Pioneering Move: Benefit-Sharing Boost for Tamil Nadu's Red Sanders Farmers

In an unprecedented move to advance the sustainable exploitation of India's biological resources, the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) has allocated Rs 55 lakh to 18 Red Sanders cultivators in Tamil Nadu. The beneficiaries span eight villages within the Tiruvallur District, facilitated by the State Biodiversity Board, as announced by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

This benefit-sharing initiative, the first targeting farmers and cultivators, represents a historic advancement in inclusive biodiversity conservation. It follows an earlier release of Rs 48 crore in Access and Benefit Sharing funds to forest departments in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka and the Andhra Pradesh State Biodiversity Board. This funding initiative aligns with a strategic report prepared by an NBA-constituted Expert Committee on Red Sanders, which prompted a 2019 policy revision allowing international trade of cultivated Red Sanders.

Red Sanders, a species native to the Eastern Ghats of Andhra Pradesh, holds significant ecological, economic, and cultural value. While traditionally found in Andhra Pradesh, cultivation efforts extend to other states such as Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. By encouraging the cultivation of Red Sanders, the initiative not only supports farmers' livelihoods but also caters to market demand legally and sustainably, alleviating pressure on wild populations.

This model of benefit-sharing empowers communities to actively engage in conservation while ensuring adequate compensation for their efforts in safeguarding biodiversity. The NBA remains committed to intertwining conservation with livelihood enhancement, fortifying community governance, and guaranteeing equitable benefit distribution to those who protect one of India's most prized and indigenous tree species. (ANI)