Key Developments

  • The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) disbursed Rs 2.02 crore in Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) funds to 27 State Biodiversity Boards (SBBs) and 3 Union Territory Biodiversity Councils (UTBCs).
  • The funds were collected from seven major seed-sector companies for commercial utilization of parental varieties and hybrids of staple and vegetable crops such as rice, eggplant, tomato, okra, and cucurbits.
  • Cumulative ABS disbursement by NBA has now reached Rs 202 crore, reflecting operational compliance with equitable benefit-sharing under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
  • The release coincides with preparations for the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP 17) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), scheduled in October 2026 at Yerevan, Armenia.

Apportionment and Utilization

  • Since individual grassroots benefit-claimers could not be traced for market-procured crops, funds were allocated based on the cultivation area of the respective biological resources, using data from the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
  • Madhya Pradesh received the highest allocation, followed by West Bengal.
  • Disbursed funds will support:
  • Operationalization of Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs)
  • Updating People’s Biodiversity Registers (PBRs)
  • Conservation of local landraces and medicinal flora
  • Habitat restoration

What is Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS)?

  • ABS is a framework ensuring that monetary and non-monetary benefits arising from commercial or research utilization of genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge are shared fairly and equitably with local and indigenous communities.
  • It is a core pillar of the CBD and was operationalized globally through the Nagoya Protocol, adopted in 2010.
  • India implements ABS through the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, with the NBA at the national level, SBBs at the state level, and BMCs at the local level.

Legal and Policy Framework

  • Biological Diversity Act, 2002: Provides for conservation of biological diversity, sustainable use, and fair and equitable benefit-sharing.
  • Nagoya Protocol (2010): International agreement under CBD on access to genetic resources and benefit-sharing.
  • National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) 2024–2030: ABS disbursement reinforces Target 13 (Equitable ABS) and Target 19 (Resource Mobilisation) of the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF).
  • ABS outlays converge with central schemes such as PM-JANMAN, Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Vikas Mission, and Pradhan Mantri Van Dhan Yojana to build bio-resource-based micro-enterprises and support tribal welfare.

Significance for India

  • Strengthens biodiversity conservation and equitable benefit-sharing by channeling corporate contributions to grassroots biodiversity institutions.
  • Supports local livelihoods, traditional knowledge holders, and bio-resource-based enterprises.
  • Demonstrates India’s compliance with international commitments under the CBD and KMGBF.
  • Directly advances SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 8 (Decent Work), SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), SDG 15 (Life on Land), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

Prelims Pointers

  • NBA: National Biodiversity Authority, statutory body under Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
  • SBBs and UTBCs: State and Union Territory level biodiversity authorities.
  • BMCs: Biodiversity Management Committees at local level.
  • PBRs: People’s Biodiversity Registers documenting local biodiversity and traditional knowledge.
  • COP 17 CBD: October 2026, Yerevan, Armenia.
  • Nagoya Protocol: Adopted 2010, operationalizes ABS under CBD.