People’s Biodiversity Register

July 7, 2024

Thazhakara has become the first grama panchayat in Alappuzha and one of the first in Kerala to update and publish a comprehensive People’s Biodiversity Register (PBR) with the involvement of local communities.

About People’s Biodiversity Register:

It serves as a comprehensive record of various aspects of biodiversity, including the conservation of habitats, preservation of land races, domesticated stocks and breeds of animals, micro-organisms, and the accumulation of knowledge related to the area's biological diversity.
The Biological Diversity Act (2002) mandates the development of Peoples’ Biodiversity Registers (PBRs) at the local level to document as well as safe guard bioresources and associated knowledge.
- As per the Biological Diversity Act 2002, Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs) are created for “promoting conservation, sustainable use and documentation of biological diversity” by local bodies across the country.
- BMCs have been constituted by the local bodies in the States and Union Territories and are entrusted with the preparation of the PBRs in consultation with local communities.
It will play a crucial role in conservation, sustainable resource utilisation, and protection of traditional knowledge.
Significance of PBR: It will help local bodies in preparing various projects in agriculture, drinking water, and waste management, among other sectors, with a focus on biodiversity conservation and equitable sharing of benefits.