Biodiversity, Knowledge And Sharing
Monday, July 19th, 2010According to their traditions, the individuals in the traditional communities do not and cannot own the natural resources and the knowledge associated with the biodiversity. The natural resource and the knowledge are the common property. This is held by the community collectively for the welfare of all. There are certain individuals or families who hold specialized knowledge. This is passed on to their progeny to transmit the knowledge to subsequent generation. This knowledge too is held in trust for the benefit of the community. The knowledge is not to be privatized and commercialized.
The issue of making this knowledge into intellectual property so that these can be traded as a commodity has come in for intense debate in recent times. What has come to emerge is that when such knowledge and related biodiversity is commercialized, the prior informed consent of the holders of the knowledge and related resources are to be obtained. The community should also receive a share in the profits from such commercialization. Governments are yet to incorporate these requirements in their respective national laws. However, these have now come to be recognized internationally as desirable principles.
Acquiring the biological material such as plants, microorganisms and animals or the traditional knowledge on these biological materials without the prior informed consent of those whose traditional knowledge or biodiversity are taken is called biopiracy. Hoodia earned the reputation as an appetite suppressant after this knowledge was discovered with the indigenous San people. The Hoodia extract has been the basis for a number of products in the weight loss market. After the media raised the issue of biopiracy, a share in the royalties is now offered to the San people. There are isolated examples of recognition of similar claims as Arogyapacha in India.
The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is the international instrument that enunciated prior informed consent, and access and benefit sharing as the principles to guide such commercial exploitation of traditional knowledge. CBD became an international instrument of law in 1993. CBD provided for the right of countries to its genetic resource and knowledge to regulate and control them. The bioprospectors who intend to access these resources and knowledge are to obtain prior informed consent. These accesses are to be controlled and regulated by the respective national governments. All the countries have ratified CBD except for Andorra, Brunei, Somalia, Iraq, and United States.
Obesity can be treated in a lot of ways. However, natural treatments such as the Hoodia Extracts can treat obesity safely and effectively.
FYI: For some useful buying activities, click http://usedsportsautos.com and discover details all about (a) used ford mustangs for sale.
—
More on the Topic of Health and Weight Loss
Herbal Weight Loss – Learn more about herbal weight loss and how it be effective and easily achieved
Green Tea Weight Loss – Join the green tea lovers who lose weight and stay more fit and have more success with this weight loss regiment
How To Lose Weight Quickly – Know more about the many ways on how you can lose weight quickly
How To Lose Weight – Learn more how to lose weight the right way and more effective plans and programs
Thanks,



