Board to host biodiversity meet on February 9, 10

Board to host biodiversity meet on February 9, 10

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Feb 2, 2015 : Karnataka Biodiversity Board will organise a workshop on access and benefit sharing related to traditional knowledge on biodiversity, at MGM College Udupi on February 9 and 10, between 10 am to 5 pm.

Briefing reporters, in Mangaluru, on Monday, Karnataka Biodiversity Board member and Centre for Ecological Sciences (IISc) Field Station, Kumta, ecologist Dr M D Subhash Chandran said qualities of medicinal, cosmetic, nutraceutical and crop plants only available in India are reserved through patent by foreign countries. Also, many herbs are being exported to other nations, and the products are sold at high costs.

But, there is no good financial returns to the nation and the traditional knowledge holders are not benefited.  In order to create awareness among traditional holders and to record their knowledge the National Biodiversity and Karnataka Biodiversity Board has taken several initiatives.

The Biodiversity Act of 2002 has suggested the formation of Biodiversity Management Committees at village levels to provide benefits to traditional knowledge holders and also to implement benefit sharing from the manufacturing companies. The authority has also issued a notification in this regard in 2014. In the state, around 1500 such committees have been formed, he said.

Holders of traditional knowledge such as herbal medicines, animal products, agricultural practices, bio fertilisers, crop plants breeds etc, can attend the workshop and submit their knowledge to the biodiversity, board, which in turn will be included in the digital library, after the processing of information.

Once it is registered with the biodiversity board, the knowledge holder will have authorisation on his knowledge and if the companies are interested to use the knowledge, should provide reimbursement from 0.1 per cent to 0.3 per cent of the profit to the knowledge holder as user fee and also up to 5 per cent to the Gram Panchayat of the place from where the raw materials are being collected. 0.1 per cent  for the annual gross ex factory sale of the product up to 10 lakh, 0.2 per cent for the sale up to one crore, and 0.5 per cent for the sale up to 3 crore, should go to the knowledge holder, as benefit sharing component. Also up to 5 percent should be given to the biodiversity board. These regulations are already given by the biodiversity authority.

To take part in the workshop, contact : 08386 223426, 9481048964, 9449813043