The convention on biological diversity: its implications for conserving agro-biological diversity in India*

The most significant development during the historic United Nations Conference for the Environment and Development (UNCED) held in 1992 at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil was that 171 countries adopted the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Agenda 21. The CBD which came into force in December 1993 is legally-binding, (although Agenda 21 is not). The basic objectives of the CBD (Art. 1) are the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilisation of genetic resources, including by appropriate access to genetic resources and by appropriate transfer of relevant technologies, taking into account all rights over those resources and to technologies, and by appropriate funding. The Conference of Parties have been involved in initiating action to realise these objectives. This paper elucidates the most relevant provisions of the CBD and their implications with regard to conservation and sustainable use of agro-biological diversity. Taking these provisions into account, it identifies causes for the loss of agro-biological diversity, and further discuss the principles, the essential elements and action points required for developing a functional strategy for the conservation of agro-biological diversity -a basic foundation and the crucial elements required for 'environmentally sound post-green agriculture.