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World Environment Day is celebrated  on June 5th, serving as a platform to promote awareness and conservation of the environment.

• The theme for World Environment Day 2024 is “Land Restoration, Desertification, and Drought Resilience.”

About World Environment Day

• Origin: In 1972, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) designated June 5th as World Environment Day during the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment. The inaugural celebration took place in 1973 with the theme “Only One Earth.”
• Objective: To increase global awareness and inspire actions that protect the environment and promote sustainable practices.
• Theme: Each year, World Environment Day centers on a specific theme addressing a particular environmental issue. 
• Host Nation: Each year, a particular country or region takes a leading role in hosting major events and raising awareness for the chosen theme.
  • The host country for World Environment Day 2024 is the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

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The role of Reverse Transcriptase has been discovered in some recent research in bacterial defense against bacteriophages.

Reverse Transcriptase

• The Study: The researchers at Columbia University in New York, found that when the bacteria Klebsiella pneumoniae is infected by bacteriophages (viruses that infect bacteria), they use a non-coding RNA with specific structures that could bind to reverse transcriptase and instruct cells to create DNA.
  • New Protein: This DNA copy has multiple copies of a gene that can create a specific protein named ‘Neo’ for “never-ending open-reading frame”. 
  • Finding: The protein could place the bacterial cell in a state of suspended animation and block its replication, thus stalling the replication of the invading bacteriophage as well which has the effect of stopping the infection in its tracks.

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About Reverse Transcriptase (RT)

• Reverse transcriptase (RNA-dependent DNA polymerase), is a DNA polymerase enzyme that transcribes single-stranded RNA into DNA.
  • This enzyme is able to synthesize a double helix DNA once the RNA has been reverse transcribed in a first step into a single-strand DNA.
• Discovery: It was discovered in the labs of Howard Temin and David Baltimore in the vesicular stomatitis virus ( A Retrovirus). They found a protein called RNA polymerase, which  was involved in reverse-translating RNA to DNA.
  • Reverse Transcriptase  is found along many eukaryotic and prokaryotic systems like telomerase, retrotransposons, retrons, and are found abundantly in the genomes of plants and animals.
• Published In: The findings were published in the journal Nature.
• Significance: 
  • Established Bidirectional flow of information: The discoveries  showed information could flow the other way, too, with RNA giving rise to DNA.
    • The prevailing belief at the time was that in all living beings, hereditary information flowed only from DNA to RNA and from RNA to protein (ie. the ‘Central Dogma’). 
  • Fundamental Role in Evolution of life: The discovery of reverse transcriptase activity across the different domains of life signifies the fundamental role of the enzyme  in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic systems as well as a remarkable evolutionary continuity and functional versatility.
• Scope: The Reverse Transcriptase technology has a huge potential for,
  • Biotechnology Applications: Innovative  applications in biotechnology and medicine, especially in the context of emerging antimicrobial resistance (the ability of disease-causing microbes to resist the effects of substances designed to incapacitate or kill them)

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• • New Therapeutic and Diagnostic Strategies: It could reveal novel mechanisms of genetic evolution and viral resistance, potentially leading to new therapeutic strategies and biotechnological tools.

• Impacts

  • Revolutionized research methods: The discovery revolutionized research in molecular biology, where researchers could reverse-transcribe messenger RNAs to pieces of DNA, clone that DNA into bacterial vectors, and study the function of the corresponding genes.
  •  Revolutionized diagnostics method: Clinicians used reverse transcriptase to convert RNA to DNA and estimate the amount of viral material in a given sample.
    • Application: In the study of RNA viruses, including hepatitis B and the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
  • Disease management: The discovery aided the management and treatment of HIV AIDS infections in the 1980s as it led to the development of antiviral agents specifically targeting  the reverse transcriptase enzyme.
  • Shaping the Human Genome: Retroelements in the human genome and bacterial reverse transcriptases have a common evolutionary history as well as share functional mechanisms. 
    • Bacterial reverse transcriptases are believed to be the precursors of their eukaryotic (human) counterparts and the first reverse transcriptase in bacteria was discovered in 1989.
  • Cornerstone  of Molecular Diagnostics: The RT enzyme facilitated  rapid and accurate testing of the SARS COV2 virus  along with genome-sequencing  helped track the virus’s spread, paving the way for surveillance, better public healthcare, and vaccine development.

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Recently, SEBI has formed an ad-hoc Committee under Usha Thorat, to review the ownership and economic structure of clearing corporations.

• The 2018 report of the Committee on review of regulations and relevant circulars pertaining to Market Infrastructure Institutions (MIIs), had noted that the ownership of MIIs, should be dispersed, and should be widely held

About Clearing Corporations

• Definition: Section 2(d) of the Securities Contract (Regulation) (Stock Exchange and Clearing Corporation) Regulations, 2018 defines a clearing corporation as an entity tasked with clearing and settling trades in securities or other instruments/products traded on a recognized stock exchange, which includes a clearinghouse.
• Clearing: Clearing involves an organization acting as an intermediary, assuming the roles of both buyer and seller to facilitate trade transactions.
  • It encompasses all activities from the initiation of the trade until its final settlement stage.
• Settlement: Settlement commences immediately after clearing concludes. The settlement agency receives securities from sellers seeking to sell their securities and cash from buyers wishing to purchase securities, facilitating transactions between them.

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Market Infrastructure Institutions (MIIs)

• About: Market Infrastructure Institutions (MIIs) includes stock exchanges, depositories, and clearing corporations, collectively defining the market infrastructure.
• Market Infrastructure: In its 2010 report, a committee chaired by former RBI Governor Bimal Jalan defined ‘infrastructure’ as the basic framework of a system, while ‘market infrastructure’ refers to fundamental facilities and systems serving this market.

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Institutions classified as MIIs include

• Stock Exchanges: SEBI identifies seven, such as BSE, NSE, Multi Commodity Exchange of India, and Metropolitan Stock Exchange of India.
• Depositories: Two depositories, responsible for securely holding securities and facilitating their trading and transfer, are recognized as MIIs: Central Depository Services Ltd. and National Securities Depository Ltd.

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The Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has published the Second Advance Estimates for the area and production of various horticultural crops for 2023-24.

• The estimation of the production is gathered on the basis of information received from States/ UTs and other Governmental source agencies.

What are advance estimates?

• Advance estimates are the estimates of the different sectors. 
• It is released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) for different ministries.
• It gives an idea about how an economy will perform in the upcoming financial year.
  • It is based on the economy’s performance over the first seven odd months. 
• There are four estimates 
  • 1st advance estimates 
    • It is released at the beginning of January
  • 2nd advance estimates
    • It is released in the last week of february. 
  • 3rd advance estimates
  • 4th advance estimates. 

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Significance of advance estimates

• Allocation of the budget: These estimates help the finance minister in deciding the budget allocation. 
• Performance of the economy: Advance estimates give a broader picture of the economy performance in the upcoming year. 
• Facilitate policy making: These estimates help in policy decision making for the upcoming financial year for different sectors. 

Status of 2023-24 crop production (Second Advance Estimates)  

• Overview of Horticultural Crop Production in 2023-24
  • Total Production: Estimated at approximately 352.23 million tonnes.
  • Change from Previous Year: A decrease of about 32.51 lakh tonnes (0.91%) compared to 2022-23.
• Production Trends for Specific Horticultural Crops
  Horticulture crops are Fruits, Honey, Flowers, Plantation Crops, Spices, and Aromatics & Medicinal Plants
  • Fruites Trend
    • Increased production of Banana, Lime/Lemon, Mango, Guava, Grapes.
  • Vegetables Trend 
    • Increase in production of Bottlegourd, Bittergourd, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Pumpkin, Tapioca, Carrot, Tomato.
    • Decrease in production of Onion, Potato, Brinjal, and Other Vegetables.
• Specific Crop Production Estimates
  • Onion
    • There is a possibility of a decrease from 302.08 lakh tonnes in the previous year by about 60 lakh tonnes.
  • Potato
    • Potato production is also likely to decrease from the previous year by about 34 lakh tonnes.
      • Reason: Mainly due to decreased production in Bihar and West Bengal.
  • Tomato
    • There is a chance of rise in tomato production from around 204.25 lakh tonnes in the previous year by 3.98%.

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Indore has polled 2,18,674 NOTA votes becoming the most votes that the NOTA option has ever received in any constituency till date. 

• Previously, Gopalganj in Bihar, held the record with  51,660 voters choosing the NOTA option in 2019.

About NOTA Votes, None Of The Above 

• Introduction: The NOTA option was introduced in EVMs by the Election Commission of India (ECI) on an order of the The Supreme Court  in 2013, in order to protect the ‘Right to secrecy’ of voters’ choice.
  • The NOTA option was introduced for the first time in the Assembly Elections of 4 states (Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Mizoram and Delhi) in 2013.
• Purpose:  NOTA was introduced so as to discourage the parties from fielding tainted candidates as well as ensuring the ‘Right to not vote’ to voters.
• Background:
  • The People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) in an effort to protect the ‘Right to secrecy’ of voters to exercise their franchise, approached the Supreme Court.
  • Argument:
    • The Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961 violated the Right to Secrecy of voters, as the Presiding Officer maintains a record of voters who choose not to vote along with the signatures or thumb impressions of each voter who exercises this right.
    • The ECI Letter: The ECI in a letter to the Ministry of Law and Justice seeked the introduction of a NOTA option in EVMs to protect voter secrecy as well as allowing voters to express their dissent/disapproval against the contesting candidates.
  • Judgment: The court held voter identity secrecy to be an essential feature of free and fair elections.
• Symbol:  A ballot paper with a black cross across it.

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• Legal Provisions:
  • Section 79(d) in The Representation of the People Act, 1951: “Electoral Right” includes the right to vote or refrain from voting at an election.
• Universal Right: 
  • ‘Right to secrecy’ is internationally recognized with mentions in Article 21(3) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 25(b) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
• Consequence: 
  • NOTA has no legal consequence attached to it ie. If the highest number of votes in a constituency are polled for NOTA, the second most successful candidate wins. 
• Landmark Cases Related to NOTA: 
  • Shailesh Manubhai Parmar v. Election Commission of India 2018: The Supreme Court dismissed the use of the NOTA option in Rajya Sabha elections.
• Reforms needed: 
  • Null and Void: The Supreme Court is hearing a petition filed  by The Country First Foundation, to declare an election “null and void” if NOTA receives the highest number of votes in the constituency. 
  • Fresh Elections with new candidates: As per a recommendation from Association For Democratic Reforms,  In case the NOTA option polls the highest  votes than any of the candidates, none of the candidates should be declared elected and a fresh election held in which none of the candidates in this election are allowed to contest 
  • Uniform implementation: ECI should frame guidelines regarding uniform implementation of the NOTA vote option with consequences for candidates who do not surpass NOTA.
  • Local body election examples: The State Election Commissions of  Maharashtra, Haryana, Puducherry, Delhi, and Chandigarh declared NOTA as a “Fictional Electoral Candidate” in local elections 
    • If the votes for NOTA exceed the votes received by all other individual candidates, fresh elections will be held in these states and union territories.
  • Ensuring clean candidates profile: The candidates polling  fewer votes than NOTA should be debarred from contesting all elections for a period of 5 years.

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Recently, India has moved 100 metric tonnes of its gold stored in the U.K. to domestic vaults in FY24.

About Gold Reserve

A gold reserve is the gold held by a country’s central bank, acting as a backup for financial promises and a store of value.

• Gold Reserves of India: India, similar to other countries, keeps part of its gold reserves in foreign vaults to diversify risk and ease international trade. 
  • As of FY24, India’s total gold holdings amount to 822 metric tonnes.
• Storage of Gold Reserves: India’s gold reserves are mainly kept at the Bank of England, renowned for its strict security measures. 
  • The RBI also holds part of its gold reserves at the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) in Basel, Switzerland, and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York in the United States.
• Top Gold Reserve Holding Countries: United States leads with 8,133.46 tonnes, followed by Germany with 3,352.65 tonnes and India with 822.09 tonnes.

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Reasons Behind RBI’s Gold Storage Abroad

• Logistical Convenience: Amid the foreign exchange crisis of 1990-91, India transferred its gold reserves to the Bank of England as collateral for a loan of about 405 million. 
  • Although the loan was repaid in November 1991, the RBI chose to maintain the gold in the UK for logistical convenience.
• Trading in Stock market: Gold reserves stored abroad remain accessible for trading on the stock market, enabling potential returns.
  • Furthermore, the RBI acquires additional gold from the international market and stores it overseas.

Reasons Behind Hoarding of Gold by RBI

• Hedge Against Uncertainty: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is amassing gold as a defensive measure against negative interest rates and geopolitical instabilities. 
  • During periods of inflation and economic turmoil, gold presents a favorable return compared to US government bonds. 
  • Furthermore, gold serves as a safeguard against geopolitical uncertainties, particularly amidst conflicts such as the Russia-Ukraine war and tensions between the US and China.
•  Diversification for Forex Reserves: Expanding forex reserves through gold enhances stability, liquidity, and worth during crises.
• Economic Significance: Gold’s historical importance in the economy lies in its function as a reserve currency, inherent worth, and its potential to strengthen a nation’s currency.
  • Additionally, it can act as an alternative to government securities in central bank activities.
  • According to Section 33 of the RBI Act, 1934, all banknotes issued by the RBI are supported by assets including gold, Government Securities, and Foreign Currency Assets.

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Reasons for the Transfer of Gold by RBI

• Diversifying Storage: The RBI decided to move the gold to India for logistical reasons and to ensure diversified storage. 
  • The transfer helps in saving on storage fees paid to foreign custodians, such as the Bank of England, and indicates confidence in the Indian economy’s stability.
• Geopolitical Factors: Geopolitical factors play a significant role, particularly concerning tensions abroad (Russia-Ukraine war, Gaza War) which may pose a risk of freezing the RBI’s reserve gold.
  • Given the escalating uncertainty in the global geopolitical landscape, maintaining physical control over gold reserves domestically is deemed a more secure choice. RBI aims to safeguard its substantial gold reserves.
• Boosting Economic Confidence: Enhancing domestic gold reserves can bolster confidence in India’s robust financial position and stable economy. 
  • The RBI is contemplating measures to promote economic stability and potentially repatriate its gold holdings to India.

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Pench Tiger Reserve (PTR) in Maharashtra documented the first photographic record of the eagle owl.Second Advance Estimates of 2023-24 of Horticultural Crops

About Eagle Owl

• Scientific name: Bubo nipalensis
  • Also known as spot-bellied eagle owl.
• Conservation Status: Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)
  • CITES Appendix II (CITES)
• Habitat
  • Preferred Habitats: Found in dense evergreen and moist deciduous forests, usually near water sources.
    • Additional Habitats: Common in wet temperate and riparian forests.
    • It is found throughout the Indian subcontinent and peninsular Southeast Asia. 
  • Hunting Areas: Hunts in scrublands, bamboo jungles, thin deciduous forests, and at the edges of clearings.
• Behavior and Calls
  • Purpose of Calls: Use calls for communication, defending territory, and attracting mates.
  • Call Frequency: Calls are low-frequency, aiding long-distance communication through dense forests.
    • Call Description: Produces a low, deep double hoot lasting two seconds and a mournful, mewing scream.

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Pench Tiger Reserve (PTR)

• Components: Indira Priyadarshini Pench National Park
  • Pench Mowgli Sanctuary, 
  • A buffer zone.
• Naming: It is  named After Pench River. 
• Climate: Extreme and tropical weather. 
• Connectivity: This tiger reserve has good connectivity with Kanha, Pench (M.P), Tadoba Andhari, Navegao-Nagjhira and Bor Tiger Reserves.

Flora and Fauna

• Flora: 
  • Tendu, teak, saag, mahua.
• Fauna: 
  • Gaur, Nilgai, Sambar, Chital, Chousingha, Pintail, Whistling Teal, Vegtel.

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Recently, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has returned to power for a historic third straight term at the Centre, but the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) itself has fallen short of the majority mark of 272, which implies there will be a coalition government.

• By looking back at India’s economic history since 1991, it becomes clear that coalition governments have undertaken some of the boldest and most visionary reforms that laid the foundation for India’s resurgence.

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Notable Reforms brought by the Previous Coalition Governments

• Under the P V Narasimha Rao-led Government: It discarded centralized planning and opened the Indian economy to global completion by removing the license-permit raj. The country also became a member of the World Trade Organisation.
  • Since 1991, when India was forced to open up its economy and give up on the planned economy model, all governments were coalitions of the sort where even the lead party was quite far from the majority mark. 
• Under the short-lived Deve Gowda Government: It came out with what is still referred to as the “dream budget”. It placed faith in the Indian taxpayers and cut tax rates — both personal income tax, corporate taxes, and customs duties.
• Under the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led Government: It framed the Fiscal Responsibility & Budget Management (FRBM) law for fiscal rectitude, and limited the government’s ability to borrow within prudential limits. 
  • It further advanced the push towards disinvestment of loss-making Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs).
  • It focused on boosting rural infrastructure and connectivity through the PM Gram Sadak Yojana. 
  • It also brought in the Information Technology Act, in 2000, that laid the foundation for the bustling e-commerce giant that India is today.
• Under the Manmohan Singh-led Government: It brought in several reforms under the rights-based approach — far more robust than the personal guarantees of an individual leader. 
  • • The Right to Information Act, which boosted transparency in India’s democracy.
    • The Right to Food, which ensured that no Indian should go hungry. 
  • It brought in the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MG-NREGA), which provided minimum employment to the rural poor. 
  • It also deregulated fuel prices before it left office and started work on direct benefit transfers as well as Aadhaar and GST.

The Statistics

• The average growth rate for the 10-year period for the BJP-led majority government was 6%, including the 5.8% contraction the economy witnessed in FY21 amid Covid-related disruptions. 
  • The BJP-led government achieved an average 7.4% annual growth in its first term between 2014 and 2019 – the fastest since 1989, when the coalition era started – growth rates under coalitions. 
• The Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government that preceded the BJP government in 2014 secured 6.7% growth in its five years, and 6.9% in the previous five years of its first term. 
  • The compound annual growth rate (CAGR) during the 10-year rule of the UPA at 6.8% was the fastest in India’s history. 
• Growth averaged 5.6% between 1991, when the Congress led by PV Narasimha Rao formed a minority coalition with Janata Dal, and 1999 when Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led NDA returned to power for its full five-year term. 
• Concern that is Faced by Coalition Government: 
  • Such coalitions have faltered on inflation. 
    • Inflation for industrial workers was 5.4% during the last decade, when the BJP had an absolute majority, but was 10.3% for UPA’s second stint and 6% in the first one. 
    • While it was low for Vajpayee’s years between 1999 and 2004, industrial worker inflation was 9.6% between 1991 and 1999.

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As India traverses the road to Amrit Kaal, the agriculture sector’s journey will be difficult, and filled with challenges that need to be addressed in a priority manner.

Agriculture Sector in India

• Contribution to Economy: The share of agriculture in total Gross Value Added (GVA) of the economy has declined from 35% in 1990-91 to 15% in 2022-23.

• • The agricultural sector is estimated to constitute 18% of India’s GVA in FY24.
• Employment Generation: According to the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) about 45.76% of the total workforce is engaged in agriculture and allied sectors during 2022-23.
• Foreign Earnings: During the year 2022–2023, the agricultural exports amounted to USD 43.37 billion, registering an increase of 6.04% over the exports of USD 40.90 billion during the corresponding period of the previous financial year 2021-2022. 
  • India ranks second-largest producer of fruits, vegetables, tea, farmed fish, sugarcane, wheat, rice, cotton, and sugar. The horticulture production was 355.25 million tonnes which is the highest ever for Indian Horticulture.
• Significance: The total food grains production for FY23 was 329.7 million tonnes, marking a rise of 14.1 million tonnes compared to the previous year. 
  • Rice, wheat, pulses, Nutri/coarse cereals, and oilseeds witnessed record increases in production. 
  • India’s global dominance extends across agricultural commodities, making it the largest producer of milk, pulses, and spices worldwide.
  • The agricultural sector is the bedrock of the nation’s economy. 
    • Despite challenges posed by the global health crisis and variability in climate conditions, the sector has demonstrated remarkable tenacity and resilience, contributing significantly to India’s economic recovery and development.

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Concerning Statistics on the Agricultural Sector in India

• Declining Trend: The sectoral deflator in agriculture and allied sectors declined from 9.4 in 2013-14 to 5.0 in 2019-20 and 3.7 in 2023-24.
• Incomes and Profitability: There was a strong downward pull on agricultural prices leading to a squeeze on farmers’ incomes. 
  • Real incomes of agricultural households from cultivation fell by about 1.4% between 2012-13 and 2018-19.
    • The fall in incomes from cultivation was due to the stagnation or fall of agricultural prices and a sharp rise in the costs of inputs in agriculture, particularly fertilizers.
  • The real wages in rural India have never risen after 2016-17 and have even fallen after 2020-21.
    • All rises in nominal wages were wiped out by inflation.
• Rise of Unemployment: Rural unemployment rose between 2011-12 and 2018-19. For rural men, the rise was from 1.7% to 5.6%, and for rural women, it was from 1.7% to 3.5%. 
  • Rural unemployment rates fell after 2018-19, but they remained higher than in 2011-12 in 2022-23, at 2.8% for men and 1.8% for women. 
  • Unemployed workers from the non-agricultural sectors crowded into the agricultural sector at a time when agricultural prices were not rising and agricultural incomes were falling.

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Challenges Faced by Indian Agriculture Sector

• Large Number of Small Land-holdings: These small landholdings (85% of total arable land) fundamentally limit the scope for primary producers.
  • A major challenge facing smallholder farmers is low productivity. 
  • They struggle due to the lack of knowledge about increasing productivity using innovative technologies.
  • Many marginal farmers are poor and unable to afford the goods and services needed to improve the operational efficiency of their small-scale farming activity.
• Impact on Environment: Agriculture and the environment are closely linked and significantly impact each other. Degradation of soil and water quality, acceleration of soil erosion, contamination of groundwater, and poor water management are some ill effects of the excess use of agrochemicals. 
  • Depleting Aquifers: Aquifers are depleting due to the insatiable demand for agriculture reaching a threshold point where it won’t be economically viable to extract water for irrigation. 
• Climate Change: Climate is changing irreversibly for the worse. Climate change has amplified the intensity of weather events, led to floods, droughts, and weed and pest infestations, and threatened the existence of farming as a livelihood. 
  • Agriculture’s vulnerability to climate change can aggravate food insecurity caused by overpopulation. 
• World Trade Organisation (WTO) Constraints: The World Trade Organisation will not change. For many years, the US has deliberately crippled the dispute-settlement mechanism that creates obstacles for India on enforcement of rulings domestically. 
  • Various leaders and experts said that the policy of the WTO is very bad for farmers. The WTO does not give rights to the farmers, the way they do it. 

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• • Example: America is giving a subsidy of USD 8500 annually to its farmers in the green box, India’s subsidy is about Rs 258 now and there can be no competition between the two.
• Global priority to Ensure Low Food Prices for Consumers: It is easiest achieved by artificially driving down farm-gate prices but makes farming environmentally unsustainable and economically unremunerative. 
• Poor Infrastructure & Lack of Advanced Technologies: Poor storage facilities and a lack of pest control can lead to mold and pest infestations and ruin produce. 
  • Also, lack of access to technology and allied services results in crops rotting in fields. 
  • Food losses and waste translate to economic losses for all stakeholders in the agricultural value chain and increase food prices, which affects food security and accessibility to food for vulnerable groups. 
• Inefficient Governance & Unaccountability: The inept governance and lack of accountability in the ministries managing the agricultural sector at the Centre and the states is due to the authoritative attitude of top officials.
  • No Appropriate Focus: Agriculture is a state subject, where the states do not work in tandem with national objectives, but use meager resources for populist dole-outs rather than investing in the future. 
• Subsidies Culture: Input subsidies like the skewed fertilizer subsidy leads to indiscriminate use of fertilizers, impacting the health of the people and the planet.
• No Significant Investment: Public investment in agriculture, in general as well as in specific fields like agricultural research and extension, were stubbornly stagnant, and occasionally even fell, over the past decade. 
  • Capital investment in agricultural and allied sectors did not rise. 
  • Most of the long-term bank credit supplied to agriculture was also diverted away as short-term loans to corporates and agri-business firms.
• Lack of Data Sources on/off the Field: A lack of reliable data in the agricultural industry means that it is not possible to precisely point out where interventions are needed (in agricultural policies or processes). 

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Way Forward

• Need for Fundamental Changes: Positive fundamental changes, including the process of framing policies, are the need of the hour.
  • Education & Awareness: It is important to educate smallholder farmers and provide the required financing to adopt smart farming practices.
  • Infrastructure: To minimize post-harvest losses and enhance market access for perishable commodities, efficient agri-logistics and cold chain infrastructure must be developed.
    • Example: The “Kisan Rail initiative” in India can be complemented by initiatives in other modes of transport.
• Access to Technology: It can make smallholding farming efficient, climate-smart, and profitable. Implementing drone-based precision agriculture can be more efficient and effective.
  • As smallholder farmers play a significant role in food security, they must gain access to technological innovations, processes, and machinery and gain access to knowledge on their use. 
    • As per the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), India’s small-holder farmers  are those who own less than 2.0 ha of farmland.
  • Genetic Editing Techniques are essential for developing climate-resilient, disease-resistant, and high-yielding crop varieties more precisely and efficiently than traditional breeding methods, such as the CRISPR–Cas9 system.
• Need for Optimal use of Agrochemicals: Agrochemicals improve crop health, but their overuse harms the environment by altering the soil’s pH value. 
  • If agrochemicals enter food chains, they can cause various health problems in humans and animals.
• Use of Agroecological Intensification: This can involve practices like permaculture, agroforestry, and regenerative agriculture.
  • Example: The Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF), means raising crops without using any fertilizers and pesticides or any other external materials. 
• Enhance Agricultural Productivity, Competitiveness, and Rural Growth: To achieve the desired result, there is a need to:
  • Promote new technologies and reforming agricultural research and extension
  • Improve water resources and irrigation/drainage management
  • Facilitate agricultural diversification to higher-value commodities
  • Promoting high growth commodities
  • Developing markets, agricultural credit and public expenditures
• Investments in Research & Extension Services: Such investments have stayed below the level of inflation. 
  • Funding has actually dropped, even when every rupee invested in agricultural research yields economic returns upwards of 10 times over other investments.
• Sovereign Bankruptcy Procedure: Public debt, both at central and state government levels, leaves less financial flexibility to plan for the long term and does not allow for endless further subsidies. 
  • Many states are in line to be technically categorised as bankrupt and a sovereign bankruptcy procedure for states is required.
• Work on Model Agriculture Policy: It can guide states to promote sustainable practices, efficient resource use, and empower farmers through better infrastructure and market access.
  • As per the recommendations of Ashok Dalwai Committee, agriculture marketing needs to be placed in the Concurrent List.
• Establish Agricultural Innovation Clusters: There is a need to develop agricultural innovation clusters or agri-parks that bring together research institutions, agri-tech startups, farmer cooperatives, and related industries in a collaborative ecosystem.
  • The “Agri-Food Innovation Park” in Singapore.
• Public-Private Partnerships: It should be encouraged for agricultural extension services, leveraging the expertise of private companies, agri-tech startups, and non-governmental organizations to provide farmers with timely and localized advice, training and support.

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Every year on June 5th, the world comes together to celebrate World Environment Day. This global event isn’t just a cause for celebration, it’s a powerful call to action. Established by the United Nations in 1972, World Environment Day serves as a platform to raise awareness about the most pressing environmental challenges we face and inspire us to find solutions. 

About World Environment Day 2024

World Environment Day is celebrated annually on 5 June and encourages awareness and action for the protection of the environment. The event has been led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) since its inception in 1973. In 2024, World Environment Day is being hosted by Saudi Arabia, with a focus on land restoration, desertification, and drought resilience.

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• Celebrated on: 5 June
• World Environment Day 2024 theme: The theme for this year’s World Environment Day 2024 campaign is centered around land restoration, addressing desertification, and building resilience to drought, all encapsulated by the slogan “Our land. Our future We are #GenerationRestoration.”  
• World Environment Day 2024 Host country: Saudi Arabia
• World Environment Day engages people across the globe in an effort to protect and restore the Earth.
• The year 2024 marks the event’s 51st anniversary.                                                                                                                            

History of World Environment Day

World Environment Day established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1972. It serves as a platform to raise awareness about environmental issues and encourage global action. The first World Environment Day conference was held in Stockholm, Sweden in 1972. However, the event has been led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) since its inception in 1973. Since then, it has been celebrated every year on June 5th. Each year focuses on a specific theme, with past themes #BeatPlasticPollution (2023), “Only One Earth” (2022), and Ecosystem Restoration (2021).

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Importance of World Environment Day

Here are key points highlighting the importance of World Environment Day:

• Raises Awareness: World Environment Day helps people understand the importance of nature and the need to protect it, fostering a sense of environmental consciousness.
• Encourages Action: By bringing attention to environmental issues, it motivates individuals, communities, and governments to take positive actions towards environmental conservation and sustainability.
• Addresses Global Issues: It focuses on pressing environmental challenges such as pollution, climate change, deforestation, and wildlife conservation, promoting dialogue and action to address these issues on a global scale.
• Promotes Sustainability: World Environment Day encourages sustainable living practices and the responsible use of resources, advocating for lifestyles and policies that minimize environmental impact and promote long-term sustainability.

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