Women need to be equally and actively involved in process to conserveand sustainably use biodiversity because they play a critical role as primary land managers and resource users.
Women are conversant with the indigenous knowledge and the environment friendly practices and how best they can be used.
In agricultural sector, women of the villages in Odisha are playing an important role. Women produce food, build houses, dig wells and harvest crops. They are involved in many agriculture related activities. The rural women in the villages do a range of activities which are agriculture-related. They have a greater familiarity with the local environment and the bio resources.
Under such circumstances, women get enough opportunities to acquire practical knowledge of local biodiversity and by sharing their personal experiences with the others they do a great job. Micro management of the environment by women is of immense value to society. In the villages, women develop a good understanding of the useful plants, besides of domestic and wild animals, primarily because of their constant association with farming and kitchen gardening.
They are well-versed with various elements of village ecosystem and socioeconomic activities of the villagers. Enabling women’s full engagement in biodiversity decisions is critical. That goes a long way in biodiversity conservation and its sustainable use.
However, the potential of women for biodiversity conservation is still to be fully explored. This is especially true for indigenous and rural women, who are often more marginalised in decision-making processes.
Researches show that involving women in forest and fishery management groups can result in better resources governance and conservation outcomes. Despite this, women are under-represented in decision making positions related to environmental and sustainable development issues.
Measures like extending the role of women self help groups (SHGs) and reservation for women in service delivery aspects of local environmental issues in the Panchayati Raj system are necessary to increase the representation of women in decision making and allow women in voicing their needs, knowledge, priorities and solutions as regards sustainable development and issues related to environmental governance at the panchayat level.
An inclusive approach is needed to support women in biodiversity conservation and for creating awareness and promoting long-term beneficial action. Such understanding may be of great value in any effort for bio resources use and consideration.