Strengthening Agriculture and Allied Sector Contributions to India’s National Biodiversity Action Plan (NBAP) 2008 and the National Biodiversity Targets (NBTS) 2014 - TCP/IND/3604

Abstract

One of the most biodiverse countries in the world, India is home to four of the 34 ‘Global Biodiversity Hotspots’ This rich biodiversity is of immense ecological, economic, social and cultural value, both now and for posterity India’s strategy for the conservation and sustainable utilization of biodiversity evolved from various initiatives framed and formulated by MoEF&CC the national focal point for biodiversity conservation Threats and constraints to biodiversity conservation primarily stem from habitat fragmentation, degradation and loss shrinking genetic diversity invasive alien species a declining forest resource base climate change and desertification the over exploitation of resources the impact of development projects and the impact of pollution The principal instrument for the conservation of biodiversity in India is the Biological Diversity Act 2002 It has the potential to address lacunae in several aspects of biodiversity conservation and its allied sectors, including agrobiodiversity ( It is mandated to do this particularly through Biodiversity Management Committees ( at the grassroots level However, there is a need to strengthen the contribution of the agriculture and allied sectors ( agroforestry, fisheries, livestock and poultry) to the biodiversity sector for the sound implementation of the National Biodiversity Action Plan ( 2008 and the achievement of the National Biodiversity Targets ( Increasing stakeholder capacity and enhancing inter ministerial coordination in these sectors will ensure the effective conservation of biodiversity The aim of this project was to support the efforts of the Government of India to increase capacity at national, state and local level to mainstream biodiversity conservation into agriculture and allied sectors.