Agrifoods Production Killing Biodiversity
·
Repurposing Agrifood Policies for
Biodiversity
·
India’s
AFBS increased from ₹355 billion (Rs. 35500 Crs)
to ₹6328 billion (Rs. 6.33 lakh Crs) per annum between
FY01 to FY25. In TE 2024, it was ₹7076 billion, which is 17.3% of the total
budget expenditure and 2.7% of the country’s GDP. This report demonstrates that
the unconditional subsidies linked to the inputs can lead to detrimental environmental
and biodiversity outcomes.
·
Total
AFBS, 28% of the support was found to be detrimental to biodiversity.
[ABS News Service/03.07.2025]
Abstract
Agrifood systems are vital for the achievement of 2030 Kunming-Montreal
Global Biodiversity Framework (KM-GBF) and the National Biodiversity Strategy and
Action Plan (NBSAP) Targets 2030, particularly Target 18 “Repurpose detrimental
incentives for biodiversity”. This report informs about the general linkages between
agrifood incentives and their potential detrimental effects on agrobiodiversity.
The report synthesises, calculates, and assesses the extent and impact of Agrifood
Budgetary Support (AFBS) provided at the national and state (Punjab, Madhya Pradesh
and Telangana) levels. India’s AFBS increased from ₹355 billion (Rs.
35500 Crs) to ₹6328 billion (Rs. 6.33 lakh Crs) per annum between FY01 to FY25. In TE 2024, it was ₹7076
billion, which is 17.3% of the total budget expenditure and 2.7% of the country’s
GDP. This report demonstrates that the unconditional subsidies linked to the inputs
can lead to detrimental environmental and biodiversity outcomes. Of the total AFBS,
28% of the support was found to be detrimental to biodiversity. Instead of incentivizing
biodiversity detrimental practices, India should assess options to repurpose subsidy
policies to neutralise their effects on biodiversity. This is also critical to the
resource mobilisation to implement the KM-GBF.