Kerala is set to take the first step towards the implementation of an Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) mechanism for commercial exploitation of the rich biological resources in the State.
The transition to an ABS regime is a priority area identified by the State Planning Board for the 13th Five Year Plan.
The working group on biodiversity set up by the board has recommended the development of an ABS policy and guidelines.
In its report, the committee has highlighted the need to document the biodiversity-related traditional knowledge systems in the State for bio-prospecting, new therapeutic remedies and benefit sharing with traditional communities.
Statewide scheme
It moots a Statewide scheme for documenting commercially tradable bioresources and industries utilising the resources.
The report calls for equipping panchayat-level Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs) with negotiating skills to maximise the returns from trade in bioresources under the ABS regime.
The BMC would be authorised to levy collection fee for accessing biological resources for commercial purposes.
Local biodiversity fund
The levy would be deposited in a local biodiversity fund and utilised for conservation activities.
The working group has also proposed livelihood enhancement schemes through value addition of medicinal plants, agricultural produce and fisheries in 100 model BMCs to be established every year during the 13th Plan.
It stresses the need to facilitate industry linkage and benefit sharing. Conservation activists view the proposed ABS policy as a welcome step but they foresee hurdles in getting all the stakeholders on board.
Resistance from industry
Last year, the Kerala State Biodiversity Board had failed in its attempt to introduce an ABS mechanism in the State following stiff resistance from industry.
The KSBB had identified 2,694 industrial units including Ayurvedic drug companies, tea and coffee manufacturers, agro-based units, food and fruit processing centres, leather, cashew, textiles, paper, rubber, coir, spices, wood and bamboo-based industries and exporters of these products that were liable to pay a part of their sales revenue for access to bioresources and associated traditional knowledge.
The industries were directed to comply with the proposal and BMCs were asked to set up the local biodiversity fund.
Financial burden
But KSBB’s efforts remained bogged down following opposition from industry which argued that it would add to their financial burden. Officials said certain sectors could even be moving towards litigation to thwart any further move to introduce the ABS mechanism.