AP disburses red sanders benefit-sharing funds to local farmers

Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh has become the first state in the country to directly disburse Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) funds generated through Red Sanders trade to grassroots communities, Andhra Pradesh State Biodiversity Board (APSBB) chairman Neelayapalem Vijay Kumar said on Friday.Speaking at the International Day for Biological Diversity celebrations organised at Acharya Nagarjuna University, Vijay Kumar said the board collected an additional 5% benefit-sharing amount from international companies using Red Sanders under biodiversity laws and deposited the funds directly into the accounts of local farmers and Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs).Calling biodiversity conservation a community-driven effort, he said solutions to global challenges such as climate change and environmental degradation must begin at the local level.Highlighting Andhra Pradesh’s ecological wealth, Vijay Kumar said the state hosts diverse ecosystems, including the Nallamala forests, an extensive coastline, Ramsar wetlands such as Kolleru and Pulicat, and indigenous breeds including Ongole cattle and Punganur cows. He outlined several upcoming biodiversity initiatives, including a biodiversity park near Kadapa, proposed parks in Amaravati and Tirupati in coordination with the forest department, and the development of urban micro-forests on unused municipal lands. He said biodiversity index studies for Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam and Tirupati have been completed and reports will be released shortly.The chairman also described the recent Marine ABS workshop held in Vijayawada as a significant step towards marine conservation and supporting coastal fishing communities. APSBB member secretary P Ramakrishna (IFS) said over 13,500 Biodiversity Management Committees have been formed across the state and more than 12,000 People’s Biodiversity Registers documenting traditional and local knowledge have been prepared.As part of the celebrations, the board presented ‘Biodiversity Conservor’ awards to ten individuals from across the state for their contribution to biodiversity conservation.