Forest dwellers and farmers are the best hope to preserve biodiversity and ensure food security.

Environment and Ecology Biodiversity

The UN-backed panel’s first global assessment of biodiversity held humans squarely responsible for the looming mass extinction of species. A loss in biodiversity simply means that plants and animals are more vulnerable to pests and diseases, and it puts food security and nutrition at risk. In this context, forest dwellers and farmers are the best hope to preserve biodiversity and ensure food security.

Body:

Challenges posed due to dwindling biodiversity:

The situation with India’s forests now is less encouraging.
Nature now faces the threat of another mass extinction of species.
Pressure from industrialisation does not care too much about conservation and biodiversity.
The same holds true for the overexploitation of our rivers and seas.
Without radical efforts towards conservation, the rate of species extinction will only gather momentum.
There is no single national-level answer to the problem of crop and biodiversity loss.
For instance, the natural farming movement in Andhra Pradesh may not be suitable for, say, Punjab.

Importance of indigenous people in biodiversity conservation:

Across India, there are many indigenous people who have managed to lead safe lives without any needless destruction of natural ecosystems.
These tribes, along with marginalised communities living on the fringes of forests and millions of smallholder farmers, have a crucial role now.
They offer the much-needed solutions to the bio-diversity challenges of the present era

Case study:

The Dongria Kondh tribe of Niyamgiri Hills are among the best conservationists in the world.

Known for the spirited defence of their forested habitat against short-sighted industrialization, they have through millennia evolved a lifestyle that is in perfect harmony with nature.

Nothing can be achieved without the active participation of communities that live close to nature — farmers and forest dwellers.

Way forward:

Although biodiversity loss is a global problem, it can be countered only with local solutions, as there is no one-size-fits-all approach in this.
India’s tropical homeland is rich in biodiversity.
But, the imperatives of relentless economic growth, urbanisation, deforestation and overpopulation place it at a higher risk.
Certainly, a solution that has succeeded in a temperate, wealthy nation may not be suitable for a country like India.
It is now obvious that intensive agriculture, exploitative forestry and overfishing are the main threats to biodiversity in India and the world.
Given these, the approach now should be to ensure the active participation of communities that live close to nature – farmers and forest dwellers.
Innovative policies should take lead like the –
- growing movement of zero-budget natural farming in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana
- the community-driven forest conservation initiatives in Odisha and the Northeast
The UN agencies too have emphasized on the significance of the accumulated wisdom of indigenous peoples, fishers and farmers.

Conclusion:

Local people should be at the centre of all the actions taken at dealing with the challenges of nature. Instead of evicting forest dwellers from their homes, the country should be encouraging them to conserve and nurture their habitats. Their knowledge about the local geography, climate, and relief will help in better conservation of the biodiversity.

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