NBA disburses around Rs. 3.79 crore under Access and Benefit Sharing mechanism to 33 States/UTs and National Institutes

The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) has released approximately Rs 3.79 crore under the Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) mechanism to 33 State Biodiversity Boards, Union Territory Biodiversity Councils, the ICAR‑National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources and, via the Haryana SBB, the Hisar Bovine Sperm Station. The funds cover a range of agrobiodiversity – tomato, chilli, brinjal, cauliflower, watermelon, various gourds, okra, mustard and Sahiwal cattle semen – and were sourced from companies such as Bayer Science and Innovation, HM Clause India, Advanta Enterprises and the Department of Animal Production & Health, Sri Lanka. Disbursements were allocated proportionately based on cultivation‑area data and are earmarked for updating People’s Biodiversity Registers, in‑situ and ex‑situ conservation, Biodiversity Heritage Sites, capacity‑building of Biodiversity Management Committees and community socio‑economic development, reinforcing India’s commitments under the Biological Diversity Act, the Nagoya Protocol and the Kunming‑Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.