Signposting Human Resources for Biodiversity

Preservation through Timely Training

Anirudha Alam

Biodiversity boosts ecosystem productivity where every living organism has an individual role to
play in our environment. A larger number of plant species is ensuring a greater variety of crops
catering to us. It is to say that more than 90 per cent of the calories consumed by people
worldwide are produced from 80 plant species. What’s more! Almost 30 percent of medicines are
developed directly from plants and animals and numerous are derived from these sources. For
instance, we may say about the medicine of heart disease still produced from wild foxgloves. But
general people are not properly aware of how their behaviors are endangering these kinds of
species gravely. They have not enough environmental education and training by which they will
be able to contribute to sustaining biodiversity in a sound condition.

Scientists and researchers are consecutively screening wild plants in search of cures for cancer,
HIV/AIDS and other serious diseases. All farm crops and animals are emerged from wild
organisms. Fruit crops are dependable on many insects that are pollinating their flowers. We
gather the natural biodiversity from the oceans and rivers for fulfilling our needs. Endangered
species have to be protected and saved that future generations may experience their existence and
importance. So it is urgently necessary to signpost the whole human resources globally for
environmental education and training that they are well-equipped with latest information,
knowledge, timely technology and know-how to preserve biodiversity as a whole. Since 1996,
Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation has been organizing knowledge management
activities in its intervention areas and through these need based performances, the deprived
people of Bangladesh are being motivated and empowered to own the problems and identify
solutions as to biodiversity i.e. environment preservations.

It is a very cruel crime to endanger any species of the nature. There are a lot of rules and
regulations launched previously in response to the need. To safeguard the endangered species, it
has no option of initiating legal steps on behalf of society, country as well as the United Nations.
The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) a branch of the UN specifically for dealing
with worldwide environmental problems has helped with different flagship efforts at global
environmental regulations entitled: The 1987 Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the
Ozone Layer, The Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and
Pesticides in International Trade, The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species
of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and so on. There are very little people who know that to retain
the soundness of our biodiversity they should be aware of some rules and regulations. In this
case, human resource development through training is necessary by which general people’s inner
beings may be stimulated to learn new information and be familiar with existing laws and
conventions to practice them in their individual and social life.

Bangladesh has National Environment Policy 1992 and Environmental Conservation Act 1995 to
identify source of pollution and control it. But we are not obeying or caring for them. The laws
regarding aspects of environmental preservation are not always seriously being implemented.

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Even of when an urgent decision is taken, its implementation gets delayed or bogged down by
different negligence for long time. Relocation of the tanneries at Hazaribag of Dhaka city is a
case to be mentioned as a perfect example in point and still is endangering the species in the river
water and the located area tremendously. All of these are happening because we have not enough
access to necessary awareness, knowledge, information, messages, training and education with
technical know-how to maintain such kinds of rules.

Different species are not only saving and sustaining our lives on earth. They are supporting on a
great scale to flourishing pharmaceutical industry worth over $ 40 billion annually. The
unfortunate fact for us is that, only 5 per cent of known plant species have been screened for their
medicinal values; whereas, 100 species on an average are being lost from our environment daily.
To make us get rid of this critical and unpleasant situation, different human resource development
institutions may play significant role and execute such support programs as behavior change
communication (BCC), advocacy, social networking and community mobilization integrating
training oriented activities. In this point of view and with all of these development interventions,
Bangladesh Extension Education Services (BEES) has been implementing Agriculture & Social
Forestry Program over the years in 30 districts of Bangladesh in down-to-earth method for
safeguarding environment and protecting common species from being endangered.

To conserve the great variety of species with special attention and their habitats, we should feel
the need of a diverse range of life skills for all that can be used in real life enterprise, educational
and conservation activities. It is necessary to expand the scope of providing expertise through
orientation training on nature interpretation and conservation to both of the educated people with
all of basic amenities and the disadvantaged & poor people – the greatest part of the population in
the developing countries like Bangladesh – bringing knowledge as to importance of nature and
natural resources. By the way, developing local people’s capacity on biodiversity preservation
may get especial emphasis in the point of making all the segments of the communities involved
with sustainable environment awareness campaingn.

Anirudha Alam
Deputy Director (Information & Development Communication) & Trainer
BEES (Bangladesh Extension Education Services)
183, Lane 2, Eastern Road, New DOHS
Mohakhali, Dhaka 1206
Bangladesh.
Website: http://anirudhaalam.onsugar.com/
Phone: 01718342876, 9889732, 9889733 (office), 8050514 (res.)
E-mail: anirudhaalam@yahoo.com

Ref: Annual Report 2007-08 of Bangladesh Extension Education Services, United Nations Environment
Program, UNDP, Bangladesh has National Environment Policy 1992

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