THEBUSINESSBYTES
BUREAU
BHUBANESWAR, AUGUST 2, 2026
Odisha has been allocated more than Rs 48 lakh by the
National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) under a landmark nationwide
benefit-sharing programme arising from the commercial utilisation of Indian
rice genetic resources, officials said on Sunday.
Under the Access and Benefit-Sharing (ABS) mechanism, the
Odisha State Biodiversity Board (OSBB) will receive Rs 48,09,040, making the
state the fourth-highest beneficiary among all states and Union Territories
after Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Telangana.
The allocation forms part of a major disbursement of Rs 8.22
crore collected from Pioneer Overseas Corporation, an international seed
company that used native Indian rice varieties to develop and commercialise
hybrid seeds.
Of the total amount, Rs 5.75 crore is being distributed among
33 State Biodiversity Boards and Union Territory Biodiversity Councils based on
the rice-growing area of each state and UT, as recorded on the Ministry of
Agriculture and Farmers Welfare's agricultural statistics portal.
The Odisha State Biodiversity Board will utilise the funds to
undertake targeted conservation initiatives across the state. The proposed
activities include conserving indigenous crop diversity, restoring degraded
ecosystems, documenting traditional agricultural knowledge, and extending
support to local farmers and custodians of traditional knowledge.
Officials said the benefit-sharing exercise reflects the principles of the Biological Diversity Act and the Access and Benefit-Sharing framework, ensuring that communities and regions contributing to the conservation of India's biological wealth receive a fair share of the economic gains arising from its commercial utilisation.
The nationwide distribution is also aligned with India's commitments under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, which seeks to promote equitable sharing of benefits derived from the use of biodiversity while strengthening conservation and sustainable use efforts.
