India, Sept. 29 -- The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA), based in Chennai, has approved Rs 82 lakh for the Andhra Pradesh Biodiversity Board to conserve the endemic species Red Sanders (Pterocarpus santalinus). The project aims to raise one lakh Red Sanders saplings for distribution to farmers, supporting the Trees Outside Forests (ToF) programme and bolstering regional biodiversity conservation.
The funds, sourced from the benefit-sharing amount collected from users of Red Sanders, are being returned to stakeholders for conservation initiatives. This reflects the Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) mechanism under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 (amended 2023), which ensures fair benefit-sharing with local communities, individuals, a...