National Biodiversity Authority Reconstitutes Agrobiodiversity Expert Committee

New Delhi ( Vivek Ojha) : The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) has reconstituted the Expert Committee on Agrobiodiversity under Section 13(1) of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, for a period of one year to provide expert guidance on the conservation, sustainable use and access and benefit-sharing (ABS) of agricultural biodiversity and related matters.

The Committee has been reconstituted with Padma Shri Dr. P. L. Gautam, a renowned agricultural scientist and former Chairperson of the National Biodiversity Authority and the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Authority (PPVFRA), as its Chair.

Dr. Gautam was recently conferred the Padma Shri in recognition of his distinguished contributions to agricultural science. The Chairperson of PPVFRA will serve as the Co-Chair of the Committee.

The Expert Committee on Agrobiodiversity has been an important advisory body of the NBA since 2005 and has been reconstituted periodically to address emerging issues concerning agricultural genetic resources.

The Committee will advise the NBA on integrating biodiversity considerations into the agriculture sector and promoting sustainable agricultural practices. It will examine issues relating to the seed sector under the Biological Diversity Act, review guidelines for international collaborative research involving biological resources and recommend measures for the conservation and sustainable use of threatened native crop varieties and livestock breeds.

The Committee will support the achievement of India’s updated NBSAP Targets 4 and 13 and contribute to the realization of SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 13 (Climate Action) and SDG 15 (Life on Land) through the conservation and sustainable use of agricultural genetic resources, native crop varieties and livestock diversity.