The Borjuli site in Assam's Sonitpur district has been notified as a Biodiversity Heritage Site under an NRAA-funded wild rice conservation project.
Guwahati, July 3: A conservation project supported by the National Rainfed Area Authority (NRAA) has reached a significant milestone with the Borjuli site in Assam's Sonitpur district being notified as a Biodiversity Heritage Site, recognising its importance in conserving India's wild rice genetic resources.
The project, titled "In-situ Conservation and Management of Wild Rice (Oryza rufipogon) in Sonitpur District of Assam," has been funded by the NRAA under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare since 2022. It is being implemented by the ICAR–National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (ICAR-NBPGR), New Delhi, in collaboration with the Assam State Biodiversity Board.
The announcement was made after a team of scientists from ICAR-NBPGR met NRAA Chief Executive Officer Dr. Chandra Shekhar Kumar, IAS, and presented the progress made under the project, including work on the exploration, conservation and characterisation of wild rice germplasm.
During the meeting, the scientists informed the NRAA that the Borjuli site, identified through the project, has been officially notified as a Biodiversity Heritage Site by the National Biodiversity Authority.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, the recognition marks an important step in conserving India's wild rice diversity and strengthening efforts to support climate-resilient agriculture.
Wild rice species are regarded as valuable genetic resources because they contain traits that can be used in crop improvement programmes, particularly for developing rice varieties capable of withstanding changing climatic conditions.
Commending the work carried out under the project, Dr. Chandra Shekhar Kumar said wild rice species are an invaluable source of genes for developing climate-resilient, high-yielding and nutritionally superior rice varieties.
He emphasised the need to replicate similar conservation initiatives for other crop wild relatives across the country to strengthen the resilience, sustainability and long-term food security of Indian agriculture.
The project focuses on the in-situ conservation of Oryza rufipogon, a wild ancestor of cultivated rice that possesses valuable genetic traits useful for crop breeding and agricultural research.
Scientists involved in the project have undertaken exploration, conservation and characterisation of wild rice germplasm in Sonitpur district as part of efforts to safeguard genetic diversity in its natural habitat.
The recognition of the Borjuli site as a Biodiversity Heritage Site is expected to support the long-term conservation of these genetic resources while promoting scientific research and sustainable management of the habitat.
The meeting between the NRAA and the ICAR-NBPGR scientists was facilitated by Dr. Pankaj Kumar Shah, Director (Agriculture and Horticulture), NRAA, and Dr. Anil Kumar Mishra, Technical Expert (Watershed Management), NRAA.
The Ministry said the project demonstrates collaborative efforts between national research institutions and state biodiversity authorities to conserve plant genetic resources that are important for the future of Indian agriculture.
