Benefit sharing from Indian rice varieties

One line

The National Biodiversity Authority released ₹8.22 crore in access-and-benefit-sharing funds linked to Indian rice varieties.

Summary

Benefit sharing aims to return part of the value derived from biological resources and knowledge to legitimate stakeholders and conservation. Transparent beneficiary identification and use of funds matter as much as collection.

PYQ pattern

UPSC often tests the institution, legal basis, mechanism, and implementation limits behind this issue. Use the official UPSC question-paper archive.

Core notes

Access and benefit sharing operates under biodiversity law and the Nagoya Protocol framework.
Benefits may be monetary or non-monetary.
Crop genetic diversity supports breeding, nutrition, and climate resilience.

Prelims lens

The National Biodiversity Authority is a statutory body.
Benefit sharing is distinct from a pollution penalty.
Separate the announcement from measured outcomes.

MCQ 1

Consider the following statements:

The National Biodiversity Authority is a statutory body.
Payment to one institution automatically proves that every contributing farming community received a fair share.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

A. 1 only
B. 2 only
C. Both 1 and 2
D. Neither 1 nor 2

Reveal answer

A

Statement 1 is correct. Statement 2 makes a broader claim that the law, institution, or evidence does not support.

MCQ 2

The Nagoya Protocol concerns:

A. Access to genetic resources and benefit sharing
B. Ozone depletion
C. Nuclear liability
D. Wetland listing

Reveal answer

A

Access to genetic resources and benefit sharing is the correct relationship for this topic.

Mains

Question, 10 marks, 150 words: How can benefit-sharing systems recognise farmer contributions to crop diversity?

Approach:

Define the mechanism and its institutional setting.
Explain the current significance.
Examine implementation limits and distributional effects.
Suggest specific safeguards and measurable outcomes.