Under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and as part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) has successfully collected ₹2.40 crore within just 45 days under the Access and Benefit-Sharing (ABS) mechanism, reaffirming India’s commitment to biodiversity conservation and equitable benefit sharing.

According to data released by PIB Delhi on 13 February 2026, the amount was generated from ten approved applications submitted by organizations engaged in research and commercial utilization of biological resources, primarily from the seed, animal feed, cosmetics, and bio-energy sectors.

Key Contributions from the Seed Sector

The ABS contributions were linked to the use of agricultural biological resources such as rice, onion, bitter gourd, mustard, cotton, bottle gourd, brinjal, chilli, cucumber, okra, zucchini, tomato, and marine algae varieties and hybrids.

A major share of ₹2.30 crore was contributed by Pioneer Overseas Corporation for the commercial use of mustard and hybrid rice varieties. Other contributors included East West Seeds India Pvt. Ltd., Advanta Enterprises Ltd., Tokita Seed India Pvt. Ltd., Avalo Inc., and C6 Energy Pvt. Ltd.

These biological resources have been used to develop advanced and hybrid seed varieties and agriculture-based products, providing a significant boost to India’s agricultural economy.

Fair Benefit Sharing with Communities

Under the ABS framework, benefits will be shared with local communities, farmers, Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs), and institutions that conserve and provide parent varieties of biological resources. This mechanism supports livelihood enhancement, grassroots-level biodiversity conservation, and sustainable utilization of natural resources.

Growing Compliance and Ease of Doing Business

In recent years, the NBA has introduced simplified and transparent compliance procedures to encourage participation while safeguarding community rights. As a result, the seed sector has emerged as one of the largest contributors under the ABS framework.

During the financial year 2025-26, the NBA has already collected ₹3.42 crore from the seed sector alone. With the latest collection, the total ABS amount mobilized by the NBA has crossed ₹266 crore (approximately USD 29 million), of which ₹83 crore has come from the seed sector—making it the second-largest contributor after red sandalwood.

Global Commitments and Future Goals

The National Biodiversity Authority continues to play a pivotal role in implementing India’s commitments under the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Nagoya Protocol. The authority is also actively contributing to national biodiversity targets and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, particularly Target-13, which emphasizes strong legislative measures for effective ABS mechanisms.