BIS Issues IS 20201:2026 Standard for Community Seed Banks to Protect Indigenous Crop Varieties

Key facts

• The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), under the Department of Consumer Affairs, has released the Indian Standard IS 20201:2026 to strengthen the management of Community Seed Banks (CSBs).
• Developed by the Biodiversity Sectional Committee of the Environment and Ecology Department of BIS, the standard provides a framework for preserving traditional seed varieties and enhancing agricultural resilience.
• The standard aligns with the National Food Security and Nutrition Mission (NFSNM), the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Act, 2001, and the Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
• The guidelines cover organisational arrangements, seed collection and acquisition, viability testing, cleaning, drying, storage, documentation, quality assurance, seed regeneration, risk management, and continuous improvement.
• The draft was prepared under the convenorship of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)-National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, with contributions from the National Biodiversity Authority, the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Authority, Rythu Sadhikara Samstha, and the BAIF Development Research Foundation.