Daily Current Affairs Quiz: November 22, 2024

Answer: c

Celebrated annually on November 23.

Aim :

• To promote the consumption of cashews in various forms.
• Honors the hard work of cashew farm laborers.
• Cashews originated in Braziland were introduced to India and Africa by Portuguese explorers in the 16th century.

Answer: a

Current Context : Ministry of Science and Technology launched India’s first Artificial Intelligence (AI) Data Bank.

About AI Data Bank

Aim : to provide researchers, startups, and developers with high-quality datasets essential for building scalable and inclusive AI solutions.

Objective and Goals:

• Enhanced Research:To facilitate advanced AI research by ensuring access to diverse and high-quality datasets.
• National Security:Enables real-time analytics of satellite, drone, and IoT data to strengthen national security.
• Disaster Management and Cybersecurity:Supports predictive analytics for better disaster preparedness and cyber threat detection​

Features:

• Datasets will cover diverse areas like healthcare, agriculture, and urban management.
• It aligns with the broader India AI mission to promote AI innovation and infrastructure.
• It fosters public-private partnerships to enhance AI ecosystem development​

Answer: b

Current Context : The 2nd India-Australia Annual Summit was held on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro.

• Meeting was held between Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of Australia.

Major Initiatives and Agreements :

1. Extension of the Australia-India Business Exchange (AIBX):

• Program extended for 4 more years (from July 2024).
• Aims to provide businesses with market insights and foster partnerships.
• Originally launched in 2021.​

2. Launch of the India-Australia Renewable Energy Partnership (REP):

• Focuses on practical cooperation in renewable energy sectors such as solar PV, green hydrogen, energy storage, and workforce skills training.
• Supports two-way investments and skills upgrades for the clean energy sector.

Answer: b

Current Context : The Bihar Cabinet has recently approved an initiative named ‘Mahila Samwad’.

• Aim : to empower women in rural areas by raising awareness about government policies and programs that support women’s welfare and empowerment.
• The program will involve Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, ministers, and senior officials actively engaging with women at district and block levels. These interactions aim to foster direct communication with women and understand their expectations and aspirations from the government.
• Budget : ₹78 crore.

Answer: a

Current Context : The Indian Army conducted the annual Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) exercise, ‘Sanyukt Vimochan 2024,’ in Gujarat.

Aim :  to assess and enhance disaster response capabilities, focusing on effective coordination and planning among various agencies for disaster relief operations.

Focus Area:

• This year’s theme centered on cyclone management with a tabletop exercise simulating disaster scenarios and responses.

Participating Agencies:

• National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA)
• Gujarat State Disaster Management Authority (GSDMA)
• Civil administration, armed forces, and other stakeholders.

Answer: b

Current Context : The 2024 G20 Summit, hosted in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, concluded with the adoption of the Rio de Janeiro Declaration.

Theme : “Building a Just World and a Sustainable Planet”, reflecting its focus on equity, climate action, and global reforms.

Focus Areas of the Summit :

Social Inclusion and Poverty Eradication:

• Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty: Aimed to provide cash transfers to 500 million low-income people and school meals to 150 million children by 2030.
• Focused on sanitation, drinking water access, and addressing racial inequalities.

Climate Action and Energy Transition:

• Established Task Force for Global Mobilization Against Climate Change to boost private capital flow for climate initiatives.
• Reaffirmed the Paris Agreement and committed to phasing out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies.
• Supported COP30 to be held in 2025 in Belém, Brazil.

Reform of Global Governance:

• Committed to reform the UN Security Council for inclusivity and accountability.
• Endorsed the G20 Roadmap for Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs)to enhance support for development goals.

Economic Measures:

• Introduced progressive taxation for billionaires to reduce global inequalities.
• Advocated for ethical development and application of artificial intelligence.

Answer: b

Current Context : Recently, COP29 Presidency launched the new initiatives.

Reducing Methane from Organic Waste Declaration

1. Objective: Support the implementation of the 2021 Global Methane Pledge (GMP) to cut methane emissions.
2. Key Actions:
   1. Countries commit to setting targets within their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to reduce methane from organic waste.
   2. Focus on creating policies and roadmaps to achieve these targets.
3. Background:
   1. Organic waste is the third largest source of anthropogenic methane emissions, after agriculture and fossil fuels.
   2. Developed in partnership with the UNEP Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC).
4. Signatories:
   1. 35 countries representing 47% of global methane emissions from organic waste (India is not a signatory)​

Baku Harmoniya Climate Initiative for Farmers

1. Purpose: Assist farmers in accessing programs that support climate-resilient agricultural systems.
2. Features:
   1. A digital platform to consolidate resources for farmers, focusing on women and youth.
   2. Hosted by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) under the Food and Agriculture for Sustainable Transformation (FAST) partnership.
   3. Goal: Strengthen agrifood systems and provide accessible financing options​

Global Energy Efficiency Alliance

1. Launch: Announced by UAE during COP29 in Azerbaijan.
2. Aims:
   1. Double global energy efficiency rates by 2030.
   2. Foster emission reductions through public-private partnerships and increased investments.
3. Focus Areas:
   1. Share best practices globally, with special emphasis on assisting African nations.
   2. Builds on the “UAE Consensus” from COP28 to promote sustainable resource management​

Answer: d

Current Context : Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Released ‘Statistical Yearbook 2024’.

• Statistical Yearbook’ is a primary tool & indispensable reference for policymakers, researchers and analysts, to understand past, present and future paths of food and agriculture.

General Observations:

1. Global Agriculture’s Share in GDP: Stabilized around 4% since 2000.
2. Global Workforce in Agriculture: Declined from 40% in 2000 to 26% (892 million) in 2022. Agriculture remains the second-largest employment sector after services.
3. Global Hunger: Affected 9.1% of the global population in 2023, higher than pre-pandemic levels (7.5%).

Key Findings about India:

1. Agriculture’s Contribution to GDP: Dropped from 27.9% in 2000 to 15.9% in 2022, compared to the global average of 4.3% and China’s 7.7%.
2. Employment in Agriculture: India had the largest agricultural workforce (226 million in 2022), followed by China (170 million).
3. Women in Agriculture: Their participation increased from 32.2% in 2000 to 36% in 2022.
4. Cropland per Capita: Decreased from 0.16 hectares in 2000 to 0.12 hectares in 2022.
5. Production Leadership:
   1. Sugar: India is the second-largest producer (19%), after Brazil.
   2. Milk: Largest producer globally (23% of total).
6. Irrigation: India has the largest equipped area for irrigation globally (76 million hectares), followed by China (75 million hectares).
7. Organic Farming: 6% of India’s total area is under organic farming, second only to Australia.

Additional Global Insights:

1. Fertilizer Usage: Use of inorganic fertilizers grew by 37% since 2000, reaching 185 million tonnes in 2022, with nitrogen being the primary component.
2. GHG Emissions: Greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture increased by 10% between 2000 and 2022, with livestock being the major contributor (54%).
3. Water Scarcity: Regions like the Near East and North Africa face extreme water stress, affecting agricultural sustainability.