NBA Disburses Rs 8.22-Cr in Benefit Sharing for Use of Indian Rice Varieties
New Delhi, Aug 2 (TNT) :The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) has released Rs 8.22 crore to three research institutions and 33 State Biodiversity Boards and Union Territory Biodiversity Councils under the Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) mechanism, marking one of the largest single ABS disbursements for rice.
The amount was received from M/s Pioneer Overseas Corporation, an international seed company, for the use of Indian rice (Oryza sativa) varieties in developing and commercialising hybrid seeds.
According to an official statement issued on Sunday, the disbursement reflects India’s commitment to ensuring fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the commercial utilisation of the country’s biological resources.
Of the total amount, Rs 2.47 crore has been released to research institutions that conserved and shared the rice varieties with the company.
The ICAR-Indian Institute of Rice Research (IIRR), Hyderabad, received the largest share of Rs 2.43 crore, while Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Uttarakhand, received Rs 3.26 lakh for the rice variety contributed by it.
The remaining Rs 5.75 crore has been distributed among 33 State Biodiversity Boards and Union Territory Biodiversity Councils based on the rice-growing area of each State and Union Territory, as recorded in the Unified Portal for Agricultural Statistics of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
Uttar Pradesh received the highest allocation of over Rs 73 lakh, while States and Union Territories with smaller rice-growing areas, including Sikkim and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, received proportionate shares.
The research institutions will utilise the funds to strengthen germplasm conservation, maintain seed collections and support research and training.
The State Biodiversity Boards and Biodiversity Councils will use the allocations for conservation of native crop diversity, ecosystem restoration, documentation of traditional knowledge and support for local farmers and knowledge holders.
The NBA said it has so far received about Rs 83 crore in ABS payments from the agriculture and seed sector alone, while cumulative ABS disbursements across all sectors have crossed Rs 162 crore.
The Authority said the initiative contributes to Target 13 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework by ensuring fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the utilisation of genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge.
It also supports several Sustainable Development Goals, including Zero Hunger (SDG 2), Responsible Consumption and Production (SDG 12), Life on Land (SDG 15) and Partnerships for the Goals (SDG 17).
TNT KM
