In a significant push to position biodiversity conservation as a viable economic pathway for rural India, the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) has released Rs 3.00 crore to 199 beneficiaries in Andhra Pradesh under the Access and Benefit-Sharing (ABS) mechanism of the Biological Diversity Act. The disbursement supports 198 farmers cultivating Red Sanders (Pterocarpus santalinus) — one of India’s most prized and protected endemic species — along with the University of Andhra, marking a major milestone in the integration of conservation and community income security.

The initiative, executed through the Andhra Pradesh State Biodiversity Board, reinforces the principle that those who steward India’s biological wealth must share in its value. Individual farmers are receiving payments ranging from Rs 33,000 to Rs 22.00 lakh, depending on the volume of cultivated Red Sanders supplied to authorized users. In several cases, the benefit payout has exceeded the prevailing sale value of wood, demonstrating a deliberate shift toward reshaping market incentives in favor of legal, sustainable trade.

The beneficiaries come from 48 villages across Chittoor, Nellore, Tirupati, and Cuddapah districts — regions at the heart of Red Sanders cultivation. For these communities, the initiative signals a transition from a legacy of restrictive harvesting rules and illicit market pressures to a future of regulated commerce that rewards compliance and conservation. The payout is part of a broader programmatic push: the NBA has previously transferred Rs 48.00 crore to the forest departments of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka and the AP Biodiversity Board for Red Sanders protection, as well as Rs 55.00 lakh to farmers in Tamil Nadu. Together, these moves represent a new governance model for endangered forest value chains — one anchored in transparency, legality, and farmer-first benefit distribution.

This shift stems from a landmark policy framework shaped by an Expert Committee constituted in 2015, which developed the national blueprint for sustainable Red Sanders management and equitable value sharing. A turning point arrived in 2019, when the Directorate General of Foreign Trade eased export regulations for cultivated Red Sanders, allowing legitimate international trade channels to replace black-market incentives. Today’s disbursement reflects the long-awaited operationalization of that policy intent on the ground.

Red Sanders — globally coveted for its deep red timber used in luxury furniture, musical instruments, and traditional medicine — has been a focal point of conservation enforcement for decades. By routing its economic value back to the primary cultivators, India is signaling a bold market correction: biodiversity protection is no longer just a regulatory obligation, but a wealth-building opportunity for those who nurture the resource. The ABS success in Andhra Pradesh is expected to strengthen traceability, curb illegal felling, and create a dependable income stream that encourages farmers to expand legal cultivation.

As India asserts leadership in implementing the Nagoya Protocol and other global biodiversity commitments, the Red Sanders model is emerging as a proof point for how environmental stewardship can drive rural prosperity. By aligning ecological outcomes with economic incentives, the NBA is not only protecting one of the country’s most iconic species — it is redefining conservation as a strategy for inclusive growth and future-ready livelihoods.