Thursday, June 5, 2008

Sustainable agriculture needs genetic diversity

by Jo Black

The Indian federal government considers proper management of plant and animal genetic resources integral to sustainable development of agriculture.

A number of steps have been taken to conserve the country’s rich genetic diversity and many more are in the offing.

This came out in the discussions in the Parliamentary Consultative Committee meeting held earlier this week.

Parliamentarians and Government officials discussed the issues relating to genetic resource management in the changing global context.

Introducing the subject to the lawmakers, Indian Agriculture Minister, Sharad Pawar, emphaised that it was imperative to conserve the vast genetic diversity available in the country for sustainable development of crop production, animal husbandry, phyto-pharmaceuticals and overall human well being.

On the importance of genetic resources in addressing ecological issues, Mr. Pawar said, today, global climate change and loss of natural habitats through human activities have become solemn issues world wide.

The ecological implications of climate change and of agricultural intensification are major constraints to sustainable development of agriculture-based systems.

So far, there is little awareness among professionals of the close relationship between climate change and food security and the role genetic resource has to play. It is imperative to manage these resources in a sustainable way.

Climate change-induced environmental stress may in fact go beyond the reach of adaptation and in situ approach of genetic resource conservation offers a great chance to shape a future worth living.

India is one of the twelve world mega-biodiversity centers. Three of the 34 hot-spots of biodiversity are present in India.

Of the world’s total known species, 8.25% belong to India. Interestingly, over 10% of the world’s microbial bio-diversity exists in this country.

India has set up four Bureaus for conservation of genetic resources relating to plants, animals, fish and micro-organisms.

The national seed gene bank has over 360,000 accessions. Besides other things, the Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources maintains frozen semen, somatic cells and DNA samples of indigenous animal breeds.

ICAR is establishing a Genomic Resource Centre to conserve DNA of indigenous life forms, especially the rare and endangered species.

A Bureau for Conservation of Genetic Resources of Agriculturally Important Insects is also being established.

 

 

 

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