Conservation and Protection of Centres of Genetic Diversity:

7.1     As India is endowed with rich agro-bio diversity, important centres of origin and diversity should be protected so as to conserve precious agro-biodiversity in their pristine purity. A case in point is the Jeypore tract of Orissa, which is very rich in rice genetic resources. Such areas should be earmarked as "Agro-Biodiversity Sanctuaries", along the pattern of wild life sanctuaries and National Parks. In such areas, the cultivation of GM crops should be prohibited. Financial support should be extended to the local tribal and rural families from the National Gene Fund proposed under the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Act (2001) to compensate them from losses in yield and income due to their maintaining field gene banks (ie in situ on-farm conservation) in public interest. 

7.2     Mega-biodiversity centers and hot spots of agro-biodiversity viz. Western and Eastern Ghats and NE Region should also be preserved. Areas within these, such as parts of Uttaranchal, may be declared as “Organic Region” or even “Organic States” and may also be kept free from GM crops/plants until more data are available on the long-term impact of the introgression of transgenic material into native biodiversity. The National Institute for Organic Farming and Certification proposed to be set up during the Tenth Five Year Plan period can undertake such studies and develop guidelines for declaring specific areas as, “Organic Farming Zones”. A Technical Committee may be constituted by ICAR, NBPGR, DBT, Dept of Agriculture and Ministry of Environment and Forests (Botanical, Zoological and Forest Surveys of India) to develop guidelines for earmarking areas as Agro-biodiversity Sanctuaries and Organic Farming Zones.