As important as the outputs of any activity, is the process of formulating these outputs. It is with this spirit that the process of drafting the National Biodiversity Strategy Action Plan (NBSAP) in India, moved away from the general trend of policy making. The effort was to decentralize the planning process as far as possible and proceed from the grassroots level upwards. Several thousand people all over the country were involved, through workshops, public hearings, yatras or rallies, and consultations. Many other ongoing biodiversity conservation processes were also been linked to, and past initiatives built upon. People from all walks of life, including those from local communities, government agencies, NGOs, academic and scientific institutions, the armed forces, politicians, journalists, and others were involved.

This 4-year process resulted in the preparation of 71 Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans at state, local, ecoregional and thematic levels, 32 sub thematic reviews, and a Final Technical Report (as a draft NBSAP) itself. Equally important, it led to significant creation of awareness, empowerment, and networking because of the nature of the process.

The documentation of this unique participatory process is therefore extremely important. Such an exercise with a detailed analysis, focusing on limitations and strengths, can serve as an useful model for other countries formulating their respective BSAPs, as well as other planning exercises within India This is more so in the light of the fact that such detailed process documentation has not been done in almost any other NBSAP process in the world. It is hoped that the documentation of the Indian NBSAP process will reflect the vast array and creativity of ideas, innovations, and participation at different levels, along with weaknesses and failures, and key lessons learnt.

This publication brings together the experiences, methodologies, andsome results of India’s NBSAP process. Over 11 chapters it gives a background to the initiative, the institutional structure and an insight into various levels of planning. It further documents the innovative mechanisms used in both outreach and planning along with the process followed for preparing the draft NBSAP. It clarifies why this draft was finally produced as a Final Technical Report, and why a final NBSAP was still not ready as of late 2006. The final section is on emerging implementation at various levels of the planning process.

This exercise is a result of the efforts of thousands of people across India, and the document is a mere glimpse of their remarkable endeavours to make planning a truly people-led process.

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