National Biodiversity

Introduction

India is an incredibly diverse country. The diversity does not restrict itself to culture, languages, and traditions but also extends to the overall biodiversity, including the varied flora and fauna. With only 2.4 percent of the earth’s land area, India accounts for 7-8 percent of the world’s recorded species and four of the 34 global biodiversity hotspots are in India (1).  As one of the 17 mega-biodiverse countries in the world, India along with its 1.3 billion people is home to 96,000 species of animals, 47,000 species of plants, and nearly half the world’s aquatic plants (2).  

With the aim of protecting and nurturing this rich biodiversity, this mission includes comprehensive documentation of India’s biodiversity with the potential for cataloging and mapping all lifeforms in India including associated cultural and traditional practices; assessment of the distribution and conservation status of India’s biodiversity; development of a cadre of professionals adept at handling large sets of environmental data for management and monitoring of biodiversity; expansion of knowledge in ecosystem functioning that will inform restoration efforts; enhanced options for agricultural production and livelihood; establishment of vibrant biodiversity-based sustainable economy anchored on a foundation of the reliable information system; and public engagement for security and the general well-being of society.