Standardized Agriculture Demonstration Farm (SADF)

BIS & Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology have recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to facilitate the development of first SADF in India.

• Standardized Agriculture Demonstration Farm (SADF) aims to enhance agricultural practices, increase crop yields and integrate Indian Standards in farming to benefit the agricultural sector.
• Recently a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Bureau of Indian Standards and Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology to developed first SADF in India.
• The primary objective of this MoU is to develop SADFs at GBPUAT in collaboration with BIS.
• These farms will serve as experimental sites for testing and implementing various agricultural practices and new technologies in accordance with Indian Standards.
• It is a significant step towards promoting standardised agricultural practices and ensuring the implementation of cutting-edge technologies to enhance agricultural productivity and sustainability.

International Science, Technology, and Innovation Centre for South-South Cooperation (ISTIC)

Recently the first STI Conclave on “Traditional Knowledge for Sustainable Livelihoods” organised jointly by ISTIC-UNESCO and Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).

• The International Science, Technology and Innovation Centre for South-South Cooperation under the Auspices of UNESCO (ISTIC) is a UNESCO Category 2 Centre.
• The Centre acts as an international platform offering sustainable programmes and services and augmenting sustainable development for South-South Cooperation.
• It was the outcome of the 2nd South Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the Group of 77 and China in Doha, Qatar, held in June 2005.
• The Centre’s hosting is based on a six-year Agreement between the Malaysian Government represented by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) and UNESCO.
• It is situated at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
• Category 2 Centres under the auspices of UNESCO – They are established and funded by Member States to contribute to the achievement of UNESCO’s objectives by way of global, regional, sub-regional or interregional activities.
• They are not legally a part of the Organization but are associated with it through formal agreements between UNESCO and the Member State hosting the centre.
• The centres are intended to serve as international or regional centres and poles of expertise or excellence to provide technical assistance and services to Member States, cooperation partners and also to the network of UNESCO field offices.
• The Category 2 Centres under the auspices of UNESCO are expected to contribute directly to achieving the Strategic Programme Objectives or programme priorities and themes of the Organization.

Mobile Therapy Bus Initiative

Recently National Institute for the Empowerment of Persons with Intellectual (NIEPID) & Hans Foundation have launched new Mobile Therapy Buses to empower Children with Disabilities.

• Mobile Therapy Bus Initiative is a transformative programme that aims to address the unique needs of children with disabilities in marginalized communities.
• Under this initiative 5 Mobile Therapy Buses in Noida, Ghaziabad, Kolkata and Mumbai will be deployed.
• The bus is not deployed in all metropolitan cities across India.
• The initiative was launched by the National Institute for the Empowerment of Persons with Intellectual (NIEPID) & Hans Foundation.
• National Institute for the Empowerment of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities – It was established in the year 1984 at Secunderabad, a city in Telangana.
• It is an Autonomous Body under the administrative control of Deparment of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan), Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment.
• It has three regional centres located at Noida/ New Delhi, Kolkata, & Mumbai.

Oropouche Fever

Brazil has recently reported the first-ever deaths from Oropouche fever, a mosquito-borne disease with symptoms similar to dengue.

• Oropouche virus disease is an arboviral disease caused by the Oropouche virus (OROV).
• OROV is a segmented single-stranded RNA virus that is part of the genus Orthobunyavirus of the Peribunyaviridae family.
• The virus was first detected in Trinidad and Tobago in 1955.
• Italy reported it’s first-ever case of Oropouche in June 2024 and it was also the first case ever to be detected in continental Europe.
• The virus has been found to circulate in Central and South America and the Caribbean.
• Transmission – It is spread by the bite of infected midges (small flies) and mosquitoes.
• There is no evidence of human-to-human transmission of the disease.
• Culicoides paraensis midge, found in forested areas and around water bodies, or certain Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitos.
• Symptoms – They are similar to dengue and include headache, fever, muscle aches, stiff joints, nausea, vomiting, chills, or sensitivity to light.
• Severe cases may result in neuroinvasive disease such as meningitis.
• Symptoms typically start 4–8 days after being bitten and last 3–6 days.
• Most people recover without long-term effects.
• Treatment – Is supportive and there is no specific vaccine or antiviral treatment available for the disease.
• Outbreaks – There are outbreaks of Oropouche fever in parts of Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Peru and Cuba.

Monastery of Saint Hilarion

The World Heritage Committee (WHC) recently decided to include the Palestinian site of Tell Umm Amer in both the UNESCO World Heritage Site List and the Lost of World Heritage in Danger.

• The Palestinian site of Tell Umm Amer is also known as Monastery of Saint Hilarion.
• The ‘Monastery of Saint Hilarion’ lies in the Gaza Strip which continues to reel under Israel’s relentless assault.
• It is situated on the coastal dunes of the Nuseirat Municipality, just 10 km south of Gaza city.
• The present-day archaeological remains of the site span more than four centuries, from the time of Hilarion to the Umayyad period.
• The ruins comprise “five successive churches, bath and sanctuary complexes, geometric mosaics, and an expansive crypt” making the monastery “one of the largest in the Middle East”.
• Historical significance – The site dates back to the 4th century CE being founded by Hilarion the Great, considered the father of Palestinian monasticism.
• It is one of the largest monasteries in the Middle East.
• The monastery was likely abandoned after a 7th century earthquake, only to be uncovered by local archaeologists in 1999.
• It contains archaeological remains spanning over four centuries.
• Protection amid conflict – The site has already suffered damage during the ongoing Israel-Gaza war.
• Many cultural and historical sites in Gaza have been destroyed or severely damaged.
• Legal implications – Israel, as a party to the World Heritage Convention of 1972, has duties to protect and preserve World Heritage sites.
• States are prohibited from taking deliberate measures that could directly or indirectly damage the site.
• International assistance – Inclusion on the List of World Heritage in Danger opens access to enhanced international technical and financial assistance.
• This can help protect the property and potentially aid in its rehabilitation.
• Previous protection efforts – In December 2023, the site was granted 'provisional enhanced protection' under the 1954 Hague Convention and its Second Protocol.