UPSC Quiz – 2021 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz 28th JULY 2021

Solution (d)

The World Trade Organization (WTO) has released a report on the trends in World Agricultural Trade in the past 25 years.

Findings of the report:

• The US, which was the largest Agri exporter in 1995(22%), was overtaken by the European Union in 2019(16.1%). The US’s share fell to 13.8% in 2019.
• Brazil maintained its ranking as the third-largest exporter increasing its share from 4.8% in 1995 to 7.8% in 2019.
• China climbed from the sixth spot in 1995 (4%) to fourth in 2019 (5.4%).

India specific findings:

• India has entered into the top 10 list of agricultural produce exporters in 2019 with a sizeable share in the export of rice, cotton, soya beans and meat.
• In 2019, Mexico and India, with 3.4% and 3.1% share in global agri exports, respectively, replaced Malaysia (7th) and New Zealand (9th) as the largest exporters.
• The top rice exporters in 1995 included Thailand (38%), India (26%), and the US (19%). In 2019, India (33%) overtook Thailand (20%) to top the list while Vietnam (12%) overtook the US to the third spot.
• India was the third-largest cotton exporter (7.6%) and the fourth-largest importer (10%) in 2019. It had not featured in the top 10 list in 1995.
• Soya Bean is the largest traded agri product. India (0.1%) has a meager share in the Soya Bean trade but was ranked ninth in the world.
• India has been ranked eighth in the world in terms of meat and edible meat export with a 4% share in global trade.

Article Link: India breaks into the top 10 list of agri produce exporters

Solution (b)

Indian Science Technology and Engineering facilities Map (I-STEM) project:

• It is an initiative of Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Govt. of India (PSA, GOI) under the aegis of Prime Minister Science, Technology and Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC) mission.
• The goal of I-STEM is to strengthen the R&D ecosystem of the country by connecting researchers with resources, in part by promoting technologies and scientific equipment development indigenously, and providing necessary supplies and supports to researchers by enabling them an access to existing publicly funded R&D facilities in the country through the I-STEM web portal.
• In the first phase, the portal is listed with more than 20,000 pieces of equipment from 1050 institutions across the country and has more than 20,000 Indian researchers.
• Under Phase II (until 2026), the portal will host indigenous technology products listed through a digital catalogue.  The portal will also provide a platform for the various City Knowledge and Innovation Clusters supported by the Office of PSA to enhance effective use of R&D infrastructure through leveraging collaboration and partnership built on a shared STI ecosystem. 

Article Link: I-STEM enters Phase-II, five years extension approved by the Office of Principal Scientific Adviser to GOI

Solution (c)

A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). 

World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, scientific or other form of significance. The sites are judged to contain “cultural and natural heritage around the world considered to be of outstanding value to humanity”

For a property to be included on the World Heritage List, the World Heritage Committee must find that it meets one or more of the following criteria:

1. to represent a masterpiece of human creative genius;
2. to exhibit an important interchange of human values, over a span of time or within a cultural area of the world, on developments in architecture or technology, monumental arts, town-planning or landscape design;
3. to bear a unique or at least exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or to a civilization which is living or which has disappeared;
4. to be an outstanding example of a type of building, architectural or technological ensemble or landscape which illustrates (a) significant stage(s) in human history;
5. to be an outstanding example of a traditional human settlement, land-use, or sea-use which is representative of a culture (or cultures), or human interaction with the environment especially when it has become vulnerable under the impact of irreversible change;
6. to be directly or tangibly associated with events or living traditions, with ideas, or with beliefs, with artistic and literary works of outstanding universal significance. (The Committee considers that this criterion should preferably be used in conjunction with other criteria);
7. to contain superlative natural phenomena or areas of exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic importance;
8. to be outstanding examples representing major stages of earth’s history, including the record of life, significant on-going geological processes in the development of landforms, or significant geomorphic or physiographic features;
9. to be outstanding examples representing significant on-going ecological and biological processes in the evolution and development of terrestrial, fresh water, coastal and marine ecosystems and communities of plants and animals;
10. to contain the most important and significant natural habitats for in-situ conservation of biological diversity, including those containing threatened species of outstanding universal value from the point of view of science or conservation.

Article Link: Cultural sites in China, India, Iran and Spain inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List

Solution (b)

In a gig economy, temporary, flexible jobs are commonplace and companies tend to hire independent contractors and freelancers instead of full-time employees. 

A gig economy undermines the traditional economy of full-time workers who often focus on their career development.

The gig economy can benefit workers, businesses, and consumers by making work more adaptable to the needs of the moment and demand for flexible lifestyles.

At the same time, the gig economy can have downsides due to the erosion of traditional economic relationships between workers, businesses, and clients.

Article Link: Gig economy to boost employment of Indian women in the formal sector

Solution (c)

Agarwood is an evergreen tree found in North Eastern India with Assam and Tripura as main region.

Agarwood is an aromatic plant producing highly valued resinous wood commonly used for medicinal, aromatic and religious purposes such as perfume making, agarbatti etc.

Due to rising demand for agarwood, as well as shortcomings in monitoring harvests and an increasing illegal trade, it is on the brink of extinction in the wild and is now considered critically endangered flora on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.

Article Link: Tripura initiates steps to promote cultivation of Agar to transform the Economy