NBA Disburses Rs 2.02 Crore of ABS Funds from Seed Sector to Support Biodiversity Conservation and Community Well-Being at Grassroots Level

The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) has disbursed Rs 2.02 crore among 27 States and 3 Union Territories as part of Access and Benefit-Sharing (ABS) contributions from the seed sector. These contributions stem from agricultural biological resources like rice, eggplant, and tomato, provided by various seed companies. Where individual benefit-claimers could not be identified, the NBA apportioned funds based on cultivation area data from the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. This brings the cumulative ABS disbursement by the NBA to Rs 202.00 crore, supporting biodiversity conservation, sustainable resource use, and community livelihoods. The framework implements the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, India's National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) 2024–2030, international biodiversity targets, and relevant Sustainable Development Goals.