Tiger Conservation Must Balance Ecology and Livelihoods, Says Bhupender Yadav

New Delhi- Union Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Bhupender Yadav has called for a conservation approach that combines ecological protection with the needs and knowledge of local communities.

Yadav made the remarks while inaugurating a two-day international workshop in New Delhi focused on “Tiger Landscapes: Conservation, Bioeconomy and Ecotourism as Pillars for Livelihood and Income Generation.” The event is being held from September 2 to 3 and is jointly organised by the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA), Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

Addressing the inaugural session, Yadav said tiger conservation cannot be viewed only through the protection of the species. Healthy tiger habitats depend on functioning forests, grasslands, rivers, prey populations, wildlife corridors and the communities living around them.

He described tiger landscapes as an important form of natural capital, supporting services such as water security, carbon sequestration, climate regulation, biodiversity protection and livelihoods.

The Minister stressed the need to move towards integrated landscape management, where conservation objectives are pursued alongside economic opportunities for communities. He also highlighted nature-based solutions, innovative financing and community-led ecotourism as important components of this approach.

“Conservation with harmony and human-nature coexistence should be the foundation of ecological conservation,” Yadav said.

The Minister also drew attention to growing challenges such as desertification, declining soil moisture and deterioration in soil quality. He said protecting tiger landscapes can contribute to addressing these concerns while supporting sustainable socio-economic development.

Yadav urged participants to examine ways of documenting traditional and indigenous knowledge and incorporating it into policymaking related to conservation, bioeconomy and ecotourism.

He said the IBCA should take the lead in bringing together indigenous knowledge from countries of the Global South and using it to strengthen ecological conservation policies.

A key development at the workshop was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between IBCA and ADB.

The agreement is aimed at expanding cooperation in areas including landscape conservation, sustainable development, capacity building, knowledge exchange and nature-positive financing.

Yadav also highlighted the expanding role of IBCA as an international platform for cooperation among countries and institutions working to conserve the world’s seven big cat species.

ADB Country Director for India Mia Oka said 2026 marks 40 years of the development bank’s partnership with India. She noted that India’s experience in ecological conservation and sustainable socio-economic development can provide valuable lessons for other big-cat range countries.

Oka added that ADB would support efforts to connect big-cat range nations, facilitate knowledge sharing and explore sustainable financing mechanisms for conservation.

The workshop has brought together government representatives and experts from Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Malaysia, Nepal and Vietnam, along with officials from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, State Forest Departments and tiger reserves across India.

Researchers, conservation practitioners, development partners and other stakeholders are also participating.

The discussions are expected to focus on recognising tiger landscapes as natural assets and identifying ways to combine biodiversity conservation with livelihood generation, ecotourism, bioeconomy opportunities and long-term ecological security.