24 th January

Coalition for a GM-Free

 The Coalition for a GM-Free India is a loose, informal network of scores of organizations and 

individuals from across India, campaigning and advocating to keep India GM-Free, and to shift our 

farming towards a sustainable path. 

 Consisting of farmers’, consumers’, environmental, women’s and other organizations, this network 

is opposed to the environmental release of Genetically Modifi ed Organisms (GMOs) given the 

potential adverse health and environmental impacts.

Weeds like Mimosa, Siam are taking over Assam’s biodiversity

 Assam is facing a growing threat from invasive plants that 

are rapidly taking over its forests, impacting both wildlife 

and domestic animals.

 Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve in Assam, home 

to the one-horned rhinoceros, is battling the highly 

invasive Mimosa species, also known as Touch-Me-Not 

or Shameplant.

 Researchers believe that the tea industry may have 

introduced Mimosa to the region for nitrogen fi xation to enrich soils, but it became invasive 

over time.

 The spread of Mimosa choked the grasslands of Kaziranga, aff ecting the habitat of wildlife.

 Invasive Mimosa species also impacted cattle, causing allergies and death among the animals.

Restoring Lake Victoria

 Lake Victoria is the largest freshwater lake in Africa and the world’s second-largest, supporting 

the livelihoods of approximately 45 million people.

 The lake faces severe environmental challenges and is heavily polluted, threatening its fragile 

ecosystem.

 Three countries share the lake’s resources: Tanzania (51%), Uganda (44%), and Kenya (5%).Climate crisis: Drought causes mass elephant deaths in Zimbabwe game reserve

 More than 160 elephants and numerous other 

wildlife species have died in Zimbabwe in the last 

two months of 2023 due to a climate change-

induced drought.

 In 2019, over 200 elephants died in Zimbabwe due 

to a severe drought, highlighting the recurring 

nature of the issue.

 These wildlife deaths occurred in Hwange National 

Park, home to a signifi cant portion of Zimbabwe’s 

elephant population.

 The prolonged drought conditions persisted due 

to the El Nino weather phenomenon, which is 

exacerbated by climate change, causing a severe 

water crisis in the park.