Current Affair 1:

Codex Committee on Food Import and Export Inspection and Certification Systems (CCFICS)

 

First Learn CAC:

Now,

If you see below, there are many committees.

But today CCFIS news main, so we study this:

Aim:

Current Affair 2:

Pen culture technology in Mapithel Reservoir of Manipur

 

News:

Manipur state is situated in the easternmost corner of India and about 41% of the state’s population is Scheduled Tribe. More than 95% of the population of Manipur consumes fish. Despite the state having good fish production potential of its water resources but has to import fish from other states of India.

The Mapithel dam (also known as the Maphou dam), is located in Manipur state in North-East India. The dam has displaced over 12000 people while an estimated 777.34 ha of paddy fields, 110.75 ha of the homestead, 293.53 ha of jhum land, and 595.1 ha of forest land have been submerged by the accumulated water of the dam.

The primary occupation of the displaced tribal populace was agriculture, due to the submergence of land they are compelled to shift to other occupations post-reservoir formation. All the population affected by the reservoir construction belongs to the Tangkhul tribe.

To support the livelihood of the displaced tribal populace of the reservoir, ICAR has given two Pen (pen of 0.1 ha size) along with 50,000 fish seeds, 2 tons of pelleted feed for raising fish as a stocking material for reservoir fisheries enhancement.

This technology was an eye-opener for the 370 fishers of the cooperative society which yielded about 8.1 tonnes of fish from two pens, which could ultimately produce 36 tonnes in a year from the reservoir with an additional average income of Rs. 24,000 per fisher (@Rs. 250 per kg).

Study one more technology:

Biofloc technology (BT) is defined as ‘the use of aggregates of bacteria, algae, or protozoa, held together in a matrix along with particulate organic matter for the purpose of improving water quality, waste treatment and disease prevention in intensive aquaculture systems.

In other words, biofloc is a symbiotic process that includes confined aquatic animals, heterotrophic bacteria and other microbial species in the water.

Consumption of bioflocs also provides nutritional value to cultured aquatic species. This simply means that BT can be an ideal option for sustainable and environmentally friendly aquaculture.

 

Current Affair 3:

Why Is the RBI Purchasing Gold?

 

News:

The Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) gold reserves touched 794.64 metric tonnes in fiscal 2023, an increase of nearly 5 per cent over fiscal 2022, when it held 760.42 metric tonnes of gold.

What are the reasons behind this?

Negative Interest Rate: When RBI has foreign currency (dollars) in its reserves then it invests these dollars to purchase US Govt. bonds on which it earns interest. The REAL interest on these bonds has turned negative due to higher inflation in US. For example: Suppose US govt. bonds are offering 5% interest but if inflation in US is 6% then the real interest rate is negative (-1%).

Weakening of the dollar: Depreciation of dollar against other currencies. If RBI holds dollars and it depreciates/weakens with respect to other currencies then it’s a loss for RBI.

Geopolitical uncertainty: Russia-Ukraine war, Conflicts with China etc.

RBI is trying to diversify its forex reserves.

While RBI maintains Forex Reserves, it keeps three things in mind: Safety & security, liquidity and returns.

 

Current Affair 4:

Protecting Peatlands

 

While peatlands cover only three per cent of the global land surface, they store nearly 550 billion tonnes of carbon – as much carbon as is contained in all terrestrial biomass and twice as much as in all the world’s forests. By conserving and restoring peatlands globally, we can reduce emissions and revive an essential natural carbon sink.

But the world's peatlands are under increased threat from drainage for agriculture, forestry, resource extraction and infrastructure development.

Urgent action must be taken to keep the carbon locked in peatlands where it is – wet, and in the ground. Drained peatlands must also be rewet to halt the ongoing, significant emissions.

About the Global Peatlands Initiative:

The Global Peatlands Initiative is an effort by leading experts and institutions formed by 13 founding members at the UNFCCC COP in Marrakech, Morocco in 2016 to save peatlands as the world’s largest terrestrial organic carbon stock and to prevent it being emitted into the atmosphere.

INDIA IS NOT A FOUNDING MEMBER.

WHAT IS PEAT AND WHERE IS IT FOUND?

Peat is partially decayed plant material that accumulates under water-logged conditions over long time periods. Natural areas covered by peat are called peatlands.

Peat is found around the world – in permafrost regions towards the poles and at high altitudes, in coastal areas, beneath tropical rainforest and in boreal forests.

Peatlands store large amounts of carbon. Although they cover less than three per cent of global land surface, estimates suggest that peatlands contain twice as much as in the world’s forests.

Some more images:

One more thing, if see definition of wetlands under Wetlands Conservation Management Rules 2017: It includes peatlands.

 

 

 

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