Indigenous Knowledge and Biopiracy

Indigenous Knowledge and Biopiracy Dr. Jyoti S. Kawalekar Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Botany K. L. E. Societys R. L. Sc. Institute, (Autonomous) Belagavi Indigenous people posses important traditional knowledge that have allowed them to sustainably live and make use of biological and genetic diversity within their natural environment for generations. Traditional Knowledge naturally includes a deep understanding of ecological processes and the ability to sustainably extract useful products from the local habitat. Traditional knowledge (TK) is thus knowledge, know-how, skills and practices that are developed, sustained and passed on from generation to generation within a community, often forming part of its cultural or spiritual identity. Some forms of traditional knowledge are expressed through stories, legends, folklore, rituals, songs, and even laws. Other forms of traditional knowledge are expressed through different means. Traditional knowledge (TK) - knowledge system held by indigenous communities, is often related to their surrounding natural environment like -Agriculture knowledge, scientific knowledge, technical knowledge, ecological knowledge, medicinal knowledge etc. The indigenous people of the world possess an immense knowledge of their environments, based on centuries of living close to nature. Protection of Traditional Knowledge (TK) seems to be one of the most important issues today. The discussion of the protection of Traditional Knowledge is particularly relevant for developing countries like India. TK based on biological resources is threatened by Biopiracy (theft of biological resources) by big multinational companies and pharmaceutical companies. A situation where indigenous knowledge of nature, originating with indigenous people, is used by others for profit, without permission from and with little or no compensation or recognition to the indigenous people themselves. Developed countries are exploiting developing countries genetic resources and indigenous communities traditional knowledge in the name of patents on the inventions derived from those genetic resources and this leads to biopiracy. Biopiracy operates through unfair application of patents to genetic resources and traditional knowledge.