Village communities urged to lead plant genetic resources conservation in Nagaland.
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DIMAPUR — Village communities hold the primary responsibility for conserving biodiversity and plant genetic resources in Nagaland, officials said on Thursday at a two-day “Plant Genetic Resources (PGR)” Conservation Awareness Programme-cum-Training on organic farming held at Angh Hall, Agri Expo, Chümoukedima.
The programme was organised by the ICAR-National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR), New Delhi, in collaboration with the School of Agricultural Sciences, Nagaland University, Medziphema Campus, and the Department of Agriculture, Government of Nagaland.
Speaking as special guest, Sidramappa M Chalkapure, Chief Conservator of Forests (Development & Planning) and Member Secretary of the State Biodiversity Board, said that while institutions such as NBPGR focus on ex-situ conservation through laboratories and seed banks, the responsibility of in-situ conservation — protecting biodiversity in its natural habitat — lies with people and government departments at the grassroots level.
Explaining biodiversity as the variety of living organisms around people, he said India hosts three of the world’s 36 biodiversity hotspots, including the Indo-Malayan region covering the North East, which qualifies due to high diversity, endemism and increasing threats to natural resources.
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Chalkapure said traditional knowledge of plant genetic resources is as important as scientific preservation. He observed that village communities, especially women, have long conserved seeds and medicinal plants, but such knowledge is gradually being lost due to changes in lifestyle.
He said in-situ conservation in Nagaland includes both government land such as Intanki National Park and wildlife sanctuaries, which make up nearly 10 per cent, while about 90 per cent of resources are with village people, making communities crucial to conservation.
Highlighting the three-tier biodiversity governance structure, he said the National Biodiversity Authority functions at the national level, the Nagaland State Biodiversity Board at the state level, and Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs) at the village level. Out of around 1,600 villages in Nagaland, 1,278 BMCs have been constituted so far.
He urged villages to constitute BMCs and prepare People’s Biodiversity Registers to document local flora, fauna, crops and traditional knowledge. He also explained the Access and Benefit Sharing mechanism, under which researchers or companies must seek permission from village BMCs before accessing biological resources and share benefits — monetary or otherwise — with the community.
Calling it urgent in the face of climate change and other challenges, Chalkapure stressed proper documentation and conservation before valuable resources and knowledge are permanently lost.
Senior Professor, SAS-Nagaland University, Prof. L Daiho, speaking on the importance of conserving genetic resources in Nagaland, said conservation of crop genetic resources is crucial for biodiversity and long-term food security, particularly in the North-Eastern Himalayan region recognised as a global biodiversity hotspot.
He said Nagaland is rich in underutilised crop landraces, traditional medicinal plants, fruits and vegetables, and preserving these resources is vital for sustainable development and safeguarding indigenous knowledge systems.
Daiho noted that many farmers possess deep traditional wisdom guided by nature, with agricultural practices based on observations of the sun, moon and seasonal cycles passed down through generations. In view of rapid scientific advancement and climate change, he stressed awareness on conserving indigenous varieties such as rice, millets, king chilli, tree tomato, garlic and native livestock like Nagami mithun.
He added that conservation efforts are essential not only for the welfare of the state but also for national food security.
At the programme, Dr. Sushil Pandey, Principal Scientist, ICAR-NBPGR, New Delhi, spoke about the programme, while the vote of thanks was delivered by Prof. AK Singh, Centre in-charge, AICRN on Potential Crop, Department of Soil Science, SAS, Nagaland University. A technical session followed the inaugural programme.