The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA), which operates under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, collected Rs 9.68 crore in benefit-sharing fees from companies and organisations using India’s biological resources during the six-month period from April to September 2026. These payments were made under the Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) framework established by the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, as amended in 2023.
The ABS framework requires companies and users of India’s plant and animal genetic resources to pay fees to the NBA. These funds are then used to support biodiversity conservation efforts and provide benefits to local communities, farmers and indigenous knowledge holders across the country.
Key facts
- Total receipts: Rs 9.68 crore during April-September 2026
- Agri-seed sector contributed Rs 7.16 crore, the largest share
- Food and Beverages sector: Rs 1.59 crore
- Animal Husbandry sector: Rs 62.01 lakh
- AYUSH sector: Rs 21 lakh
- Largest single contributor: M/s East West Seeds India Ltd with Rs 2.01 crore
- Largest single payment: Rs 1.17 crore from M/s Synergia Life Science Ltd
- Contributors included entities from Sri Lanka, Germany, France, South Korea and Bhutan
- Since 2008, NBA has collected approximately Rs 278 crore and disbursed over Rs 200 crore for conservation
How the Access and Benefit Sharing framework works
The ABS mechanism requires any person or organisation that accesses India’s biological resources, genetic material or associated traditional knowledge for commercial or research purposes to share the benefits with the NBA. This could involve using Indian crops, medicinal plants, livestock breeds or microorganisms for developing seeds, medicines, cosmetics, food products or other applications.
Under the framework, users must obtain permission from the NBA and typically make both upfront payments and ongoing royalty payments based on the commercial value or sales of products developed. The NBA then channels these funds towards conservation and community benefit programmes.
Which sectors are paying fees
The agricultural and seed industry is by far the largest contributor to the ABS framework. The six crops and seed-related companies and agricultural biotechnology firms account for Rs 7.16 crore or 74 percent of total collections. The food and beverage sector, which uses Indian plant genetic material to develop food products, contributed Rs 1.59 crore. Animal husbandry sector contributions of Rs 62 lakh reflect payments for using Indian livestock genetic resources.
Smaller but significant contributions came from the AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy) sector, timber and wood products, and cosmetics. These diverse sources show that companies across multiple industries depend on India’s biological resources.
Range of biological resources being utilised
The receipts during this period reflect use of a wide variety of India’s biodiversity. In agriculture, companies used resources including chickpea, lentils, green moong, flaxseed, guar gum, tapioca, buckwheat, rice varieties and vegetables such as cauliflower, okra, pepper and brinjal. In the pharmaceutical and wellness sectors, medicinal plants such as Ashwagandha, Licorice, Arjuna, Bacopa and Moringa are being commercially developed.
Companies also paid fees for using soil microorganisms including Azospirillum, Bacillus and Trichoderma, which are used in agricultural products and biofertilisers. Livestock genetic resources used included Mithun cattle, Jersey cattle and Murrah buffalo genetics. Red Sanders wood from cultivated and auctioned sources also generated receipts.
Where the money goes
Since the ABS framework began in 2008, the NBA has collected approximately Rs 278 crore and disbursed more than Rs 200 crore. The funds are distributed through State Biodiversity Boards and Union Territory Biodiversity Councils to support specific conservation outcomes. These include protecting and restoring biological resources, documenting local biodiversity through People’s Biodiversity Registers, strengthening Biodiversity Management Committees at the village level, and funding biodiversity research and documentation projects.
A portion of the funds also directly benefit local communities, farmers and other recognised claimants of traditional knowledge. This creates a direct link between commercial use of India’s genetic resources and investment back into conservation and community welfare.
What this means for you
If you are a farmer, indigenous community member or work with traditional biodiversity knowledge, the ABS framework theoretically ensures that commercial benefits from India’s biological resources return to conservation and to communities. However, tracking how these funds reach local level remains a question.
For businesses using India’s plant, animal or microbial genetic resources commercially, understanding and complying with ABS regulations is now essential to avoid penalties and legal action.