Kerala State Biodiversity Board

What Kerala State Biodiversity Board does

Kerala State Biodiversity Board (KSBB) is a statutory autonomous body of the Government of Kerala, established in February 2005 under the Biological Diversity Act 2002, Biological Diversity Rules 2004, and Kerala State Biological Diversity Rules 2008. Operating under the Kerala State Environment Department with headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram, the board regulates, advises on, and coordinates biodiversity conservation across all 14 districts of Kerala. Its principal operational audience is the state's 1,034 local self-government institutions (941 Gram Panchayats, 87 Municipalities, and 6 Corporations), through which it engages custodian farmers, fisherfolk, students, and traditional knowledge holders. The board's primary mandate is conservation of agro, plant, fish, and marine biodiversity.

The board's core deliverables are decentralized conservation infrastructure rather than commercial products. It has constituted more than 1,200 Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs) at the local self-government level and prepared People's Biodiversity Registers (PBRs) covering all 1,034 local bodies, with an electronic variant (E-PBR) extending documentation into digital channels. Specialized registers address marine biodiversity along Kerala's coastline. KSBB also operates the Kerala State Biodiversity Museum at Vallakadavu, designates Biodiversity Heritage Sites (the first declared in 2023 at the Asramam Mangrove Area, Kollam), and runs extension programs including Biodiversity Clubs, the Kerala Biodiversity Congress, the Children's Biodiversity Congress, and the annual Kerala Biodiversity Conservation Awards. The 2025 launch of the Kerala State Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (K-SBSAP) covering 2025-2035 establishes a decade-long statewide framework. Additional knowledge infrastructure includes the in-progress Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL) initiative and various publications, e-newsletters, and documentaries.

KSBB is a fully government-funded entity with no commercial revenue streams; activities are financed through state budgetary allocations and plan schemes. Headcount is approximately 26 staff — comprising scientific, technical, and administrative personnel at headquarters, supported by district coordinators in all 14 districts. The board partners strategically with the National Biodiversity Authority, Kerala Agricultural University, CUSAT, KUFOS, ICAR research institutes (CMFRI, NBFGR, CIFT, CMLRE), M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation, KSCSTE, NABARD, and JNTBGRI on conservation research, climate adaptation, marine resource governance, and agrobiodiversity. BMC reconstitution across all local bodies in 2026 indicates continued operational scale within the existing statutory mandate.

Name

Kerala State Biodiversity Board

Legal name

Kerala State Biodiversity Board

Website

https://keralabiodiversity.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Kerala State Biodiversity Board (KSBB) is a statutory Government of Kerala body that conserves and documents the state's agro, plant, fish, and marine biodiversity through 1,200+ Biodiversity Management Committees across all 1,034 local self-government institutions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Biodiversity Conservation Governance

NAICS

Administration of Conservation Programs (92412), Administration of Conservation Programs (924120)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAIAMAG

Wildlife, Biodiversity & Habitat Conservation Administration

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Environmental Protection & Natural Resources Administration

SECONDARYBPAIABAL

State/Provincial Environmental Protection & Natural Resources Administration

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/State/Provincial & Regional Government Administration

SECONDARYBPADALAE

Nature, Biodiversity & Ecosystem Conservation

Business & Public Services/International Organizations & Development/Climate, Environment & Sustainable Development Programs

SECONDARYBPAIAMAH

Parks, Recreation & Protected Areas Administration

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Environmental Protection & Natural Resources Administration

Keywords

• Biodiversity conservation
• Environmental governance
• Biodiversity documentation
• Conservation programs
• Biodiversity regulation

Headquarters

HQ city

Thiruvananthapuram

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Kerala State Biodiversity Board is an autonomous statutory body that conserves and protects the agro, plant, and fish diversity of Kerala State under the Biological Diversity Act 2002, Rules 2004 and Kerala State Biological Diversity Rules 2008. It coordinates biodiversity governance across 1034 local self-government institutions through a network of 1200+ Biodiversity Management Committees, maintains People's Biodiversity Registers, designates Biodiversity Heritage Sites, and operates the Kerala State Biodiversity Museum. The board also regulates Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) from commercial utilization of biological resources and implements the Kerala State Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan 2025-2035.

Product overview

Kerala State Biodiversity Board operates as a unified portfolio of conservation and awareness services rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. The core offerings include the Kerala State Biodiversity Museum (a state-of-art facility at Vallakadavu), People's Biodiversity Register (PBR) and its electronic variant (E-PBR) for documenting local biodiversity, Marine Biodiversity Register, and designated Biodiversity Heritage Sites. These are supported by extension programs including Biodiversity Awards, Kerala Biodiversity Congress, Children's Biodiversity Congress, and Biodiversity Clubs. The Board also provides regulatory services through Access and Benefit Sharing frameworks and policy documents like the Kerala State Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan 2025-2035. Knowledge products include publications, annual reports, documentaries, and training programs for stakeholders.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Kerala State Biodiversity Museum

Quantifiable outcome

• 1034 PBRs prepared across all local bodies (941 Gram Panchayats, 87 Municipalities, 6 Corporations)
• +4 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 March 2025CUSAT's Atmospheric Science department co-organized the International Consultation Meeting on Agrobiodiversity in a Changing Climate with KSBB and M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation.
• Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment (KSCSTE)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 November 2024KSBB organized a brainstorming session on the Kerala Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL) at the KSCSTE conference hall. KSCSTE's Executive Vice President inaugurated the session and its Member Secretary delivered a special address. The TKDL initiative aims to document Kerala's ancient medical, agricultural, ecological, and cultural knowledge.
• NABARDminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 October 2024Meeting between KSBB officials and NABARD officials to explore convergence on climate adaptation and mitigation funded projects, agroforestry and agrobiodiversity initiatives for custodian farmers, coastal vulnerability assessment, spring shed projects, and climate change awareness programs.
• National Biodiversity Authority (NBA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNBA provides financial and technical support to KSBB for biodiversity programs. KSBB collaborates with NBA under the Biological Diversity Act framework, including joint consultations on Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) regulation and marine bioresources utilization. The NBA chairperson inaugurated key KSBB events.
• Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKUFOS collaborated with KSBB and NBA to organize the Biodiversity-Friendly Marine Bioresources Utilization Practices Consultative Meeting, bringing together stakeholders from governance, research institutions, and industry for sustainable marine biodiversity governance.
• M.S. Swaminathan Research FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMSSRF collaborated with KSBB and CUSAT for the agrobiodiversity consultation. Dr. Shakila V., Director of MSSRF Wyanad, participated in the discussion on community seed banks and their role in food security and agrobiodiversity conservation.
• ICAR-CMFRI, ICAR-NBFGR, ICAR-CIFT, CMLREcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerICAR research institutes participated in the Biodiversity-Friendly Marine Bioresources Utilization consultation meeting organized by KSBB, contributing scientific and regulatory perspectives on ABS in the marine sector.
• Kerala Agricultural UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKSBB works with Kerala Agricultural University on agrobiodiversity research, traditional knowledge documentation, and conservation of indigenous crop varieties. Board member Dr. Minimol J.S. is a professor at KAU.
• Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute (JNTBGRI)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJNTBGRI officials led by Director Dr. Arunachalam implemented the biodiversity park project (Shanthivanam) at Maranalloor BMC, supported by KSBB's technical and financial assistance.
• Adani FoundationminorOthersAdani Foundation participated in the 7th Poshan Pakhwada 2025 nutrition fortnight celebration organized by KSBB at the Biodiversity Museum, contributing to discussions on fish diversity and nutrition.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Karnataka State Biodiversity Board: Statutory state biodiversity board mandated under the Biological Diversity Act 2002 with identical mandate of PBR documentation, BMC constitution, and ABS regulation across Karnataka's local bodies. Closely comparable peer given the same legal framework and operational scope.
• Tamil Nadu Biodiversity Board: Sister state biodiversity board operating under the same Biological Diversity Act framework in a neighboring South Indian state with comparable ecological diversity. Directly comparable peer for governance models, PBR preparation, and marine biodiversity programs.
• West Bengal Biodiversity Board: Statutory state biodiversity board with the same mandate and organizational structure under the Biological Diversity Act 2002. Comparable peer for PBR preparation, BMC constitution, and biodiversity heritage site designations.
• National Biodiversity Authority (NBA): Statutory body of the Government of India under the same Biological Diversity Act 2002. Directly comparable as the apex federal counterpart to KSBB, providing financial and technical support to state boards and overseeing ABS approvals at the national level.
• Andhra Pradesh Biodiversity Board: Sister South Indian state biodiversity board with overlapping coastal and agro-biodiversity focus. Comparable peer operating the same BMC, PBR, and heritage site framework under the national Biological Diversity Act.
• Telangana State Biodiversity Board: State-level biodiversity board with the same statutory mandate in a peer Indian state. Directly comparable on PBR documentation, BMC coordination, and ABS oversight functions under the Biological Diversity Act framework.
• Maharashtra State Biodiversity Board: Statutory board implementing biodiversity conservation and ABS regulation across Maharashtra under the same national framework. Comparable peer serving a similar state-level conservation and documentation mandate through BMCs.

Broad incumbents

• Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE): Federation of forestry research institutes under the Ministry of Environment. Adjacent to KSBB's mandate on forest and agro-biodiversity, with overlapping research capabilities but broader forestry and climate focus rather than sub-national biodiversity governance.
• Wildlife Institute of India (WII): Autonomous institution under the Ministry of Environment with broader wildlife and conservation research mandate. Comparable on conservation science and capacity building, but operates at a national rather than state level with a research rather than regulatory mandate.

Others

• M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF): Chennai-based research foundation and active KSBB partner on agrobiodiversity, community seed banks, and traditional knowledge documentation. Adjacent ecosystem participant collaborating on agrobiodiversity consultation and custodian farmer programs in Kerala.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kerala-state-biodiversity-board

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Kerala State Biodiversity Board