What is the PBR?
Why do we need PBRs?
Who has to prepare PBRs?

What all is there in the PBR?

What is the PBR?

PBR is a document that inventories the biodiversity of a given locality and people's knowledge that is associated with bioresources. It is a document that is developed by the people, of their biodiversity and knowledge for biodiversity conservation. Thus, the PBR will have information on availability and knowledge of local biological resources, their medicinal or any other use or any other traditional knowledge associated with them (Madhya Pradesh State Biodiversity Rules, 2004). The PBR is 'peoples' document showcasing the richness and status of biodiversity; and knowledge systems, uses and values ascribed to biodiversity.

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Why do we need PBRs?

PBR is envisioned as a tool that will facilitate the local bodies in conservation related decision-making. The process of inventorying will aid the planning process for biodiversity conservation thus making the PBR a planning tool. It will also reflect upon new opportunities that exist in areas for augmentation of bio-resource based livelihoods. With the range of information that the PBR will contain, it will thus be the development planning tool for the local entities.

The PBR will have a detail inventory of availability and status of biological resources in the locality. Thus, it will help the BMC in advising the Board for granting approvals for access to bioresources. The PBR will also detail the traditional knowledge associated with bioresources. With this documentation, the means of protection of this knowledge against appropriation can then be devised thereby addressing the Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) concerns. This knowledge will also open new vistas for scientific research and biotechnological advancement. Traditional management practices, customs and rituals also find place in the PBR. This will help identification of best practices that can be disseminated and adopted to other areas. Also, the use of particular bioresources in a particular area for a particular purpose, medicine or other, can be disseminated.

The PBR also has educational value. The process of PBR development itself lets the people explore the biodiversity and related knowledge. This itself helps in imparting 'resource literacy', much needed for the conservation process. Most importantly, the PBR is also a tool for educating the younger mind on conservation education and ethics; and the rich heritage.

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Who has to prepare PBRs?

The key mandate of the Biodiversity Management Committees (BMC) of the local bodies is to ensure conservation, sustainable use and equitable sharing of benefits arising from biodiversity. The BMCs would therefore have to prepare the PBR. The PBR has to be prepared at the Gramsabha /Panchayat /Municipality /Municipal Corporation BMC level. The BMC and the local bodies will also be responsible for ensuring protection of knowledge recorded in the PBR, especially to regulate access to outside agencies and individuals. The Zilla Panchayat BMC will be responsible for developing a district wide network of PBR database. These would then be integrated in the State Biodiversity Information System (SBIS) of the Board.

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What all is there in the PBR?

The PBR will record the biodiversity and the people-biodiversity interface of a given locality. In this regard it will attempt to enumerate all the aspects of biodiversity and all the interrelationships.
Specifically the PBR will detail:

• The portfolio of biodiverse livelihoods
• The ecosystem diversity
• The species and genetic diversity, in terms of
• Domesticated biodiversity including livestock
• Wild floral and faunal diversity
• Diversity of aquatic flora and fauna
• Culture-biodiversity interface
• Knowledge associated with biodiversity
• Management and management issues
• Plan for biodiversity conservation and enhancement

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