PIB TrackerIndia's biodiversity benefit-sharing has paid out Rs 145 crore to communities
Under the Biological Diversity Act, India's Access and Benefit Sharing framework has mobilised over Rs 266 crore and disbursed around Rs 145 crore to over 10,500 local Biodiversity Management Committees, farmers and knowledge-holders.
What happened
- India's Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) framework under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 has mobilised over Rs 266 crore and disbursed around Rs 145 crore to beneficiaries.
- The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) has realised the Rs 266 crore through the ABS mechanism since 2008, including Rs 21.26 crore in FY 2025-26 — reflecting growing industry compliance.
- Of the disbursed amount (including Rs 78 crore in FY 2025-26), benefits reached more than 10,500 Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs) across 23 states and 4 UTs, over 230 farmers and six state forest departments.
- The framework has also supported six Red Sanders research projects.
- Under the Act, benefits from the commercial use of biological resources and associated traditional knowledge are shared fairly and equitably with local communities and custodians, linking use to conservation and livelihoods.
For Prelims
- Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS): The principle that benefits arising from using biological resources and associated traditional knowledge are shared fairly and equitably with the communities and custodians who conserve them.
- Biological Diversity Act, 2002: India's law implementing the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD); it set up a three-tier structure and ABS rules (the Act was amended in 2023).
- Three-tier structure: The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA, Chennai) at the national level, State Biodiversity Boards (SBBs), and Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs) at the local level.
- BMCs & PBRs: BMCs (set up by local bodies) prepare People's Biodiversity Registers (PBRs) documenting local bio-resources and traditional knowledge.
- Nagoya Protocol: The 2010 international agreement under the CBD on ABS; India ratified it in 2012, and the BD Act gives effect to its principles.
- Red Sanders: An endemic, high-value tree (Andhra/Tamil Nadu) often cited in ABS and CITES contexts; ABS funds here support its research.
- Don't confuse: ABS is benefit-sharing for using bio-resources (under the CBD/Nagoya), distinct from protected-area conservation; the NBA (national) is distinct from State Biodiversity Boards and local BMCs.
For UPSC: India's ABS framework has disbursed ~Rs 145 crore to 10,500+ Biodiversity Management Committees, farmers and knowledge-holders under the Biological Diversity Act. Anchor ABS and the CBD/Nagoya Protocol (India ratified 2012), the BD Act 2002 (amended 2023) three-tier structure (NBA-SBB-BMC), People's Biodiversity Registers, traditional-knowledge protection, and biodiversity-linked livelihoods.
What it is NOT: ABS is about sharing benefits from the commercial use of biological resources and traditional knowledge (under the CBD/Nagoya Protocol) — not protected-area management or wildlife trade per se. The NBA (national, Chennai) is distinct from State Biodiversity Boards and the local BMCs; benefit-sharing is a fair-equity mechanism, not a tax.
For Mains
Syllabus: GS3.14 · GS3.13 · Linkage L2
Anchor
Conservation through community benefit — linking the sustainable use of biodiversity to fair, equitable returns for local custodians.
Substantiation (data)
India's ABS framework (BD Act 2002): Rs 266 cr+ mobilised, ~Rs 145 cr disbursed to 10,500+ BMCs across 23 states/4 UTs, 230+ farmers; six Red Sanders projects.
Exemplification
Cite India's ABS regime (with BMCs and People's Biodiversity Registers) as an example of operationalising the Nagoya Protocol and rewarding conservation.
Problematisation
Compliance gaps, biopiracy risks, weak BMC capacity, delays in benefit-sharing, and valuing traditional knowledge fairly remain challenges.
Way-forward
Strengthen BMCs/PBRs, improve industry compliance and monitoring, and channel ABS funds transparently into conservation and community livelihoods.
Position
Government stance: a robust ABS regime makes biodiversity 'pay back', incentivising conservation and protecting community and traditional-knowledge rights.
Deploys into: Biodiversity conservation & ABS (BD Act 2002, Nagoya Protocol) · traditional knowledge & community rights · NBA/BMC institutions · sustainable use & livelihoods (GS3.14 conservation & biodiversity, GS3.13 IPR/traditional knowledge).
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change · 2026-06-20 · PRID 2275777 · PIB source ↗