KSBB to tap UN funds to conserve native crops

Biodiversity board will simultaneously develop a model for invasive species management

The Kerala State Biodiversity Board (KSBB) is embarking on a mission to tackle the twin threats posed by invasive species and the erosion of agricultural biodiversity.

The board is preparing to develop regional models for germplasm conservation, under a UN-assisted agrobiodiversity conservation programme.

Chairman of KSBB S.C. Joshi has revealed the plan to tap funds from the Food and Agriculture Organisation for the programme which covers Mizoram and Punjab.

“We have some models developed by the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation in Wayanad. The project seeks to build on these models for germplasm conservation in all the agro ecological regions in the State,” he said. Over the years, many of the traditionally cultivated crops in Kerala and their wild relatives have disappeared because of the shift to cash crops and modern agricultural practices.

The KSBB is adopting a modular approach to ensure that conservation activities in one panchayat can be replicated by other local bodies. “We have offered to develop a conservation model that can be adopted by the other two States,” Dr. Joshi said. A team from FAO is scheduled to visit the State this month to discuss the proposal.

Species management

The KSBB is simultaneously working on another project to develop a model for management of invasive species. “The Forest and Fisheries Departments spend crores of rupees on managing the threat posed by invasive species. We also have hundreds of studies on the subject. But no one has yet come up with a model that could be replicated across the State,” said Dr. Joshi.

“Since it is not practical to have an implementation plan for each species, we will try to come up with procedures for managing invasive species in a specific area. It will help the panchayat-level Biodiversity Management Committees to tackle the issue locally,” he said.