The National Biodiversity Authority has released a new set of rules to manage sharing of benefits generated through the use of biological resources. The Biological Diversity (Access to biological Resources and Knowledge Associated thereto and Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits) Regulation 2025 was approved by the Central government and …
Restoring traditional water structures hold key to making the region water secure. Read More - http://www.downtoearth.org.in/content/kathmandu-valley-losing-its-ancient-water-wisdom
The conservation and sustainable use of Bhutan’s biodiversity through securing the economic, social and spiritual wellbeing of the Bhutanese people. The National ABS policy covers the utilization of Bhutanese genetic resources and traditional knowledge associated with biological resources when used for commercial and/or research purposes. This policy excludes biological resources …
The demands of traditional Asian medicine (TAM) don't just pose a threat to the survival of tigers and rhinos (Nature 480, S101–S103; 2011). Numerous smaller species are also at risk, as a result of being traded in large volumes. (Correspondence)
Water is recognized as an important resource without which life in earth cannot exist. According to ancient Indian texts, water is one among the basic five elements called ‘Pancabhutas’ with which the universe, the cosmic world comprises of; earth, light/heat, air and ether/space being the other four elements. Ancient people …
Actors at the local, national and global level, through their policies, institutional structure and processes, influence livelihood decisions irrespective of geographical setting. The introduction of intellectual property rights (IPR) under the WTO regime demonstrates how decisions taken at an international level affect millions of livelihoods across the globe. This has …
This Strategy Brief identifies the role of ICTs within the climate change responses of rural agricultural communities in developing countries. It argues that ICTs can become strategic enablers of action to create awareness about, mitigate, monitor and adapt to climate change within these communities. Despite their differences, rural agricultural contexts …
The ever increasing loss of natural floodplain wetlands to hydrological and global change, land use change and natural hazards is leading to serious environmental and ecological concerns in the flood plains of Assam, where wetlands (beels) which undertakes a range of hydrological & environmental function also provide an ambient habitat …
Although modern medicine is established in Asia, traditional medicine also plays a big role in people's healthcare — and is gaining in popularity in other countries too.
The repertoire of traditional Chinese medicine could offer rich pickings for modern drug developers, but researchers must first define and test herbal concoctions.
The very nature of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) poses serious challenges in patenting intellectual property. Unlike modern medicines, which are based on newly discovered, developed or isolated chemical compounds, TCM prescriptions typically consist of mixtures of well-known plant or animal extracts. Moreover, these recipes are public knowledge, having been recorded …
For centuries, traditional agricultural systems have contributed to food and livelihood security throughout the world. Recognizing the ecological legacy in the traditional agricultural systems may help us develop novel sustainable agriculture. We examine how rice–fish coculture (RF), which has been designated a “globally important agricultural heritage system,” has been maintained …
Our ability to manage gene flow within traditional agroecosystems and their repercussions requires understanding the biology of crops, including farming practices' role in crop ecology. That these practices' effects on crop population genetics have not been quantified bespeaks lack of an appropriate analytical framework. We use a model that construes …
Stagnating yields, negative impact on environment, soil health and farmers' economy were some of the side effects of green revolution and provided fuel to search new and unexploited areas to ensure increased productivity through eco-friendly or evergreen farming.
The concepts of Asia's traditional medicines might sound alien to Western ears, but some of them are starting to evolve to fit scientific investigation.
