Biodiversity risk and opportunity assessment in the agriculture landscapes of Mysore region in India

Aswathaman Vijayan, Srinath Ramakkrushnan, Kota Gowri Naidu and R Rajashekar

Biodiversity risk and opportunity assessment in the agriculture landscapes of Mysore region in India

Aswathaman Vijayan, Srinath Ramakkrushnan, Kota Gowri Naidu and R Rajashekar

Indian Leaf Tobacco Development Division, India

: Expert Opin Environ Biol

Abstract

ITC Limited believes there is an ethical or devout responsibility to protect their fellow ecosystem in which they operate. There are many direct benefits to the people and the economy from biodiversity. While agriculture contributes significantly to conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, it is also a major driver of biodiversity loss. The EarthÃ¢Â€Â™s biodiversity is being lost at an alarming rate, putting in threat the sustainability of agriculture and ecosystem services and their ability to adapt to changing conditions, threatening food and livelihoods security. We believe that maintenance of this biodiversity is essential for the sustainable production of our agricultural products. Intention of this assessment is to share the information and outcomes on Bio-diversity Risk and Opportunity Assessment carried out by ITC Limited in Mysore agricultural landscape in India. The assessment carried out is first of its kind in India wherein a landscape approaches in identifying, prioritizing and addressing the risk and opportunities were carried out. An agricultural landscape encompasses not only the farm sites and immediate area of production but the wider features that production depends upon. The landscapes identified for studying the biodiversity risk and opportunity in Mysore area confines to studying not only a particular species but a complete ecosystem of the landscapes. The purpose of the Biodiversity Risk and Opportunity Assessment (BROA) tool is to provide a method to identify the impacts and dependencies of business operations of ITC Limited on biodiversity in agricultural landscapes; to assess and prioritize the risks and opportunities arising from those impacts and dependencies; and to produce Action and Monitoring Plans for the organization to address those risks and opportunities.