World Food Prize
Context: The World Food Prize, founded by Norman Borlaug and awarded to Mariangela Hungria for pioneering sustainable biological nitrogen fixation that boosted Brazil’s soybean production while reducing chemical fertilizer use and environmental impact, honours transformative contributions to global food security.
Important Pointers:
➤ World Food Prize: It is an international award recognizing individuals who have advanced human development by improving the quality, quantity, or availability of food globally.
➤ Founded: In 1986 by Norman Borlaug, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate known as the "father of the Green Revolution."
➤ Prize: Awarded annually by the World Food Prize Foundation, headquartered in Iowa, USA; The award carries a cash prize of $500,000.
➤ World Food Prize 2025: Awarded to Mariangela Hungria, a Brazilian microbiologist, for her pioneering research on biological nitrogen fixation — a method to enhance crop yields by using natural soil bacteria instead of chemical fertilizers; Hungria’s work on biological nitrogen fixation has made Brazil the top soybean producer by reducing chemical fertilizer use, lowering pollution, promoting sustainable farming, and advancing global food security.
Chandrayaan - 5
Context: Chandrayaan-5 (LUPEX) is a joint ISRO-JAXA mission planned for 2027-28 to explore lunar water and ice on the Moon’s surface and subsurface using a lander and a 350 kg rover equipped with advanced scientific instruments.
Important Pointers:
➤ Joint Mission: Chandrayaan-5, also known as LUPEX (Lunar Polar Exploration), is a collaborative lunar mission between ISRO (India) and JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency).
➤ Objective: To study water and water-ice on the lunar surface and subsurface, focusing mainly on the Moon's south pole region.
➤ Mission Components:
ISRO is developing the lander.
JAXA is developing the 350 kg rover equipped with seven scientific instruments.
➤ Launch Details: Proposed launch using a Japanese H3 rocket in 2027-28.
➤ Mission Duration: Planned mission life is about 3.5 months (100 days), with possibilities of extension up to a year.
➤ Scientific Instruments:
Instruments contributed by international partners like ESA (mass spectrometer) and NASA (neutron spectrometers).
One large instrument with four sensors is under development by both ISRO and JAXA.
➤Rover Capabilities: Designed to travel on the lunar surface, climb slopes up to 25 degrees, and perform in-situ soil sampling and analysis.
➤Significance: Continues India’s exploration after the successful Chandrayaan-3 soft landing on the Moon’s south pole.
➤ Future Missions: Chandrayaan-4 is proposed as a sample return mission, bringing lunar soil samples back to Earth for detailed analysis.
➤ International Collaboration: Highlights growing space cooperation between India, Japan, ESA, and NASA.