Agriculture Current Affairs 23 June 2019

Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs)

The Government of India has set up 713 Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) at the district level in the country for dissemination of technologies among the farming community to double the farmers’ income by 2022.

Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs):

The KVK scheme is functioning on 100% Central funding pattern under the ambit of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE).

Activities undertaken by KVKs include on-farm testing of technologies and demonstrations, capacity development of farmers and extension personnel and functioning as a knowledge and resource centre of agricultural technologies.

(Current Affairs)

The May 2018, Union Cabinet approved that following special programmes shall be initiated through the KVK Scheme:

a Network Project on New Extension Methodologies and Approaches; Nutri-sensitive Agricultural Resources and Innovations (NARI);

programs tilted Knowledge Systems and Homestead Agriculture Management in Tribal Areas (KSHAMTA),

Value Addition and Technology Incubation Centres in Agriculture (VATICA),

Farm Innovation Resource Management (FIRM) and

establishment of Agricultural Technology Information Centre.

(Current Affairs)

NATIONAL RESEARCH CENTRE ON LITCHI (NRCL)

In Bihar, Director of Muzaffarpur based National Research Centre on Litchi (NRCL) Vishal Nath has denied any link between Litchi and Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES).

About:

Mandate: The NRCL is premier national institute for conducting research and developments on litchi. It also acts as a national repository of information on litchi production, processing, value addition, and provides consultancy services to end users.

History: It was established in 2001 during IXth Plan. The Centre started functioning from 2002.

Parent Agency: it was established by Ministry of Agriculture under the aegis of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).

(Current Affairs)

Location: The Centre is located at Mushahari in Muzaffarpur, Bihar.

Methylene cyclopropyl glycine (MCPG):

Acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur, Vaishali, Sheohar and East Champaran districts has so far claimed the lives of over 100 children.

There are different types of encephalopathy. In the present case, the encephalopathy is associated with hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar level) and hence called hypoglycaemic encephalopathy.

In 2012-2013, a two-member team headed by virologist Dr. T. Jacob John suspected, and confirmed the next year, a toxin found in litchi fruit called methylene cyclopropyl glycine (MCPG) was responsible for causing hypoglycaemic encephalopathy.

√ Important info :

Litchi?

At present, the area of Litchi under cultivation is 84,000 hectares and production is 594,000 metric tonnes (NHB, 2015).

Bihar, West Bengal, Assam and Jharkhand accounts for 78% of the total production in the country. Bihar produces 40% of total litchi and occupies nearly 38% of the area in India.

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