The Government of India has developed a dedicated digital portal for awarding Certificates of Origin for farmed medicinal plants, a move likely to assist farmers, researchers, and India's rapidly expanding AYUSH and herbal industries. 

The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA), a statutory organization under the Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Climate Change (MoEFCC), designed and operationalised the portal, which went live on February 5, 2026, according to an official release from the Press Information Bureau.

The online portal, absefiling.nbaindia.in, serves as a single-window, end-to-end system for processing applications and providing certificates electronically. Officials stated that it is intended to assist stakeholders seeking Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) exemptions for medicinal plants obtained through cultivation rather than harvested in the wild. 

The government explained that the system is based on the Biological Diversity (Amendment) Act, 2023, which was passed by Parliament in July-August 2023 and was later supported by the Biological Diversity Rules, which were notified in 2024 and 2025. These law amendments are intended to eliminate procedural impediments while protecting India's biological resources. 

A Certificate of Origin is an official document that proves that a medicinal plant was grown legally and did not come from natural forests or wild habitats. Simply said, it allows regulators to distinguish between plants grown by farmers and those taken from biodiversity-rich places, which require tighter licences. 

The revised rules now allow such certifications to be created electronically using an authorised digital platform, replacing paper-based and fragmented processes. "The portal functions as a single-window, end-to-end online system for processing applications and issuing Certificates of Origin," according to a PIB statement. 

The shift is especially important for the AYUSH sector, seed firms, research institutions, and herbal product makers, who rely heavily on cultivated medicinal plants for formulations, clinical research, and exports. Various stakeholders frequently cite ABS compliance as challenging and time-consuming. 

The action carries significant implications for both science and conservation. Experts note that producing medicinal plants alleviates strain on wild populations, many of which are depleted due to overharvesting. Digital tracking ensures the enforcement of biodiversity conservation rules without impeding genuine production and study. 

India's latest biodiversity reform is quietly changing the way medicinal plants reach your medicine cabinet. The Certificate of Origin is at the heart of it, serving as digital confirmation that herbs are ethically grown rather than harvested from the wild. The entirely online system simplifies approvals for farmers, businesses, and researchers, reducing delays and increasing compliance. The shift has far-reaching consequences: it streamlines AYUSH production, boosts herbal exports, and reassures customers that the goods they use are legally derived, environmentally sustainable, and intentionally safer. 

Officials hope the digital gateway would make doing business easier, promote biodiversity governance, and help India achieve its goal of becoming a global powerhouse for traditional medicine and plant-based health products—all while maintaining conservation at the forefront of policy.