The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) has released Rs 14.88 crore (about USD 1.65 million) as Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) funds to the Andhra Pradesh Forest Department for conservation and sustainable management of Red Sanders.

The funds will be utilised for protection, conservation, regeneration, research and development, awareness creation and capacity-building programmes related to Red Sanders, arising from benefit-sharing contributions linked to 29 Form-I applications.

With this disbursement, India’s cumulative ABS releases have crossed Rs 143 crore (around USD 15.8 million). Of this, over Rs 104 crore has been released to Andhra Pradesh alone for Red Sanders conservation and benefit claimers, while more than Rs 15 crore has been disbursed to other states including Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Odisha and Telangana.

Red Sanders (Pterocarpus santalinus), a high-value timber species endemic to limited regions of the Eastern Ghats in Andhra Pradesh, has been the focus of sustained ABS contributions. These funds have accrued primarily from auctions of 1,115 tonnes of confiscated Red Sanders wood conducted by central government agencies such as STC, MMTC and PEC.

NBA-supported initiatives using ABS funds have enabled extensive research on conservation, sustainable use, genetic improvement and value addition through premier institutions including ICFRE and CSIR. Efforts include documentation of over 1,500 genetic resources, assessment of more than 15,000 trees, establishment of ex situ conservation measures, and development of propagation and tissue culture technologies.

The programme has also led to successful development of value-added products such as soaps, cosmetics and wood coatings, highlighting effective translation of conservation research into practical outcomes.