Click for details - Deccan Development Society

AGROBIODIVERSITY HERITAGE SITE OF ZAHEERABAD, Medak District, Andhra Pradesh
for the women and men farmers of Deccan
Andhra for their untiring belief in the
conservation of biodiversity of their farms and
food cultures. BHS can go a long way in
restricting any activities that would come in
the way of continuing this phenomenal
practice. This could be in the form of
restricting destructive industrialisation or
agricultural interventions that stand
antithetical to agro-biodiverse farming. The
notification can also recognise the leading role
that communities can play in the decision
making and management of the BHS in the future. The Andhra Pradesh State Biodiversity
Board which has a significant role to play in the declaration of the BHS, has responded very
positively for this application. In enabling the process, this document provides with some of
the biodiversity information of the region and appeals to State government to hasten and
complete the procedures.
General Guidelines for Assessing Agro-Biodiversity Heritage Site
In identifying, assessing and declaring of Agro-Biological Heritage Sites, understanding the
dynamic interaction among the valuable component of biodiversity and their relative
importance for food, fodder, livelihood and nutritional security are critical. In assessing
such a proposed site, in addition to characterization of the biodiversity, its vulnerability,
possible threats to it and its social, economic and cultural value assessment are equally
important to facilitate their promotion and use in evolving sustainable agriculture. In enabling
such an assessment, reviewing from the criteria’s - categorized by The World Heritage
Convention (WHC, 1972) and; an article “Criteria for identification and assessment of agrobiodiversity
heritage sites”, authored by Dr. Anurudh K. Singh and K. S. Varaprasad, the
following points are to be considered for assessing Agro-Biodiversity Heritage Sites:
1. Geographical location of proposed area: the climatic, physiographic and demographic
location of the proposed site should have special socio-ecological significance, where this
form of agriculture provides livelihood to many people with few, if any, other alternatives.
2. Treasure house of biodiversity: the region should be significant in agro-biodiversity
genetic resource and associated traditional ecological knowledge that has relevance for
highly energy and economic efficiency for the community. The site must be providing
opportunities for continued evolution, development and adaptation to changing conditions
with interbreeding and naturally occurring inter- and intra-specific diversity resulting in
domestication and development of new diversity (cultigens). There may be external inputs
from other civilizations, cultures and agricultural systems for improvement and diversification
of agriculture, but at low levels.
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