Benefit Sharing with Irula Community in Tamil Nadu

17 Nov, 2020

The ABS Regulations 2014 mandate 95% benefits accrued from ABS agreements to share with benefit claimers or the Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs) from where the biological resource or associated traditional knowledge is accessed. The Tamil Nadu Biodiversity Board (TNBB) notified the Biological Diversity Rules in 2017 since then has signed over 20 ABS agreements with different companies to access biological resources from the State.

The ABS Partnership project supported the Tamil Nadu Biodiversity Board in identifying highly traded medicinal plants, its value-chain for ABS compliance. The study identified primary gatherers(or benefit claimers) in 12 districts in Tamil Nadu, aggregators, and traders in the villages, including data on the processing and value-addition at various stages in the trade. While there are many examples of ABS agreements involving medicinal plants, very few involve access to resources from animal origin.

Snake venom is a derivative of “biological resources” as defined by section 2(c) of the Biodiversity Act. Snake venom extraction by the Irula Society is restricted to four species of snakes, namely, Spectacled Cobra (Naja naja), Common Krait (Bungarus caeruleus), Russell’s Viper (Daboia russelii) and Saw-scaled Viper (Echis carinatus), all these species are covered under the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972. Irula tribe is adept in snake catching and extraction of venom without causing harm to the snake; their traditional skill has been long acclaimed internationally. They also assist the Tamil Nadu Forest Department in snake rescue and rehabilitation. The Irula Snake Catcher’s Industrial Cooperative Society established in 1970s, operates in three districts of Tamil Nadu – Chennai, Kancheepuram and Thiruvallur. Based on the demand and subject to obtaining requisite permissions from other state authorities such as the Wildlife Wing of the Forest Department and the Department of Industries and Commerce, the society sells lyophilised snake venom to industries or research institutions.

Industries, organisations, and individuals obtain snake venom for various research and commercial purposes, chiefly to product anti-snake venom (ASV) to treat snakebite envenoming.

The project conducted a consultation meeting with the Irula community to operationalise ABS provisions on snake venom extraction and trade, as well as the meeting with industries and institutions accessing snake venom from Tamil Nadu on compliance and application procedures under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002. The project has supported 12 pilot BMCs in Tamil Nadu to develop good practices of ABS; the Irula Society falls under the territorial jurisdiction of Thiruporur BMC (page 10 of factsheet) in Chengalpattu district.

A company producing anti-snake venom serum, iSERA Biological Pvt Ltd, applied to access lyophilised snake venom, in September 2019. Upon obtaining approval for their application, the company signed the ABS agreement with the TNBB in January 2020. In keeping with their benefit-sharing obligation, which is 5% of the purchase price of snake venom for the first year, the company deposited the benefit-sharing amount of Rs. 17,700 with the TNBB in January 2020.

The Tamil Nadu Biodiversity Board (TNBB), Chennai held a meeting in Chennai on 17 November 2020 to hand over the benefit-sharing amount to the Thiruporur BMC and benefit claimers, i.e. Irula Snake Catcher’s Industrial Cooperative Society.

Dr Jayanthi Murali, Member Secretary of the Tamil Nadu Biodiversity Board, handed over the benefit-sharing amount to Mr Ellappan, Member of the Thiruporur BMC. ABS money will be transferred to the Irula Snake Catcher’s Industrial Cooperative Society, with inputs on utilising the money. Mr. Balaji, Secretary of the Irula Society was also present in the meeting.

Mr Naga Satish Gidijala, District Forest Officer of Kancheepuram district and Mr Vengadesan, Range Forest Officer, Tamil Nadu Forest Department, Dr D Narasimhan, Chairman of the ABS Expert Committee, Dr V Arivudai Nambi, Member of the ABS Expert Committee, and Dr Geetha Nayak, Team Leader of the ABS Partnership Project contributed to the discussion on the way forward and creating awareness of ABS compliance among companies that procure snake venom from Tamil Nadu. This is the first example in accessing snake venom through due process to comply with ABS provisions from Tamil Nadu. Dr Jayanthi Murali also launched “Know Your BMC” campaign aimed at raising public awareness of BMCs, their functions, and the local biodiversity of their blocks.

Dr. Jayanthi Murali, Secretary, TNBB handed over ABS amount to Thiruporur BMC

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About the project

The ABS Partnership Project aims at strengthening the capacity of the National Biodiversity Authority, selected State Biodiversity Boards, Biodiversity Management Committees, as well as creating awareness amongst commercial users of biological resources and associated traditional knowledge for the effective implementation of ABS mechanisms under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 in keeping with India’s commitments under the Nagoya Protocol for ABS. Read more

For more information contact: biodiv.india@giz.de