Latest news with #V.Balakrishnan
The Hindu
31-07-2025
- Science
- The Hindu
State Biodiversity Board to propagate awareness on local biodiversities and traditional knowledge
Kerala State Biodiversity Board (KSBB) is set to launch a campaign across schools to cultivate awareness among students about the richness of local biodiversity and the value of traditional ecological knowledge. Students will be introduced to local traditional knowledge related to food, medicine, agriculture and fishing through events organised under the aegis of Biodiversity Clubs in schools. The initiative will also facilitate the documentation of local biodiversity and traditional ecological practices. Each participating club will host a two-day exhibition showcasing local biodiversity and traditional knowledge. This will include live demonstrations and displays of indigenous food systems, traditional healing practices, age-old farming techniques and sustainable fishing methods. The programmes are also intended to provide a grassroots learning experience for students, who will get to interact with experienced tribal elders, local farmers and traditional fishermen. An expert talk on biodiversity will kickstart the event in each school. According to KSBB member secretary V. Balakrishnan, the initiative aligns with the global targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF), specifically Targets 1, 5 and 21, which focus on ecosystem preservation, species protection and the recognition of indigenous knowledge systems. The programme is also in line with Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 13, 14 and 15, addressing climate action, marine conservation and terrestrial ecosystem protection. 'Traditional practices, be it in food systems, medicine, farming or fishing, hold immense potential for future research and conservation. It is crucial that students learn and understand this heritage before it fades away,' he said. The programme is open exclusively to registered Biodiversity Clubs in schools, which have a minimum of one year's active experience in biodiversity-related activities. Selected projects will receive financial assistance of ₹10,000 as an advance.
The Hindu
14-07-2025
- Science
- The Hindu
ABS cells to be set up in academic and R&D institutions for regulating use of bio-resources
In a move to regulate the commercial use of biological resources, the State government will soon make it mandatory for academic and research institutions to establish Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) cells. The proposed units will regulate research activities to ensure that benefits – both monetary and non-monetary – are shared with resource providers. The revenue generated from these activities will be directed to local bodies in order to boost biodiversity conservation efforts. Kerala State Biodiversity Board (KSBB) has initiated steps to implement the Biological Diversity (Access to Biological Resources and Knowledge Associated Therewith and Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits) Regulations, 2025. The new regulations call for a regulatory mechanism that grants approval to institutions for conducting research, bio-surveys, bio-utilisation or any commercial use of biological resources, including digital sequence information. These will particularly apply for research collaborations with foreign entities, particularly those involving the deposition of novel microbial strains in overseas repositories for publication in international journals. Key departments, including the Higher Education department, and agencies like the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment (KSCSTE), have been formally notified about the legal requirement to establish ABS cells. According to V. Balakrishnan, member secretary of the KSBB, all institutions engaged in foreign research collaborations involving flora and fauna will now be required to seek prior approval. Approval will also be mandatory for any commercial use of notified species, even if foreign collaboration is not involved. ABS cells will be responsible for reviewing and screening proposals to ensure compliance with the Biodiversity Act. Each ABS cell will be headed by a five-member committee of subject experts and coordinated by a nodal officer. A State-level committee, chaired by the KSBB chairperson, has already been formed to oversee the examination of applications. The National Biodiversity Authority, which recently issued the new regulations, has also outlined specific benefit-sharing amounts for the commercial use of biological resources or associated knowledge for their commercial utilisation. Applicants with an annual turnover up to ₹5 crore will not be required to pay any fees. However, those with a turnover between ₹5 crore and ₹50 crore will need to pay 0.2% of the annual gross ex-factory sales price of the product. For companies with a turnover between ₹50 crore and ₹250 crore, the fee will be 0.4%, while those with a turnover exceeding ₹250 crore will pay 0.6%.
