CHENNAI: Experts at the inaugural session of the National Conference on Agro-biodiversity here on Sunday expressed concern over large-scale erosion of biodiversity in the country and called for concerted efforts to ensure conservation, sustainable utilisation and equitable sharing of benefits.

Inaugurating the four-day meet, former chairman of the Agricultural Scientist Recruitment Board, Kirti Singh, said pollution, unchecked poaching, illegal trade in forest species, indiscriminate use of toxic chemicals and pesticides, over-utilisation of wildlife resources for commercial purposes and genetic erosion were behind the rapid decline in the number of species.

Action initiated

Now conservation of biodiversity was being given importance and steps had been taken to conserve the natural wealth. The public and private sector should support these through effective policies.

To protect the country's biodiversity, the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) was advising the Government on issues relating to conservation, besides coordinating the activities of the State Biodiversity Boards. It also opposed the grant of the Intellectual Property Rights of any country as per the provisions of the Biological Diversity Act 2002, and Biological Diversity Rules 2004.

NBA chairman S. Kannaiyan, who presided, said in the context of globalisation, the challenge before the agricultural sector was much more in terms of competency and resource availability and its efficient use.

Neglected area

Animal genetic resources were a neglected area of agro-biodiversity that required immediate attention, he said.

The issue of co-existence of agricultural diversity and genetically modified organisms within the country's agricultural landscapes should be debated in view of apprehensions among some sections over the nature of the technology and its implications on agriculture, food and health, he said.

K. Pradhan, former Vice-Chancellor, Orissa University of Agriculture, released the NBA's first scientific bulletin. Considering the economic and biodiversity disparities in various regions of the world and in different parts of the country, it was essential that both technical and financial support come from the international, national and State sectors to conserve and manage valuable genetic resources.

VCD released

Releasing a VCD on the "Western Ghats Biodiversity," S. Nagarajan, chairman, Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers Rights Authority (New Delhi), stressed the need for rewarding the farmers, as land races and farmers' varieties provided an important genetic base on which breeders largely depended for continuous improvement of crops and livestock to develop high-yielding varieties.

K. Venkataraman, Member Secretary, NBA, and project consultant Hemal S. Kanvinde spoke.

A total of 150 delegates from all over the country participated.