Enviro News Asia, New Delhi — The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) has disbursed Rs 45.05 lakh in benefit-sharing payments to Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs) across 10 States and two Union Territories, as part of its ongoing efforts to conserve biodiversity and ensure the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of biological resources.
The disbursement was made through State Biodiversity Boards and Union Territory Biodiversity Councils, benefiting more than 90 BMCs located in Telangana, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Maharashtra, Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, the National Capital Territory of Delhi, and the Union Territory of Ladakh. In addition, 15 Red Sanders farmers from Andhra Pradesh also received benefit-sharing payments.
The beneficiary BMCs represent diverse ecological and institutional contexts, including rural villages, urban local bodies, mangrove ecosystems, and areas adjacent to industrial zones. The funds are intended to support local communities that play a critical role in conserving biological resources and traditional knowledge.
The benefit-sharing amount was generated from the commercial utilization of various biological resources, including selected insects, microorganisms found in soil and water, and cultivated Red Sanders. These resources have contributed to the development of a range of products, underscoring the role of biodiversity in driving scientific innovation and the bio-economy.
Under India’s Access and Benefit-Sharing (ABS) mechanism, a portion of the monetary benefits derived from commercial use is returned to the communities and individuals who conserve these resources. The mechanism aims to enhance local livelihoods while incentivizing communities to actively protect and sustainably manage biodiversity.
In recent years, the NBA has introduced simplified regulations to improve transparency and promote ease of doing business, while continuing to safeguard community interests and biodiversity conservation objectives. The Authority works closely with State governments, local bodies, researchers, industry stakeholders, and community institutions to build capacity and raise awareness on sustainable biodiversity use.
The NBA also supports the preparation and documentation of People’s Biodiversity Registers (PBRs), which capture information on local biological resources and associated traditional knowledge through participatory approaches at the grassroots level.
Collectively, these initiatives have resulted in cumulative ABS payments exceeding Rs 145 crore (approximately USD 16 million). The NBA continues to play a key role in advancing India’s commitments under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-Sharing, as well as in contributing to national biodiversity targets and the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. (*)
