Beneficial insects are one of the important economic components of forest ecosystem. Their exploitation had been historically linked with tribal economy especially in the Bastar Plateau and Northern Hills Sarguja Region, in which the whole of Chhattisgarh forms a part. Therefore, exploiting insects producing lac, silk and honey are important in terms reality and/or potentiality of their products. Besides, culturing of these insects is attractive in terms economic returns as well as suitable for the land and culture of people of region.

Modern healthcare system has negligible accessibility in the interior, remote and harsh areas of the northwestern Himalayas. People residing in these areas still depend upon traditional healthcare system.

The growing global demand for medicinal and aromatic plants could help drive Nepal's green economy, while improving livelihoods in its poorest communities, according to a new study released by the UNEP in collaboration with the Government of Nepal.

In India, almost 52 per cent of the labour force is employed in the agricultural sector, yet the sector contribution to the national GDP is only 17 per cent. This discrepancy is on account of a neglected policy for agriculture and farming communities continue to suffer due to lack of agricultural modernisation, ecological degradation and rural indebtedness. Farmer suicides and food prices have been on the rise in India since the last few years. The condition of farmers in the semi-arid region of Bundelkhand in Central India is deplorable.

Biopiracy is a compound word consisting of ‘bio’ which is a short form for ‘biology’ and ‘piracy’. Biopirates are those
individuals and industries/companies accused of one or both of the following acts: (i) the theft, misappropriation of, or

Coastal communities would be the first to be hit by climate change, said Anil K. Gupta, Executive Vice-Chair, National Innovation Foundation, Hyderabad.

Prof. Gupta was delivering the plenary talk during the inauguration of the national seminar on traditional knowledge and management systems in fisheries at the Central Institute of Fisheries Technology, here on Tuesday. The traditional knowledge available with people can help in indicating climate change and its impact. The Akshaya e-centres of Kerala could be utilised for traditional knowledge dissemination. Ethically correct and sustainable traditional knowledge needed to be encouraged, he said.

Traditional knowledge (TK) related to the use of natural resources including medicinal plants has been recognized as one of the important assets inherited through generations by the local communities. (Correspondence)

Original Source

It was under pressure to complete the ratification process.

The Cabinet has given the green signal of the signing of the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) arising from the fair and equitable utilisation of genetic resources and traditional knowledge.

The protocol will also contribute to the twin objectives of the Convention on Biological Diversity relating to the conservation and sustainable use of genetic resources especially since India accounts for 7-8 per cent of the recorded species of the world.

Guwahati, Oct.

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