NBA sanctions ₹82 lakh for conservation of Red Sanders in Andhra

The funds are aimed at raising one lakh saplings of Red Sanders, which will subsequently be supplied to farmers

New Delhi: The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA), headquartered in Chennai, has sanctioned an amount of ₹82 lakh to the Andhra Pradesh Biodiversity Board for the conservation of Red Sanders, according to the environment ministry.

Red Sanders, native to the Southern Eastern Ghats has been under heavy threat due to its high commercial value, leading to rampant smuggling

The funds are aimed at raising one lakh saplings of Red Sanders, which will subsequently be supplied to farmers, thereby contributing to the Trees Outside Forests (ToF) programme, and thus marking a significant step towards conserving a species unique to the region, the ministry has said on Monday. Red sanders is in high demand globally particularly in China and East Asia, for furniture, musical instruments, traditional medicine, and cosmetics.

The funding has been provided from the benefit-sharing amount collected from users of Red Sanders and is being channelled back to the local farmers and biodiversity board for conservation-related activities.

These funds are in addition to the sale proceeds or sale values realised by stakeholders. The sanction demonstrates the application of the Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) mechanism under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 (amended in 2023). The ABS mechanism regulates access to biological resources, while ensuring fair and equitable sharing of benefits with beneficiaries including local communities, individuals and Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs). The initiative thus demonstrates how policies can transform conservation into community-driven action.

Red Sanders, native to the Southern Eastern Ghats and found particularly in the districts of Anantapur, Chittoor, Kadapa, and Kurnool, has been under heavy threat due to its high commercial value, leading to rampant smuggling. The species is protected under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), which strictly regulates its international trade.

“NBA has already released over ₹31.55 crore to the Andhra Pradesh Forest Department for various conservation and protection activities related to Red Sanders in the past. The present release is expected to flow directly into grassroots-level conservation involving Biodiversity Management Committees. Local and tribal communities will participate in nursery development, plantation and long-term care, creating employment, promoting skill-building and enhancing local stewardship in conservation of biological resources,” the ministry said.

HT reported on October 31 last year that India had submitted its updated National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan at the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) COP16 at Cali, Colombia. The action plan’s key focus areas are “area based conservation” and “agrobiodiversity” apart from delivering on 23 national biodiversity targets which are aligned with global targets.

The focus on area based conservation is mainly to create and sustain protected areas. “The CBD has recognised protected areas as the cornerstone of protection of biodiversity. They help maintain diverse ecosystems, key habitats, provide refugia, facilitate migration and allow evolutionary processes. Two state driven models including protected areas and managed forests have been highly effective in achieving conservation goals in human dominated landscapes,” the action plan that runs into over 200 pages states.

The other major focus area is agrobiodiversity. India has been pushing for tree plantations that can be taken up by farmers and individuals in recent years. “India is one of Vavilov’s centers of origin for crops, plants and domestications. Besides 15 agroclimatic zones identified across the country, the protection of plant varieties and farmers’ rights authority has identified 22 agrobiodiversity hotspots based on number of species, crop varieties, and wild relatives of cultivated crop species. About 168 species of crop including 25 major and minor crops have been domesticated,” the plan states.