The Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) signed a three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute (CSIR-NBRI) in Lucknow on July 29, 2026, to promote research and development for the conservation and ethnobotanical assessment of tribal bioresources across India. The pact places tribal welfare and community sovereignty at the centre of all scientific activities, making local consent and equitable benefit sharing mandatory for every research project. This collaboration marks a significant shift toward integrating traditional knowledge with modern botanical science while safeguarding the rights of tribal communities over their biological resources.
What the MoU Entails
The MoU was signed by Manish Thakur, Additional Secretary of MoTA, and Dr. Ajit Kumar Shasany, Director of CSIR-NBRI, in the presence of Ranjana Chopra, Secretary of MoTA, along with senior scientists and officials from both organisations. CSIR-NBRI, headquartered in Lucknow, is a premier plant science research institute under the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), which functions under the Ministry of Science and Technology. The institute traces its origins to the National Botanic Gardens established in 1953 and was renamed the National Botanical Research Institute in 1978.
MoTA itself was set up in 1999 after being carved out of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment to bring focused attention to the integrated socio-economic development of Scheduled Tribes, who constitute 8.6% of India’s population (over 104 million people as per the 2011 Census). The ministry is headquartered at Shastri Bhawan, New Delhi.
Conservation of Rare, Endangered, and Threatened Medicinal Plants
A major focus of the partnership is the conservation of Rare, Endangered, and Threatened (RET) medicinal plant species. India is home to one of the world’s richest repositories of medicinal plants, with over 427 Indian medicinal plant species listed in the Red Data Book as facing some level of threat. About 28 species are considered extinct, 124 endangered, and 81 rare. Many of these species exist in forests and remote areas traditionally managed by tribal communities.
Under the MoU, CSIR-NBRI will use advanced scientific interventions such as tissue culture facilities and specialised seed banks to propagate and conserve these RET species. Tissue culture allows mass multiplication of plants from small tissue samples, making it possible to revive populations of critically endangered species without uprooting them from their natural habitats. Seed banks serve as genetic repositories, preserving the seeds of rare plants for long-term conservation and future research.
The agreement also mandates that local tribal youth will receive hands-on training in these propagation and conservation techniques, ensuring that the management of these resources remains in community hands even after the formal partnership ends.
Community Consent and Legal Safeguards
One of the defining features of this MoU is its strict emphasis on community consent and legal compliance. Every field survey, ethnobotanical assessment, and research activity under the partnership requires Prior Informed Consent (PIC) from the concerned Gram Sabhas and tribal communities. This requirement is in full compliance with the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, which governs access to biological resources and associated traditional knowledge in India.
The Biological Diversity Act, 2002, established a three-tier regulatory framework comprising the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) at the central level, State Biodiversity Boards (SBBs) at the state level, and Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs) at the local level. The Act requires prior approval for anyone seeking access to biological resources for research or commercial use. The Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing, to which India is a signatory, further reinforces these principles internationally.
Every joint project proposal under this MoU will include a dedicated budget line item specifically for grassroots community development, local value addition, and capacity building. This ensures that scientific programmes generate direct socio-economic benefits for tribal populations rather than extracting knowledge without returning value.
Protecting Traditional Knowledge and Ensuring Benefit Sharing
The MoU explicitly recognises Traditional Knowledge as the intangible cultural heritage of tribal peoples. This is a crucial provision because tribal communities have, over centuries, developed sophisticated knowledge systems about the medicinal properties of plants found in their surroundings. Much of this knowledge remains undocumented and is passed down orally through generations, making it vulnerable to misappropriation.
The agreement mandates strict compliance with India’s Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) framework to prevent unauthorised commercial exploitation. Any intellectual property (IP) generated through collaborative research will be jointly owned by MoTA and CSIR-NBRI. Crucially, the IP will be held in trust for, or equitably shared with, the tribal communities that contributed the knowledge or biological resources. Financial benefits arising from such IP will be channelled back to tribal communities through National or State Biodiversity Funds and dedicated welfare schemes of MoTA.
This provision addresses a long-standing concern in biodiversity governance. Historically, traditional knowledge held by indigenous communities has been used by external researchers and corporations without proper compensation or acknowledgment. The MoU’s framework aligns with the Nagoya Protocol to the Convention on Biological Diversity, which India ratified in 2014, and the domestic Biological Diversity (Amendment) Act, 2023, which sought to streamline ABS mechanisms.
Capacity Building and Livelihood Generation
Beyond conservation and legal safeguards, the MoU aims to create long-term livelihood opportunities for tribal communities. The capacity building of tribal youth in plant propagation, tissue culture techniques, and biodiversity management is designed to generate skilled employment within local ecosystems. Tribal youth trained under this programme could become para-taxonomists or community biodiversity managers, roles that are increasingly recognised under India’s biodiversity governance framework.
The partnership also envisages joint thematic events, seminars, and sustained exchange programmes involving traditional healers, community practitioners, and scientists. These platforms are intended to bridge the gap between indigenous knowledge systems and formal scientific research, enabling evidence-based validation of traditional medicinal practices. For tribal communities whose livelihood depends on the collection and sale of Minor Forest Produce (MFP) such as medicinal plants, leaves, fruits, and gums, the conservation of RET species directly protects their economic base.
MoTA already operates several schemes that complement this MoU. The Van Dhan Vikas Kendra (VDVK) programme, implemented through TRIFED, focuses on value addition and marketing of tribal forest produce. The Minimum Support Price (MSP) for Minor Forest Produce scheme ensures fair prices for collected produce. This new partnership with CSIR-NBRI adds a scientific research and conservation dimension to these existing livelihood initiatives.
Key Takeaways
- The Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) signed a three-year MoU with CSIR-NBRI, Lucknow, for the conservation and ethnobotanical assessment of tribal bioresources.
- The agreement focuses on conserving Rare, Endangered, and Threatened (RET) medicinal plant species through tissue culture facilities and specialised seed banks.
- All research activities under the MoU require Prior Informed Consent (PIC) from Gram Sabhas and tribal communities as mandated by the Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
- Any intellectual property generated will be jointly owned by MoTA and CSIR-NBRI and held in trust for contributing tribal communities, with benefits flowing through National or State Biodiversity Funds.
- CSIR-NBRI, established in 1953 as the National Botanic Gardens and renamed in 1978, is a premier plant science institute under CSIR, which functions under the Ministry of Science and Technology.
- MoTA was created in 1999 after the bifurcation of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment and is headquartered at Shastri Bhawan, New Delhi.
