In a major boost to conservation efforts in one of India’s key rice-producing states, Odisha has received Rs 48,09,040 as part of a significant access and benefit-sharing (ABS) disbursement by the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA).
The total amount of Rs 8.22 crore—one of the largest single ABS payouts for rice—was released to research institutions and 33 State Biodiversity Boards and Union Territory Biodiversity Councils after an international seed company utilised Indian rice varieties to develop commercial hybrids.
The funds originated from M/s Pioneer Overseas Corporation, which accessed Indian *Oryza sativa* varieties conserved and shared by research bodies.
Of the overall sum, Rs 2.47 crore went to the institutions that provided the germplasm: the ICAR-Indian Institute of Rice Research in Hyderabad received Rs 2.43 crore, while Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology in Uttarakhand got Rs 3.26 lakh. The remaining Rs 5.75 crore was distributed to states and union territories in proportion to their rice-growing areas, as recorded on the Unified Portal for Agricultural Statistics of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
Odisha ranks fourth among the top recipients, behind only Uttar Pradesh (Rs 73.26 lakh), West Bengal (Rs 64.95 lakh) and Telangana (Rs 50.60 lakh). This allocation recognises the state’s substantial contribution to India’s rice landscape and ensures that benefits from the commercial use of its biological resources return to the ground level.
The Odisha State Biodiversity Board will channel the funds into approved conservation activities. These include protecting native crop diversity, restoring ecosystems, documenting traditional knowledge linked to rice cultivation, and supporting local farmers and knowledge holders. Research institutions receiving their share will strengthen germplasm conservation, maintain seed collections, and expand research and training programmes.
The NBA has so far collected around Rs 83 crore in ABS payments from the agriculture and seed sector alone, with total disbursements across all sectors crossing Rs 162 crore. This particular release advances India’s commitments under Target 13 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and supports Sustainable Development Goals related to zero hunger, responsible consumption, life on land, and global partnerships.
For Odisha, the payout is more than a financial transfer—it is recognition of the state’s role as a custodian of rice genetic wealth and a practical step toward sustaining the diversity that underpins the livelihoods of millions of farmers.
