The Thematic Working Group on Domesticated Bio- Diversity PREPARED UNDER THE NATIONAL BIODIVERSIT STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN – INDIA Coordinator Dr. T.N. Prakash Associate Professor & Editor Hittalagida i Department of Agricultural Economics University of Agricultural Sciences GKVK, Bangalore - 560 065 2003 NBSAP EXECUTIVE AGENCY : Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India. NBSAP FUNDING AGENCY : United Nations Development Program (UNDP)/Global Environment Facility. NBSAP TECHNICAL IMPLEMENTING : Technical and Policy Core Group AGENCY (TPCG) Coordinated by Kalpavriksh NBSAP ADMINISTRATIVE AGENCY : Biotech Consortium India Ltd. THEME NAME : THE THEMATIC WORKING GROUP ON DOMESTICATED BIO – DIVERSITY COORDINATOR : Dr. T.N. PRAKASH WORKING GROUP MEMBERS : Dr. Vanaja Ramprasad, Dr. R.S. Rana, Dr. K.P. Ramesh, Dr. Nitya S. Ghotge, Dr. Tejaswini Sharma, Dr. C.S. Nagaraja, Mr. Vivekanandadan and Dr. Sagari Ramdas. TPCG MEMBER ASSOCIATED : Mr. Ashish Kothari and Mr. P.V. Sateesh CITATION: Dr. T.N. Prakash (2003), Thematic Working Group on Domesticated Bio-diversity, prepared under National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan, executed by Ministry of Environment and Forests (Government of India), technical implementation by Technical and Policy Core Group (TPCG) coordinated by Kalpavriksh, and administrative coordination by Biotech Consortium India Ltd., funded by Global Environment Facility through United Nations Development Program, vii + 127 pp. ii iii CONTENTS Chapter Page Title No. No. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 01 I. INTRODUCTION 10 1.1. Scope of the Thematic Working Group 10 1.2. Objectives 11 1.3. Contents of the Thematic Working Group 11 1.4. Methodology 12 II. CURRENT KNOWLEDGE AND THE KEY ISSUES 13 2.1. Current Knowledge of Domesticated Bio-diversity 13 2.1.1. Brief History 13 2.1.1.1. Agro-biodiversity 13 2.1.1.2. Livestock diversity 20 2.1.1.3. Other categories of domesticated biodiversity 23 2.2. The Key issues 24 2.2.1. Relationship with the other forms of Biodiversity and Eco- 24 system 2.2.1A. Wild relatives of crops 26 2.2.2. Institutions, Cultures and Informal Knowledge and Technology 27 Systems 2.2.3. Spatial Distribution of Domesticated Biodiversity and their 31 Vulnerability 2.2.4. Women and Domesticated Biodiversity 34 2.2.5. Forms Conservation 35 III. VALUES, CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES OF LOSS 38 3.1. Values of Domesticated Bio-diversity 38 3.1.1. Non-marketed benefits 38 3.1.2. Evolutionary benefits 41 3.1.3. Yield advantages 43 3.1.4. Instability and Ecological costs of HYV’s 47 3.2. Causes for the Loss of Domesticated Biodiversity 48 3.2.1. Technological Revolution 49 3.2.2. Neglect of Agro-Ecosystem Approach 50 3.2.3. Over Riding Market Consideration 53 3.2.4. Policy and Market Failures 54 3.2.5. Market too could Promote Domesticated Biodiversity 56 3.2.6. Income, Labor and Capital Market Effects 57 3.2.7. Resource Degradation and Other Factors 57 Contd. i Contents contd. Chapter Title Page No. No. IV. STAKE HOLDERS, MAJOR INITIATIVES AND GAPS 59 4.1. Primary Stakeholders 59 4.2. NGO’s initiatives 63 4.3. Campaign and Initiatives by Mass Organizations 66 4.4. Documentation and Dissimilation Initiatives 68 4.5. Government R & D Initiatives 71 4.6. Government Policies and Programs 77 V. PROPOSED STRATEGIES AND ACTION PLAN 83 S1 Collective Efforts to Enhance the Access Of Primary Stake 84 Holders, Especially of Women, to Livelihood Source: S2 In situ Conservation, Improvement and Exchange: 85 S3 Integrating Dom. Bd. concerns into Forest and 87 Environmental Policies: S4 Protection and Promotion of Native Apiculture: 89 S5 Agro Ecosystem Based Planning and Development: 90 S6 Conservation of Animal Genetic Resources: 92 S7 Specific Livestock Breeding Programs: 94 S8 Grazing and Fodder Development: 95 S9 Conservation of Cultured Fish Diversity: 96 S10 Development of Supportive Technologies for Dom. Bd: 98 S11 Informal Knowledge and Technology Systems: 99 S12 Market and Policy Reforms: 101 S13 Educational Reforms to Include Dom. Bd. Concerns: 103 VI BIBLIOGRAPHY 109 ANNEXURE 113 ii LIST OF TABLES Table Page Title No. No. 1. Homestead Farm Diversity in Kottayam District in Kerala 16 2. Crop Diversity in Soliga Tribal Community in BR Hills of Karnataka 17 3. Livestock Diversity in India 20 4. Distribution of Crop Relatives in India 26 5. Degree of Vulnerability in the Case of a Livestock Breed 33 6. Breeds Facing Extinction Among Different Livestock Animals in 33 India 7. Comparative Benefits and Costs of Two Categories of Conservation 36 of Agri-Diversity 8. Farmers Reference for Non-Marketed Benefits from Agro- 39 Biodiversity 9. Examples for Farmers Varieties Having Non-marketed and 39 Qualitative Traits 10. Yields of Indigenous Rice Varieties and Their Comparison 44 11. Growth of Key GRO Technologies in India 49 12. Agro-Ecosystems and Their Nature as Well as Features 51 13. Cropping Pattern Before and After Watershed Program in Karnataka 52 14. Agrobiodiversity in Indra Prastha 61 15. Pastoral Groups Conserving Native Livestock Breeds or Species 62 16. Conservation Initiatives of Green Foundation 64 17. Documentation Details of Hittalagida 69 18. NIF Awards For Crop Variety Innovations 75 iii LIST OF BOXES Box Page Title No. No. 1. History and Antiquities of Rice and Grain Amaranthus 14 2. Amrith Mahal (Dhuyu, Nambri) – An Important Cattle Breed of 22 South India 3. Dependence of IAKTs on Bio-Diversity 28 4. Institution, IAKTs and Agro-Diversity in Sidhi Tribal Agriculture 30 5. An Effective Bio-Pesticide from Mukkadaka 31 6. “Mysore Mallige” – A Noteworthy Farmers Variety 46 7. Commercial Agri-Biotechnology – A Potential Threat to Agro- 50 Biodiversity 8. Consumers Willingness to Pay More 56 9. Women and Agro-Biodiversity Conservation 60 10. Alternative PDS – The Achievement of Women Of Medak District, 65 Andhra Pradesh 11. Contests Involving School Children On Kitchen Garden Dixersity 70 12. The Biological Diversity Act (BDA), 2000 81 13. Plant Variety Protection and Farmers Rights Act, 2001 82 iv LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page Title No. No. 1. Evolutionary Benefits From On farm Conservation Of Agri- 41 Diversity 2. Various Farms Of Failures Associated With Agro-Biodiversity 55 v ABBREVIATIONS: AEC – Agro-Ecosystem AIR – All India Radio AMUL – Anand Co-operative Milk Union Limited ANOVA – Analysis of Variance AOA – Agreement On Agriculture BCPP – Biodiversity Conservation Prioritization Project BDA – Biological Diversity Act BPH – Brown Plant Hopper BR – Biligiri Rangana Hills C/PBRs – Community/People’s Biodiversity Registers CBD – Convention on Biological Diversity CGRs – Crop Genetic Resources CIKS – Center for Indian Knowledge Systems CPRs – Common Property Rights CSIR – Council of Scientific and Industrial Research DD – Doordarshan DDS – Deccan Development Society DES – Department of Economics and Statistics Dom. bd. – Domesticated Biodiversity DST – Department of Science and Technology DWD – Diverse Women for Diversity EU – European Union EVMs – Ethno Veterinary Medicines FAO – Food and Agriculture Organization FRLHT – Foundation for Revitalization of Local Health Traditions GATT – General Agreement on Tariff and Trade GIAN – Grassroots Innovations Augmentation Network GNP – Gross National Product ‘GO’s – Government Organisations GREEN – Genetic Resource, Energy, Ecology and Nutrition vi GRT – Green Revolution Technologies HBN – Honey Bee Network HYV’s – High Yielding Varieties IAKTs – Indigenous Agriculture Knowledge and Technologies ICAR – Indian Council of Agricultural Research ICRISAT – International Crop Research Institute for Semi Arid Tropics IDRC – International Development Research Center IIM – Indian Institute of Management vii IISc – Indian Institute of Science INM – Integrated Nutrients Management IN-PGRS – Indian National Plant Genetic Resources System IPGRI – International Plant Genetic Research Institute IPM – Integrated Pest Management IPR – Intellectual Property Rights IUPGR – International Undertaking of Plant Genetic Resources IVRI – Indian Veterinary Research Institute KRRS – Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha LBC – Local Biodiversity Chronicles MSSRF – M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation, Madras NAAS – National Academy of Agricultural Sciences NABARD – National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development NAGS – National Active Germplasm Sites NAP – National Agricultural Policy NBAGR – National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources NBPGR – National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources NBSAP – National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan NDRI – National Dairy Research Institute NGO’s – Non-Government Organisations NIF – National Innovation Foundation PDS – Public Distribution System PGRs – Plant Genetic Resources PIC – Prior Informed Consent PVP FRA – Plant Variety Protection and Farmers Right Act R & D – Research and Development SANFEC – South Asia Network on Food, Ecology and Culture SAPs – Strategies and Action Plans SAUs – State Agricultural Universities SRISTI – Society for Research and Initiatives for Sustainable Technologies and Institutions TRIPS – Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights viii TWG – Thematic Working Group UAS – University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore UPOV – Union for the Protection of (new) Plant Varieties WTO – World Trade Organisation WWF – World Wide Fund ix Executive Summary I. BRIEF INTRODUCTION: The Thematic Working Group (TWG) on Dom. bd, presents a set of broader macro level Strategies and Action Plans (SAPs) for the conservation and use of domesticated bio-diversity (dom. bd.) in an equitable and sustainable manner in India. These SAPs are framed