It is important to stay updated with current affairs and international events. This article discusses India's ambition to host the Olympics in 2036 and the potential benefits and challenges associated with it.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that India is interested in hosting the 2036 edition of the Olympics.
India also expressed interest in hosting the Youth Olympics as a precursor.
The announcement signifies India's desire to shed the negative image from the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games.
The ratification of the host city for 2036 will take time, but India's interest showcases its global ambitions.
Hosting the Olympics can give India a vantage position in the shifting world order and enhance its political legitimacy.
India aims to benefit from the success at the Asian Games and win double-digit medals at Paris 2024.
Conducting mega events like the Olympics is a huge challenge due to high costs, as seen in Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020.
The financial burden for Tokyo 2020 was $15.4 billion, more than double the initial estimate.
Victoria, Australia, withdrew from hosting the 2026 Commonwealth Games due to mounting expenditure.
The IOC now asks potential organizers to present projects that fit their economic, social, and environmental realities.
India's success will depend on how it balances its aspirations with the complexities of hosting such events.
The importance of managing water wisely in the context of food and nutrition security. It highlights the challenges faced by countries due to climate extremes and the impact of water availability on agriculture. It also mentions the need for innovative and collaborative approaches to improve water management and conservation.
The theme for World Food Day this year is 'Water is Life, Water is Food'
Availability of water has become critical due to increasing climate extremes
Countries face challenges such as drought, floods, unseasonal rains, and dry spells
The UN's food agencies stress the need for innovative and collaborative approaches to manage water resources
Water availability affects food and nutrition security
60% of India's net sown area is rainfed, contributing to 40% of total food production
Rainfed agriculture depends on water availability and variations in rain and soil moisture can affect food security
There is a need to promote technologies and practices to make rainfed production more resilient and sustainable
Sustainable water management is critical for addressing food and nutrition security threats
Irrigated agriculture accounts for 72% of global freshwater withdrawals and can have damaging effects on ecosystems.
Freshwater supplies and ecosystems have been degraded due to poor water management, misuse, pollution, and the climate crisis.
Small-scale farmers, who make up more than 80% of farmers globally, are particularly vulnerable to climate shocks and land degradation.
Extreme weather events and water availability variability are negatively impacting agricultural production and changing growing seasons.
The Government of India has assessed the impact of climate change on crop yields in 2050 and 2080 scenarios.
Without adaptation measures, rice yields are projected to decrease by 20% in 2050 and 47% in 2080 for rainfed rice, and by 3.5% in 2050 and 5% in 2080 for irrigated rice.
Wheat yields are projected to decrease by 19.3% in 2050 and 40% in 2080, while kharif maize yields could decline by 18% and 23%.
Climate change without adequate adaptation measures reduces crop yields and lowers the nutritional quality of produce.
The FAO is piloting a crop forecasting framework and model in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh, and Maharashtra to aid rainfed farmers in making informed decisions for food security.
The WFP supports irrigation projects to make agriculture more resilient and help farmers grow high-value crops.
In 2021, 8.7 million people across 49 countries benefited from the WFP's support for irrigation.
IFAD supports Indian States in leveraging the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act scheme for micro-irrigation infrastructure.
The FAO supports sustainable transformation of agrifood systems and climate-smart agriculture practices to improve water-use efficiency.
The FAO supported the farmer water school program in Uttar Pradesh and the Andhra Pradesh Farmer Managed Groundwater Systems project.
IFAD has set ambitious targets to mitigate climate change and help farmers adapt to weather conditions
IFAD-supported projects in Maharashtra, Odisha, Uttarakhand, Nagaland, and Mizoram incorporate climate-resilient seed varieties and train farmers in climate-sensitive agricultural practices
The WFP is collaborating with the Government of Odisha to develop solutions for smallholder farmers, focusing on women
The goal is to enhance resilience through solar technologies, establish community-based climate advisory services, and promote a millet-value chain that reduces water usage and improves nutrition
Political commitment and concrete investment are needed to achieve global food and nutrition security
Policies and investments should promote innovative technologies, sustainable irrigation and water management strategies, reducing the climate footprint of agriculture, improving sanitation and drinking water supplies, and strengthening institutional arrangements for sustainable water regulations.
The UN's food agencies collaborate with the Government of India and State governments on various innovative projects.
Some of these projects include Solar 4 Resilience, Secure Fishing, and the revival of millets.
The aim of these projects is to promote renewable energy, ensure food security, and improve nutrition.
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