Preface

India is a mega bio-diverse nation and the several self-generated traditions in food and agriculture are successful models for achieving the important first three SDG goals. Now it is time to build on from traditional local level measures to end poverty and malnutrition. A large number of field based programmes related to biodiversity, livelihoods and poverty reduction are being carried out by various agencies in different regions of the country. Most of the valuable experiences, successes and significant learning are cited, contributing to our understanding of linkages between the issues and remedy.

We intend to undertake an assessment of the actions related to biodiversity, livelihoods and poverty reduction using different case studies and approaches besides establishing a platform to provide space that could promote extensive outreach to facilitate mutual learning of experiences, knowledge, processes, results, impacts etc. from field based experiences.

The sustainable management of traditional and local level resources for livelihood is better depicted in this publication. We have several articles satisfying the merits of the envisaged topic that includes, Mainstreaming biodiversity for nutritional security and well-being with special reference to fisheries sector, traditional ecological knowledge, dilapidated Ethno-Conservation practices and impending impacts among Malayali Tribes of Kolli Hills, Eastern Ghats, India, perception on mushroom ecology among Kattunaikka tribes, biodiversity based benefit-sharing activities to improve the livelihood of the local/tribal communities of India, biodiversity and sustainable utilization of the genus Garcinia of the Western Ghats, diversity and utilizations of wild edible fruits in Agasthyamala biosphere, enumeration of successful livelihood models from biodiversity management committees of India and a case study of sustainable fishery resource management from Godavari mangrove wetlands.

Creating an economic stake in better living with biodiversity is enumerated in the following chapters, “Economic Thoughts in Mainstreaming Biodiversity”, “Concepts of robustness and its application in determining ecosystem health, a case study from Indian context, climate change, fisheries and coastal ecosystem in India”, integrated approach for developing biologically diversified urban landscapes @ TCS: A Success Story, interface between instruments of development planning and biodiversity planning and conservation,

Bioprospecting of marine sponges associated fungi for antioxidant and neuroprotective activity in raw 264.7 cells, USAB reactor coupled contact bed process for the clean extraction of banana pseudostemfibres, commercial viability and pest status of Musa cultivars identified in Kerala, also form part of the book.

Finally, the successful stories of biodiversity and livelihood and recognition processes currently in vogue in India are presented that can be replicated elsewhere.