Question

Assertion (A): Implementing agroforestry practices helps in soil conservation.
Reason (R): Agroforestry combines the cultivation of trees and crops on the same land, which reduces soil erosion by providing ground cover and enhancing soil structure through the roots of trees.

• A. Both (A) and (R) are correct and (R) is the correct explanation of (A)
• B. Both (A) and (R) are correct but (R) is NOT the correct explanation of (A)
• C. (A) is correct but (R) is not correct
• D. (A) is not correct but (R) is correct

Hint:

Agroforestry improves soil conservation via root systems and ground cover.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Agroforestry reduces soil erosion by integrating trees and crops, which stabilizes soil, increases organic matter, and improves structure through root systems.

Answer 2

Alternate approach — Mechanistic breakdown:
Soil erosion is driven mainly by the direct impact of raindrops on bare soil and by unchecked surface runoff. In an agroforestry system, the tree canopy intercepts rainfall and reduces the kinetic energy of raindrops before they strike the soil, tree litter adds organic matter that improves soil aggregation, and the extensive root network of trees physically binds soil particles while creating channels that increase water infiltration and slow runoff velocity.
Each of these effects, canopy interception, ground cover, and root reinforcement, are exactly the mechanisms named in Reason (R), and together they directly cause the soil-conserving outcome stated in Assertion (A). Hence Reason (R) is a correct and direct explanation of Assertion (A), confirming option Both (A) and (R) are correct and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).