Bhubaneswar, Jan 31 (ANI): Eminent agricultural scientist M.S Swaminathan has organized a workshop with an objective to sensitise the locals and farmers about the conservation of biodiversity here on Saturday.

The workshop was conducted in the Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology campus.

Speaking on the sidelines of ‘Effective Community Management of Biodiversity in an era of Climate Change’, Swaminathan said that it was possible to conserve biodiversity by promoting sustainable development.

“Orissa is a mega biodiversity area, rich in hydro-diversity. Like, the Koraput region is one of the centres of origin of rice and Bhitarkanika is one of the richest in mangoes. So the international year of biodiversity is intended to create awareness among the people on the importance of biodiversity conservation for our food, livelihood and human security,” he added.

He also said that tribals living in Koraput district sa have shown the way in biodiversity conservation by establishing a seed and grain bank, which bagged the ‘Equator Initiative Award’ in 2002 in Johannesburg.

“We hope during the year Orissa will experience an era of bio-happiness as a result of converting biodiversity into jobs and wealth. Ultimately people need more income and jobs and that is why the idea of using biodiversity to create new value-addition jobs has come up, so as to achieve a sense of bio-happiness,” he added.

The M S Swaminathan Research Foundation, a non-profit trust has been working for the last ten years in the field of sustainable agriculture and rural development in over 10 states of India. (ANI)