Kerala State Biodiversity Board

Kerala State Biodiversity Board
Name	Kerala State Biodiversity Board
Formation	2005
Headquarters	Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
Parent organization	Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
Location	Kerala
Leader title	Chairperson

Kerala State Biodiversity Board is a statutory body constituted under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 to implement biodiversity conservation and sustainable use in Kerala. Established in 2005, it operates from Thiruvananthapuram and coordinates with state and national institutions including the National Biodiversity Authority and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. The board engages with local bodies such as Panchayati Raj institutions, educational institutions like the Kerala Agricultural University, and conservation agencies including the Kerala Forest Department and Wildlife Institute of India.

History

The board was created following the enactment of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 and the consequent establishment of the National Biodiversity Authority to comply with commitments under the Convention on Biological Diversity. Its early activities involved integration with state policies shaped by the Kerala State Planning Board and consultation with research centres such as the CSIR network and the Centre for Development Studies. Key milestones include coordination with the Kerala State Planning Board on biodiversity inventories, partnerships with the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute for coastal assessments, and engagement with civil society actors like Kerala Sasthra Sahithya Parishad.

Mandate and Legal Framework

The board’s statutory mandate is derived from the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 and related rules framed under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. It is responsible for implementing provisions related to access and benefit sharing under the Nagoya Protocol-aligned national regime, supporting Biodiversity Management Committees formed under the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 where relevant, and maintaining the state-level registers akin to national registers under the National Biodiversity Authority. The board’s regulatory activities intersect with legislation such as the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and interact with institutions like the National Biodiversity Authority and the State Wetland Authority.

Organizational Structure

The board is chaired by a nominated chairperson and includes members representing departments including the Kerala Forest Department, Fisheries Department (Kerala), and Department of Agriculture (Kerala), as well as experts from institutions like the Kerala Agricultural University, Cochin University of Science and Technology, and Indian Council of Agricultural Research. Administrative support is provided by a Secretary and technical staff drawn from organisations such as the Kerala State Remote Sensing and Environment Centre and the Centre for Environment and Development. At local level, Biodiversity Management Committees operate within Panchayats in Kerala, Municipalities of Kerala, and Corporation of Thiruvananthapuram to compile People’s Biodiversity Registers in consultation with research partners like the Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology.

Functions and Activities

The board compiles statewide biodiversity inventories in collaboration with scientific organisations such as the Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute, conducts species assessments alongside the Zoological Survey of India, and advises state agencies including the Kerala State Pollution Control Board on biodiversity impacts. It administers access and benefit-sharing processes under national frameworks, issues recommendations for prior informed consent in conjunction with local Panchayati Raj institutions, and supports ex situ conservation partnerships with institutions such as the Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute and the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education. The board also facilitates community seed banks tied to projects run with National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development and provides training through collaborations with the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment.

Conservation Programs and Initiatives

Initiatives include coastal biodiversity conservation coordinated with the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute and mangrove restoration aligned with the National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management. Terrestrial programs encompass rare and endemic species protection in hotspots like the Western Ghats and partnerships with the Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History for avifauna monitoring. The board has launched agro-biodiversity projects involving Krishi Vigyan Kendra networks, traditional crop conservation with Kerala Agricultural University, and medicinal plant conservation linked to the Ayurveda Department of Kerala and institutes such as Central Council for Research in Ayurveda and Siddha. Education and outreach activities include exhibitions with the Kerala State Biodiversity Board’s local partners, citizen science initiatives modelled on programmes by the Biodiversity Heritage Sites network and data sharing with repositories like the Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy.

Collaborations and Partnerships

The board collaborates with national bodies including the National Biodiversity Authority, research institutions such as Cochin University of Science and Technology and Kerala Agricultural University, and international agencies engaged through the Convention on Biological Diversity. It works with non-governmental organisations like the Kerala Forests and Wildlife Department NGOs network, community organisations such as the Kerala State Fishermen Federation, and funding partners including the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development and multilateral programmes administered by the United Nations Development Programme in India. Academic partnerships extend to the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Thiruvananthapuram and training linkages with the Wildlife Institute of India.

Category:State biodiversity boards of India