Daily Current Capsules - 19th JUNE 2019

Food Processing Industries
World Food India to be held from 1st to 4th November 2019 in New Delhi

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about World food India) + Mains ( GS III food processing and related industries in India)
What's the NEWS

• The World Food India 2019 will be the biggest gathering of all global and domestic stakeholders in Food Processing Sector.
• WFI 2019 will be held from 1-4th November 2019 in New Delhi and will position India as Food Processing Destination of the World.

Know! more about the WFI 2019

• The second edition of World Food India is planned at a much bigger and grandeur level from 1-4 November 2019 at Vigyan Bhawan and Rajpath Lawns in New Delhi.
• World Food India 2019 shall consist of several top level seminars, investment opportunities, exhibitions, high level CEO roundtables, country sessions, B2B and B2G networking etc.
• For the year 2019, the Ministry is targeting to partner with at least 15 countries and participation from at least 80 countries.
• The tagline of the event will be "Forging Partnerships for Growth".

Know! about the inception of WFP

• The government initiated a biennial event- World Food India to promote food processing sector at global level.
• The first such event was conducted in 2017 and received wide success.
• The event created Brand India in global food map by positioning India as a World Food Factory.
• It was for the first time in India that all major policy makers and top industrialists across the globe in Food Processing Industries were together under one roof.
• World Food India 2017 had witnessed presence of India's top political leadership including the President of India, the Prime Minister, the Finance and Commerce & Industry Minister.
• World Food India 2017witnessed the participation of 61 countries, ministers from several countries and India,

Environment, Forest and Climate Change
The World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought (WDCDD)

Relevance IN - Prelims (all about WDCCD) + Mains ( GS III environment conservation)
What's the NEWS

• World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought is a unique event that remind people in the world that land degradation neutrality can be achieved when there will be cooperation at all levels, strong involvement of the community and problem-solving.
• This day also celebrates the progress made by the countries on sustainable land management and what should be done in the world so that land degradation neutrality will provide a solid basis for poverty reduction, food, water security, climate change, mitigation and adaptation.

Know! about Desertification

• Desertification is the degradation of land in various areas like arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid. Primarily, it is caused by human activities and then by climatic variations.
• It does not mean expansion of existing deserts but it is caused due to dry land ecosystems, deforestation, over grazing, bad irrigation practices etc. which affects the productivity of the land.
• The theme of 2019 for World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought is "Let's Grow the Future Together".
• In 2019, the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) celebrates the 25th years of progress made by countries on sustainable land management.

Know! more about the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought

• Since 1995 the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought is observed on 17 June, 2019.
• As, in 1994, the United Nations General Assembly declared 17 June as "The World Day to Combat Desertification" to raise public awareness about the issue and implementation of the United Nations convention to combat Desertification especially in those areas which is experiencing serious drought or desertification.

Steps taken by India to combat Desertification

• India will be hosting the fourteenth session of Conference of Parties (COP - 14) from 29th August - 14th September 2019.
• In India about 30% of country's total geographical area being affected by land degradation; India has high stakes and stands strongly committed to the Convention.
• Various schemes have been launched by the Government of India such as: Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), Soil Health Card Scheme, Soil Health Management Scheme, Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojna (PKSY), Per Drop More Crop, , etc. which are helping to reduce land degradation.
  
• The Union Minister also launched a flagship project on enhancing capacity on forest landscape restoration (FLR) and Bonn Challenge in India, through a pilot phase of 3.5 years implemented in the States of Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Nagaland and Karnataka.
• Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) in partnership with The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), through this flagship project aims to develop and adapt best practices and monitoring protocols for the Indian states and build capacity within the five pilot states on FLR and Bonn Challenge.

Know! about the Bonn Challenge

• The Bonn Challenge is a global effort to bring 150 million hectares of the world's deforested and degraded land into restoration by 2020, and 350 million hectares by 2030.
• At the UNFCC Conference of the Parties (COP) 2015 in Paris, India also joined the voluntary Bonn Challenge pledge to bring into restoration 13 million hectares of degraded and deforested land by the year 2020, and additional 8 million hectares by 2030. India's pledge is one of the largest in Asia.

The three Rio Conventions

• United Nations has 3 Rio Conventions namely, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).
•  Established in 1994, the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) is the only legally binding international agreement linking environment and development issues to the land agenda.
• One of the primary functions of the COP is to review reports submitted by the Country Parties detailing how they are carrying out their commitments. India will take-over the COP presidency from China for two years until the next COP is hosted in 2021.

Defence
Operation Sunrise 2: India, Myanmar armies target Northeast-based militants

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about operation sunrise) + Mains ( GS II Bilateral relations + GS III security challenges)
What's the NEWS

• The armies of India and Myanmar carried out a three-week-long coordinated operation from May 16 in their respective border areas, targeting several militant groups operating in Manipur, Nagaland and Assam.

Know! more about operation sunrise

• The first phase of "Operation Sunrise" was conducted three months ago along the Indo-Myanmar border, during which a number of camps of north-east-based militant groups were busted.
• Myanmar is one of the strategic neighbours of India and shares a 1,640-km border with a number of north-eastern states, including the militancy-hit Nagaland and Manipur.
• India has been pushing for deeper coordination between the armies of the two countries while guarding the border.
• Sources said during "Operation Sunrise 2", the armies coordinated with each other to bust camps of militant outfits, including the Kamtapur Liberation Organisation (KLO), the NSCN (Khaplang), the United Liberation Front of Assam (I) and the National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB).
• At least six dozen militants belonging to these groups were nabbed and several of their camps destroyed during the operation.
• Besides the Indian Army, troops from the Assam Rifles were also part of the operation.
• In June 2015, the Indian Army had carried out an operation against NSCN(K) militants in areas near the Indo-Myanmar border, days after militants killed 18 armymen in Manipur.
• In the first phase of "Operation Sunrise", the Indian Army targeted members of the Arakan Army, an insurgent group in Myanmar, who were opposed to the Kaladan multi-modal transit transport project.

Know! about the Kaaladan Project

• The Kaladan multi-modal transit transport project is viewed as India's gateway to Southeast Asia.
• India entered into a framework agreement with Myanmar in April, 2008 to facilitate the implementation of the project. On completion, the project will help connect the north-eastern state of Mizoram with the Sittwe Port in Myanmar's Rakhine state.
• On the Indian side, work is on to extend the Aizawl-Saiha National Highway by 90 km to the international border at Zorinpui.
• Four Northeast states of India share a 1,640- km long border with Myanmar with Myanmar namely, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and militancy-hit Nagaland and Manipur.

State Specific
Encephalitis that killed 104 kids in Bihar
Relevance IN - Prelims (acute encephalitis syndrome (AES)

What's the NEWS

• More then 100 children have lost their lives due to acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) in Bihar.
• This syndrome is locally known as Chamki Bukhar.
• The state health department had cited hypoglycaemia, a condition caused by very low level of blood sugar and electrolyte imbalance, as the main reason for the deaths.

Know! the role of Lychee and Encephalitis

• The toxic substance in lychee causes Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES),locally known as Chamki Bukhar, which is a form of brain fever that happens due to the inflammation of the brain.
• Experts believe that lychee toxins are particularly harmful when consumed on an empty stomach.
• Methylene cyclopropyl-glycine (MCPG) a chemical found in this fruit affects the brain when body sugar levels are low due to undernourishment.

Know! the Symptoms and Causes of Encephalitis

• Common symptoms of Encephalitis include High fever, Headache, Sensitivity to light, Stiff neck and back, Vomiting, Confusion and if case is severe - seizures, paralysis and coma.
• Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) is the major cause of AES in India (ranging from 5-35 percent). Nipah virus, Zika virus are also found as causative agents for AES.
• Viruses are the main causative agents in AES cases, although other sources such as bacteria, fungus, parasites, spirochetes, chemicals, toxins, and non-infectious agents are other reasons of Encephalitis.

Know! how to prevent Encephalitis

• The best way to prevent encephalitis is to avoid getting infected with the viruses or other germs that can cause it.
• Regular hand washing will help limit the spread of some of these germs. Staying as healthy as possible by eating a balanced diet and getting plenty of rest can help keep your immune system in shape.
• Immunizations are also an important way to protect people from diseases like chickenpox and measles.
  
  

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