Delhi, Jan 2:The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) has continued its series of Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) disbursements with the release of Rs 45 lakh (USD 50,000) to farmers of Andhra Pradesh through Andhra Pradesh State Biodiversity Board.

 

With this disbursement, India’s cumulative ABS releases now exceeds Rs 143.5 crore (USD 16 million).

 

This initiative underscores the economic opportunity available to Red Sanders cultivators, who derive dual income benefits: first, through the lawful sale of Red Sanders wood/logs cultivated; and second, through monetary benefits under the ABS mechanism mandated under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002. The ABS framework thus directly rewards farmers for conserving and sustainably utilising a globally valued endemic species.

 

To date, the NBA has released over Rs 104 crore (USD 11.5 million) to the State of Andhra Pradesh towards Red Sanders conservation, protection and to benefit claimers, and over Rs 15 crore (USD 1.66 million) to other States including Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Odisha and Telangana.

 

In the last three months, the NBA has released ABS money to the tune of Rs 5.35 Crores to more than 220 Red sanders farmers from the state of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Telangana.

 

The NBA’s ABS framework not only ensures fair and equitable sharing of benefits but also actively promotes sustainable utilisation practices, discouraging illegal trade and over-exploitation. By linking conservation outcomes with tangible bio-economic returns, the ABS framework transforms Red Sanders from a protected species into a livelihood-supporting asset for farming communities.

 

Through continued efforts of NBA facilitating ABS money back to beneficiaries leads to conservation, scientific research and socio economic development of farmers and communities. The NBA works to conserve Red Sanders for future generations, supporting both livelihoods and India’s leadership in global biodiversity efforts.