Biodiversity and Conservation: India’s Panoramic View
317
3.4 Agricultural and Genetic Biodiversity
India is recognized globally as one among the eight Vavilov centres of origin being
the centre of origin for rice. It is well known for its agrobiodiversity with fifteen varied
agroclimatic zones wherein differential and dynamic practices of farming are being
carried out in line with the regional climate, soil and topographic features. India has
contributed immensely to crop biodiversity with more than 50,000 varieties of rice,
followed by 5000 varieties of sorghum and 1000 varieties of mangoes (ICAR 2018).
India has several success stories in agrobiodiversity being the centre of origin of rice
and standing first globally in production of millets, fourth in the world production of
crops such as pearl millet, sorghum, finger millet and maize. The NBPGR (National
Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources), NBAGR (National Bureau of Animal Genetic
Resources), NBFGR (National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources), NBAIR (National
Bureau of Agricultural Insect Resources), and NBAIM (National Bureau of Agriculturally Important Microorganisms) under the cover of ICAR (Indian Council of
Agricultural Research) are responsible for conserving the genetic diversity of India.
During the period of 2014–2018, registration, and preservation of several species of
animals, fish, insects, agriculturally important microorganisms including 4,37,000
accessions of plant germplasm was carried out by the National Gene Bank respectively. The NBAGR has been successful in registration of 169 native breeds of poultry
and livestock by the middle of the year 2018. Identification of 22 agrobiodiversity
hotspots has been done by PPVFRA (Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’
Rights Authority) and the efforts of farmers and their communities in plant genetic
resources conservation has been recognized as ‘Plant Genome Saviour Community
Award’ and the ‘Plant Genome Saviour Farmer Reward’ respectively. In India, nearly
8000 medicinal plants are being utilised owing to their therapeutic properties. However, in situ conservation in collaboration with ex situ cultivation (Natarajan et al.
2018) has brought about a decline in the sourcing of plants with medicinal properties
from the wild as around 110 medicinal plant conservation areas (MPCAs) have been
constituted in the forests in protected areas, while the ex situ cultivation outside the
forests aids in meeting the demand of around 40% of the medicinal plants.
4 Effective Management of Factors Affecting India’s
Biodiversity Loss
India as a nation experiences several threats which interfere with its continued efforts
towards conservation of biodiversity, which primarily includes effect of human activity, loss of habitat, shrivelling genetic diversification, resource exploitation, competitive alien species, desertification and climate change, pollution and diminishing
forest cover. India faces a constant challenge of balancing the livelihood needs of an
escalating population and upscaled conservation of biodiversity.
317
3.4 Agricultural and Genetic Biodiversity
India is recognized globally as one among the eight Vavilov centres of origin being
the centre of origin for rice. It is well known for its agrobiodiversity with fifteen varied
agroclimatic zones wherein differential and dynamic practices of farming are being
carried out in line with the regional climate, soil and topographic features. India has
contributed immensely to crop biodiversity with more than 50,000 varieties of rice,
followed by 5000 varieties of sorghum and 1000 varieties of mangoes (ICAR 2018).
India has several success stories in agrobiodiversity being the centre of origin of rice
and standing first globally in production of millets, fourth in the world production of
crops such as pearl millet, sorghum, finger millet and maize. The NBPGR (National
Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources), NBAGR (National Bureau of Animal Genetic
Resources), NBFGR (National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources), NBAIR (National
Bureau of Agricultural Insect Resources), and NBAIM (National Bureau of Agriculturally Important Microorganisms) under the cover of ICAR (Indian Council of
Agricultural Research) are responsible for conserving the genetic diversity of India.
During the period of 2014–2018, registration, and preservation of several species of
animals, fish, insects, agriculturally important microorganisms including 4,37,000
accessions of plant germplasm was carried out by the National Gene Bank respectively. The NBAGR has been successful in registration of 169 native breeds of poultry
and livestock by the middle of the year 2018. Identification of 22 agrobiodiversity
hotspots has been done by PPVFRA (Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’
Rights Authority) and the efforts of farmers and their communities in plant genetic
resources conservation has been recognized as ‘Plant Genome Saviour Community
Award’ and the ‘Plant Genome Saviour Farmer Reward’ respectively. In India, nearly
8000 medicinal plants are being utilised owing to their therapeutic properties. However, in situ conservation in collaboration with ex situ cultivation (Natarajan et al.
2018) has brought about a decline in the sourcing of plants with medicinal properties
from the wild as around 110 medicinal plant conservation areas (MPCAs) have been
constituted in the forests in protected areas, while the ex situ cultivation outside the
forests aids in meeting the demand of around 40% of the medicinal plants.
4 Effective Management of Factors Affecting India’s
Biodiversity Loss
India as a nation experiences several threats which interfere with its continued efforts
towards conservation of biodiversity, which primarily includes effect of human activity, loss of habitat, shrivelling genetic diversification, resource exploitation, competitive alien species, desertification and climate change, pollution and diminishing
forest cover. India faces a constant challenge of balancing the livelihood needs of an
escalating population and upscaled conservation of biodiversity.