NBA Disburses Rs 1.19 Crore to 29 State Biodiversity Boards and One UT Biodiversity Council Under Access and Benefit Sharing Mechanism

Key Highlights:

• The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) disbursed ₹1.19 crore under the Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) mechanism to 29 State Biodiversity Boards and one Union Territory Biodiversity Council.
• These funds support biodiversity conservation, sustainable use of biological resources, and community welfare.
• The amount represents ABS contributions from companies for research and commercial utilization of agricultural biological resources like maize, rice, pearl millet, and cotton.
• Funds were allocated to State Biodiversity Boards and the UT Council based on estimated cultivation areas, as individual benefit claimers could not be identified.
• To date, the NBA has disbursed over ₹203 crore in total, with ₹86 crore specifically from the agriculture sector.

Detailed Insights:

• The disbursement aims to ensure that benefits derived from biological resources are shared equitably, as mandated by the Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
• The allocation method, based on cultivation areas, was recommended by an Expert Committee and approved by the NBA due to the market-based procurement of resources.
• Funds received by State Biodiversity Boards and the UT Council are earmarked for activities under Section 32(2) of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
• These activities include biodiversity documentation, conservation, sustainable use, strengthening local governance, research, capacity building, and enhancing community livelihoods.
• India's efforts in ABS underscore its commitment to conserving biological heritage and ensuring community well-being, ahead of COP 17 of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in 2026.

Key Concepts Involved:

• National Biodiversity Authority (NBA): A statutory body established under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, to implement its provisions.
• Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) mechanism: A framework ensuring fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources.
• Biological Diversity Act, 2002: Indian legislation for the conservation of biological diversity, sustainable use of its components, and fair and equitable sharing of benefits.
• Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD): An international treaty for the conservation of biodiversity, sustainable use of its components, and fair and equitable sharing of benefits.