Kodenchery panchayat to launch digital biodiversity register

The Kodenchery grama panchayat will soon launch a digitised People’s Biodiversity Register (PBR), aiming to document local bioresources, traditional knowledge, and the ecosystem in electronic format, with technical support from newly formed ward-level committees under trained enumerators. The local body plans to release the digitised version on October 2 upon completion of the ongoing data collection.

“We have a 12-member committee — including local experts and enumerators — for each ward to complete the process in a systematic and scientific manner. Once the uploading is complete, we will be able to access the biodiversity features of all 21 wards in Kodenchery at the click of a mouse,” says Alex Thomas Chembakassery, president of the panchayat. He adds that the digitised version will also update the earlier register, which was prepared with only basic information in 2014.

Mr. Chembakassery says the digitised register will contain more specific and comprehensive information on traditional medical practices, agricultural activities, and local biodiversity attractions. In the case of Kodenchery, details of indigenous medicines promoted by tribespeople will be a major highlight, he adds.

Enumerators involved in the field-level survey say efforts are under way to collect micro-level details of traditional agricultural practices, high-yielding local seed varieties, and unique forest resources. They add that documenting various species of butterflies is also under consideration, with support from experts.

To ensure the record is authentic for future reference and planning, the involvement of experienced officers from the Forest department has been secured. Researchers from the Botany and Zoology departments of various colleges will also contribute to validating the data before its online release.