Bio fortified crops
Context :
Biofortified carrot variety developed by farmer scientist benefits local farmers.
Details :
- The bio fortified crop- Madhuban Gajar was developed by Shri Vallabhhai Vasrambhai Marvaniya, a farmer scientist from Junagadh district, Gujarat.
- It contains high β-carotene and iron content.
- It is being planted in an area of over 200 hectares in Junagadh, and the average yield, which is 40-50 t/ha, has become the main source of income to the local farmers.
- The variety is being cultivated in more than 1000 hectares of land in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh during the last three years.
- Madhuban Gajar carrot variety possesses a significantly higher root yield (74.2 t/ha) and plant biomass (275 gm per plant) as compared to check variety.
What is biofortification?
Biofortification is the process of increasing nutritional value of food crops by increasing the density of vitamins and minerals in a crop through either conventional plant breeding; agronomic practices or biotechnology. Examples of these vitamins and minerals that can be increased through biofortification include provitamin A Carotenoids, zinc and iron.
How are crops fortified?
Conventional crop breeding techniques are used to identify varieties with particularly high concentration of desired nutrients. These are cross-bred with varieties with other desirable traits from the target areas (such a virus resistance, drought tolerance, high yielding, taste) to develop biofortified varieties that have high levels of micronutrients (for example, vitamin A, iron or zinc), in addition to other traits desired by farmers and consumers.
Agronomic biofortification entails application of minerals such as zinc or iron as foliar or soil applications, drawing on plant management, soil factors, and plant characteristics to get enhanced content of key micronutrients into the edible portion of the plant.
Why biofortification?
Biofortification is one solution among many interventions that are needed to solve the complex problem of micronutrient malnutrition. It is considered one of the most cost-effective interventions for countries to employ in combating micronutrient malnutrition.
- Biofortification reaches rural consumers who have limited access to industrially fortified foods, supplementation interventions, and diverse diets.
- Biofortification combines increased micronutrient content with preferred agronomic, quality, and market traits and therefore biofortified varieties will typically match or outperform the usual varieties that farmers grow and consume.
How does Biofortification differ from food fortification?
Biofortification has the increased nutritional micronutrient content imbedded in the crop being grown. Food fortification increases the nutritional value of foods by adding trace amounts of micronutrients to foods during processing.
source : pib
WHO Funding and Advisories
Context :
The President of the United States has threatened to freeze US funding to the World Health Organization (WHO) for not taking necessary steps to combat Covid-19.
Key Points :
- The President of the United States has raised allegations that the WHO has praised China for its transparency on the virus even though there has been reason to believe that more people died of Covid19 than the country’s official tally.
- The United States is currently the WHO’s biggest contributor, making up 14.67% of total funding by providing $553.1 million.
- The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health. It was founded in 1948 and is headquartered at Geneva, Switzerland.
- There are four kinds of contributions that make up funding for the WHO.
- Assessed contributions: These are the dues countries pay in order to be a member of the Organization. The amount each Member State must pay is calculated relative to the country’s wealth and population.
- Specified voluntary contributions: They come from Member States (in addition to their assessed contribution) or from other partners.
- Core voluntary contributions: They allow less well-funded activities to benefit from a better flow of resources and ease implementation bottlenecks that arise when immediate financing is lacking.
- Pandemic Influenza Preparedness (PIP) contributions: They were started in 2011 to improve and strengthen the sharing of influenza viruses with human pandemic potential, and to increase the access of developing countries to vaccines and other pandemic related supplies.
- In recent years, assessed contributions to the WHO have declined, and now account for less than one-fourth of its funding.These funds are important for the WHO, because they provide a level of predictability and minimise dependence on a narrow donor base.
India and the WHO :
- WHO has been working closely with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and various state governments on preparedness and response measures for Covid-19, including
- Surveillance and contact tracing.
- Laboratory and research protocols.
- Risk communications.
- Hospital preparedness.
- Training on infection prevention
- Control and cluster containment plan.
- However, on March 26,2020 addressing the virtual G-20 summit to deal with Covid-19, the Prime Minister of India underscored the need to strengthen and reform intergovernmental organisations like WHO.
- The government of India has also been seen sidestepping the periodic advisories from the WHO in key aspects of COVID-19 management.
- It has leaned on the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the experience of several state governments — from Kerala and Uttar Pradesh to Rajasthan and Maharashtra.
source : the hindu
National Wildlife Board
Context :
National Wildlife Board issues final nod for Mumbai-Nagpur highway amid lockdown. The approval was given via video-conferencing.
Background :
The 701-km Hindu Hruday Samrat Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg connecting Mumbai and Nagpur covering 10 districts, 26 talukas and 392 villages, will reduce the existing travel time of 15 hours to eight hours.
The project will require felling of over one lakh trees and passes through the 10-km eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) of Katepurna and Karanja Sohal Blackbuck wildlife sanctuaries towards one end of the state while cutting through the ESZ of Tansa lake sanctuary closer to the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.
About National Board for Wildlife :
It is a “Statutory Organization” constituted under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
Roles and functions:
- Its role is “advisory” in nature and advises the Central Government on framing policies and measures for conservation of wildlife in the country.
- Primary function of the Board is to promote the conservation and development of wildlife and forests.
- It has power to review all wildlife-related matters and approve projects in and around national parks and sanctuaries.
- No alternation of boundaries in national parks and wildlife sanctuaries can be done without approval of the NBWL.
Composition:
The NBWL is chaired by the Prime Minister. It has 47 members including the Prime Minister. Among these, 19 members are ex-officio members. Other members include three Members of Parliament (two from Lok Sabha and one from Rajya Sabha), five NGOs and 10 eminent ecologists, conservationists and environmentalists.
source : pib