UPSC Quiz – 2021 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz 2nd JULY 2021

Solution (c)

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), together with the Alliance of Bioversity International and The International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) released the report titled “Indigenous Peoples’ Food System, Insights of sustainability and resilience from the front line of climate change”. 

The report identifies hundreds of diverse plant and animal species that Indigenous Peoples around the world depend on and care for to generate food sustainably and enhance biodiversity – and warning of increasing threats to these sophisticated food systems.

According to the report nearly 500 million people in more than 90 countries self-identify as Indigenous Peoples, with unique traditional knowledge offering rich opportunities for food security and biosecurity preservation.

Article Link: FAO report maps insights from and threats to Indigenous Peoples’ food systems

Solution (b)

Recently released report titled“Indigenous Peoples’ Food System, Insights of sustainability and resilience from the front line of climate change” by FAO, examined eight Indigenous Peoples’ food systems in depth and revealed to be among the most sustainable in the world in terms of efficiency, no waste, seasonality and reciprocity.

• Baka people in Cameroon
• Inari Sami people in Finland
• Khasi, Bhotia and Anwal peoples in India
• Melanesians people in Solomon Islands
• Kel Tamasheq people in Mali
• Tikuna, Cocama and Yagua peoples in Colombia
• Maya Ch’orti’ in Guatemala

According to the report these indigenous people generate hundreds of food items from the environment without depleting natural resources and achieve high levels of self-sufficiency. In the Solomon Islands, for example the Melanesians people combine agroforestry, wild food gathering and fishing to generate 70% of their dietary needs. In Finland’s Arctic region, through fishing, hunting and herding, the Inari Sámi people generate 75% of the protein they consume. 

The report highlights that despite surviving for centuries, Indigenous Peoples’ agri-food systems are likely to disappear in the next years due to a number of drivers threatening their future.

Solution (a)

Recently, the Ministry of Jal Shakti has released the Glacial Lake Atlas of Ganga Basin.

The information on glacial lakes like their type, hydrological, topographical, and associated glaciers are useful in identifying the potential critical glacial lakes and consequent GLOF risk.

According to National Disaster Management Authority, glacial retreat due to climate change occurring in most parts of the Hindu Kush Himalaya has given rise to the formation of numerous new glacial lakes, which are the major cause of GLOFs.

On Earth, the albedo effect has a significant impact on our climate. The lower the albedo, the more radiation from the Sun that gets absorbed by the planet, and temperatures will rise. If the albedo is higher, and the Earth is more reflective, more of the radiation is returned to space, and the planet cools.

Increasing global climate leads to decrease albedo over ice surface thus causing melting of ice and formation of Glacial Lakes. Glacier lakes can be hazardous; moraine and ice dams can fail, causing catastrophic glacier lake outburst floods or jokulhlaups.

Article Link: Atlas of glacial lakes in Ganga basin released

Solution (c)

Science and Engineering Research Board- Fund for Industrial Research Engagement (SERB-FIRE) is a joint government-and-industry initiative with a co-founding mechanism to promote innovative technology solutions and strengthen academic research through collaboration with key research and development organisations in India.

It will increase research opportunities in the space of Artificial Intelligence (AI)/Machine Learning (ML), platform systems, circuits & architecture, Internet of Things (IoT), materials & devices, security, and so on from edge to cloud.

Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) is a statutory body of the department of Science and Technology, Government of India. As the premier national research funding agency its objective is to raise the quality and footprint of Indian science and engineering to the highest global levels in an accelerated mode, through calibrated support for research and development. 

Article Link: SERB-DST partners with Intel India to launch first-of-its-kind initiative to advance deep tech-based research in India

Solution (b)

The current account represents a country’s imports and exports of goods and services, payments made to foreign investors, and transfers such as foreign aid. 

A nation’s current account maintains a record of the country’s transactions with other nations that includes net income, including interest and dividends, and transfers, like foreign aid. It comprises of following components:

• Trade of goods
• Trade of Services
• Transfers such as foreign aid and remittances

The capital account is a record of the inflows and outflows of capital that directly affect a nation’s foreign assets and liabilities. It is concerned with all international trade transactions between citizens of one country and those in other countries.

The components of the capital account include foreign investment and loans, banking and other forms of capital, as well as monetary movements or changes in the foreign exchange reserve. The capital account flow reflects factors such as commercial borrowings, banking, investments, loans, and capital.

Both current account and capital account are component of Country’s Balance of Payment.

Article Link: Current account surplus for first time in 17 years in FY21