Odisha Receives NBA Biodiversity Fund for Cotton Conservation
Odisha has been allocated Rs 14 lakh by the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) under the Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) mechanism to strengthen cotton conservation and farmer livelihoods.
The funding is part of a nationwide disbursement of Rs 6.67 crore across 11 cotton-growing states, sourced from Bayer Science & Innovation Pvt. Ltd. for research on 25,431 cotton varieties.
The Odisha State Biodiversity Board will channel the funds into on‑farm and ex‑situ conservation of local cotton germplasm, updating People’s Biodiversity Registers, strengthening Biodiversity Management Committees, ecosystem restoration, documenting traditional knowledge, and capacity‑building initiatives.
Cotton remains a crucial crop for small and marginal farmers in western Odisha districts such as Kalahandi, Rayagada, and Balangir.
The initiative aims to preserve genetic diversity, promote sustainable farming, and enhance farmer livelihoods.
This move underscores India’s commitment to the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, and aligns with the Kunming‑Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework targets on equitable benefit sharing and genetic diversity conservation.
With this release, NBA’s total ABS disbursement has reached Rs 152.24 crore, reinforcing the principle that commercial use of biological resources must benefit biodiversity-rich regions.
