A national campaign for updation and verification of Peoples Register was launched in Goa, marking a significant step towards the documentation and preservation of India’s rich biological diversity.
The Peoples Biodiversity Register (PBR) 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.
So far, 2,67,608 PBRs have been prepared by Biodiversity Management Committees in different states. There is a plan to set up PBR in every village across the country under Mission LiFE (lifestyle for Environment) which is conceived to conserve the planet earth through mindful utilisation of Resources“>Natural Resources and various other actions at individual and community levels in the country.
As per the Biological Diversity Act 2002, Biodiversity Management Committees (BMC) 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 preparation of the PBRs in consultation with local communities.
PBR is designed as a tool for formal recording and maintenance of comprehensive information on availability and knowledge of local biological resources, their medicinal or any other use. It’s also a record of knowledge, perception and Attitude of people about natural resources, Plants and animals, their utilization and conservation in a village.
PBR is considered as the first step towards bridging the gap between Intellectual Property Rights of local people and benefits derived from genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge and enabling them to share those benefits.