Sustainable Use of Natural Resources, Concerns and Significance

Context: India’s tribal and rural food systems hold immense untapped biodiversity, offering nutritional and ecological value. However, agrobiodiversity is rapidly declining, risking cultural knowledge loss, health outcomes, and food security.

Sustainable Use of Natural Resources

Sustainable use of natural resources means accountable management and use of Earth’s natural resources—e.g., water, air, soil, forests, minerals, and biodiversity—in a manner that satisfies existing human needs without jeopardising their availability for generations to come. It harmonises ecological well-being, economic advancement, and social justice. Important principles of sustainability are:

• Conservation: Preserving ecosystems and biodiversity from deterioration.
• Efficiency: Utilising resources in a manner that reduces waste and damage to the environment.
• Renewability: The practice of using renewable resources (such as solar power and wood) instead of non-renewable resources (such as fossil fuels).
• Equity: Providing equitable access and benefits to all segments of society.

India’s Biodiversity

• India is one of the most biodiversity-rich nations in the world.
• Despite occupying only 4% of the world’s land area, it accounts for nearly 8% of the global biodiversity, making it a megadiverse country.
• Global Standing:
  • One of 17 megadiverse countries: Recognised by Conservation International for housing a large number of endemic species.
  • Four biodiversity hotspots – the Himalayas, Indo-Burma, Western Ghats, and Sundaland (includes the Nicobar Islands)
• Richness in Species: Over 47,000 plant species and over 100,000 animal species
  • High levels of endemism: Many species of flowering plants, reptiles, amphibians, and fish are found only in India.
• Agrobiodiversity: One of the eight global centres of origin of cultivated plants.
  • Rich in indigenous crop varieties, including millets, pulses, oilseeds, legumes, and medicinal plants.
• Ecosystem Diversity: India’s biodiversity spans Forests (tropical, temperate, mangroves), Grasslands and deserts, Wetlands and coastal ecosystems, Glaciers and river systems.

Significance of Agrobiodiversity and Neglected Crops

• Nutritional Security: Indigenous crops like millets, legumes, and tubers are rich in micronutrients, fibre, and protein, addressing undernutrition and rising non-communicable diseases.
• Climate Resilience: Many neglected crops are drought-resistant and adapted to local agroecologies, providing resilience against climate shocks.
• Cultural Identity: Traditional food practices preserve culinary heritage, tribal wisdom, and ecological knowledge systems passed down through generations.
• Livelihood Security: Reviving local crops boosts rural incomes through value addition, local processing, and niche markets.
• Ecological Sustainability: Diverse cropping systems promote soil health, reduce chemical dependency, and conserve local ecosystems.

What Are the Key Concerns?

• Rapid Loss of Agrobiodiversity: Shift to cash crops and monocultures is leading to a decline in native crop varieties and ecosystems.
• Erosion of Traditional Knowledge: Medicinal and nutritional knowledge among tribal communities is fading due to modernisation and lack of documentation.
• Policy & Market Gaps: Orphan crops remain excluded from mainstream policy support, subsidies, and public distribution systems (PDS).
• Nutritional Inequality: Despite being a megadiverse country, India faces high levels of malnutrition, obesity, and micronutrient deficiencies.
• Neglect of Minor Millets: While focus is on major millets (ragi, jowar, bajra), minor millets are still underrepresented in millet missions.

Way Forward

• Strengthen the People’s Biodiversity Registers (PBRs) and Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs).
• Mainstream biodiversity in education, agriculture, and economic planning.
• Incentivise community-led conservation and traditional ecological knowledge.
• Leverage India’s strength in biodiversity science and bio-economy to generate “biohappiness” (term by Prof. M.S. Swaminathan).
• Expand Millet Missions and include minor millets and legumes in PDS, ICDS, and midday meals.
• Promote participatory, agroecological R&D in collaboration with local communities (e.g. MSSRF model).
• Invest in processing units, branding, and market linkages for indigenous crops to improve farmer income.

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