proposed by India and adopted by the UN General Assembly, with India chairing the Steering Committee of the Year.
  2. The International Year of Pulses 2016 was declared by the 68th session of the UN General Assembly, with the FAO nominated to facilitate its implementation.
  3. Unlike the International Year of Pulses 2016, the closing ceremony of the International Year of Millets 2023 was held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q8. Which of the following are correctly identified as International Years declared by the United Nations General Assembly in the FAO/agri-food domain? 1. 2016 — International Year of Pulses 2. 2023 — International Year of Millets 3. 2026 — International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists 4. 2026 — International Year of the Small Farmer Which of the above is/are correctly identified?

  1. 2016 — International Year of Pulses
  2. 2023 — International Year of Millets
  3. 2026 — International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists
  4. 2026 — International Year of the Small Farmer
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 2, 3 and 4 only
  • C. 1, 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q9. With reference to international awards in the field of agriculture and food security, which one of the following best describes the 'Agricola Medal'?

  • A. The highest honour conferred by the Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) upon distinguished leaders for extraordinary contributions to food security and FAO's mandate
  • B. An annual award instituted by the UN General Assembly conferred upon serving Heads of State for advancing the Sustainable Development Goal on Zero Hunger
  • C. A biennial scientific prize jointly awarded by FAO and the CGIAR system to plant breeders for releasing climate-resilient crop varieties
  • D. A lifetime achievement award given by the World Food Programme to field-level agricultural extension workers in least developed countries

Q10. As acknowledged by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) at the time of the conferment of the Agricola Medal on Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, how many countries had been honoured with the Agricola Medal more than once?

  • A. One
  • B. Two
  • C. Three
  • D. Four

Q11. With reference to India's engagement with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, consider the following statements: 1. India's proposal for observing 2023 as the International Year of Millets was approved by the FAO Council at its 160th session. 2. The proposal was supported exclusively by member states of the Global South. 3. The closing ceremony of the International Year of Millets 2023 was held at the FAO Headquarters in Rome. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. India's proposal for observing 2023 as the International Year of Millets was approved by the FAO Council at its 160th session.
  2. The proposal was supported exclusively by member states of the Global South.
  3. The closing ceremony of the International Year of Millets 2023 was held at the FAO Headquarters in Rome.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 1 and 3 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q12. Within the Government of India, the nodal department that operationalises engagement with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations is the:

  • A. Department of Food and Public Distribution under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution
  • B. Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare
  • C. Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying
  • D. Department of Economic Affairs under the Ministry of Finance

Q13. Which one of the following is described by the United Nations as the world's largest humanitarian organisation addressing hunger and promoting food security, and was awarded the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize?

  • A. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
  • B. International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)
  • C. World Food Programme (WFP)
  • D. United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)

Q14. With reference to the United Nations system, consider the following pairings of specialised agency / fund and the city in which its global headquarters is located: 1. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) — Rome 2. World Food Programme (WFP) — Rome 3. International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) — Rome 4. World Health Organization (WHO) — Rome Which of the pairings given above is/are correctly identified?

  1. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) — Rome
  2. World Food Programme (WFP) — Rome
  3. International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) — Rome
  4. World Health Organization (WHO) — Rome
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1, 2 and 3 only
  • C. 2, 3 and 4 only
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4