New Delhi, Oct 28 (IANS) In a move promoting fair benefit-sharing and sustainable use of biodiversity, the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) released Rs 55 lakh to 18 farmers/cultivators of Red Sanders (Pterocarpus santalinus) in Tamil Nadu, an official said on Tuesday.

The funds, released through the State Biodiversity Board under the Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) framework, are meant for farmers belonging to eight villages, namely Kannabhiran Nagar, Kothur, Vembedu, Siruniyum, Goonipalayam, Ammambakkam, Alikuzhi, and Thimmaboopola Puram under Tiruvallur District, said the official from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

The official said the benefit-sharing initiative to farmers/cultivators marks a step towards inclusive biodiversity conservation. It builds upon the NBA’s earlier release of ABS share of Rs 48 crore to the Andhra Pradesh Forest Department, Karnataka Forest Department and Andhra Pradesh State Biodiversity Board for the protection and conservation of Red Sanders.

This initiative stems from the recommendations of an Expert Committee on Red Sanders constituted by the NBA in 2015. It prepared a comprehensive report titled ‘Policy for Conservation, Sustainable Use and Fair and Equitable Benefit Sharing Arising from the Utilisation of Red Sanders’, said the statement.

One of the key outcomes of the Committee’s recommendations was the 2019 policy relaxation by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), permitting the export of Red Sanders from cultivated sources. It is a significant boost for farm-based conservation and trade.

Red Sanders, an endemic species to the Eastern Ghats found in Andhra Pradesh alone, has ecological, economic, and cultural significance. It is also cultivated in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Odisha and other States.

Promoting cultivated Red Sanders not only supports farmers’ livelihood but also helps to meet the growing market demand through legally sourced and sustainably grown Red Sanders, thereby reducing pressure on wild populations of the species.

This benefit-sharing model reinforces community participation in conservation while ensuring that those safeguarding biodiversity are duly compensated.

The statement said that the NBA is committed to linking conservation with livelihoods, strengthening community stewardship, and ensuring that the custodians of biodiversity receive their rightful share of the benefits by safeguarding one of India’s most valued and endemic tree species for future generations.

–IANS

rch/dan