Biodiversity and indigenous knowledge system

Biological diversity is an asset of vital significance to human beings, as it provides food, medicine and industrial raw materials along with an immense potential for accruing many unknown benefits to future generations. The areas rich in biodiversity are also an abode of diverse ethnic groups possessing a valuable reservoir of indigenous knowledge system (IKS) acquired and developed during a long period of time. A rapid pace of development in the regions populated by tribal communities and amalgamation of tribal societies with mainstream societies has led to a threat of gradual erosion of indigenous knowledge base, accompanied with an imminent danger of bio-piracy of valuable resources and knowledge systems.