Subject: Re: Bioprospecting info?
Date: Tue, 23 Feb 1999 10:53:07 -0500
From: "Goodman, Kenneth J" <goodmanj@BATTELLE.ORG>
Reply-To: Ecol/Env Anthropology <EANTH-L@UGA.CC.UGA.EDU>
To: EANTH-L@UGA.CC.UGA.EDU
Sean,
Here are some references you might find useful. (I hope I'm not overloading
you). The International Cooperative Biodiversity Groups (ICBG) program,
sponsored by NIH, NSF, and others is a bioprospecting program in about a
dozen countries that you should look into. The programs in Suriname and the
African countries of Nigeria and Cameroon have interesting
bioprospecting/benefit sharing agreements. Conservation International
developed the agreements for Suriname and Shaman Pharmaceuticals helped to
develop the agreements for Africa. Good luck.
Artuso, Anthony. (1997). Capturing the Chemical Value of Biodiversity:
Economic Perspectives and Policy Prescriptions. IN Biodiversity and Human
Health. (Francesca Grifo and Joshua Rosenthal, eds.) Washington, DC:
Island Press. Pp. 184-204.
Asebey, Edgar J. (1996) Indigenous Knowledge and Intellectual Property:
Towards Equitable Compensation. Pan American Health Organization
560:191-199.
Axt, Josephine R., M. Lynne Corn, Margaret Lee, and David M. Ackerman.
(1993). Biotechnology, Indigenous Peoples, and Intellectual Property
Rights. Congressional Research Service Report, April 16.
Baker, J., Borris, R., Carte, B., Cordell, G., Soejarto, D., Cragg, G.,
Gupta, M., Iwu, M., Madulid, D. and Tyler, V. (1995). Natural Product Drug
Discovery and Development: New Perspectives on International Collaboration.
Journal of Natural Products 58(9), 1325-1357.
Balick, Michael J., Elaine Elisabetsky, and Sarah A. Laird (eds). (1996).
Medicinal Resources of the Tropical Forest: Biodiversity and its Importance
to Human Health. New York: Columbia University Press.
Barbier, E.B., and B.A. Aylward. (1996). Capturing the Pharmaceutical
Value of Biodiversity in a Developing Country. Environmental and Resource
Economics 8/2, 157-181.
Bhat, M.G. (1996). Trade-related Intellectual Property Rights to
Biological Resources: Socioeconomic Implications for Developing Countries.
Ecological Economics 19(3), 205-217.
Brush, Stephen B., and Doreen Stabinsky (eds.) (1996). Valuing Local
Knowledge: Indigenous People and Intellectual Property Rights. Washington,
DC: Island Press.
Grifo, Francesca, and D. Downes. (1996). Agreements to Collect
Biodiversity for Pharmaceutical Research: Major Issues and Proposed
Principles. IN Valuing Local Knowledge: Indigenous People and Intellectual
Property Rights. (S. Brush and D. Stabinsky, eds.) Washington, DC: Island
Press. Pp. 281-303.
Iwu, Maurice. (1996). Implementing the Biodiversity Treaty: How to Make
International Cooperative Agreements Work. Trends in Biotechnology 14,
78-83.
Iwu, Maurice. (1996). Biodiversity Prospecting in Nigeria: Seeking Equity
and Reciprocity in Intellectual Property Rights through Partnership
Arrangements and Capacity Building. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 51(1/3),
209-219.
Juma, Calestous, and John Mugabe. (1996). Biodiversity Prospecting:
Opportunities and Challenges for African Countries. IN Biodiversity,
Science and Development: Towards a New Partnership. (F. di Castri and T.
Younes, eds). Wallingford, UK: CAB International. Pp. 519-538.
Mays, T.D., and K.D. Mazan. (1996). Legal Issues in Sharing the Benefits
of Biodiversity Prospecting. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 51(1/3), 93-109.
Miller, J.S. (1997). Ensuring Community Based Benefits in Multinational
Bioprospecting. American Journal of Botany 84(6), 112-113.
Miller, J.S., and D.K. Harder. (1994). Models for Ethical Collaboration in
Biodiversity Prospecting. Monographs in Systematic Botany 48, 239-244.
Moran, Katy (1998) "Mechanisms for Benefit Sharing: Nigerian Case Study for
the Convention on Biological Diversity. Washington, D.C.: the Healing Forest
Conservancy.
Mugabe, John, Charles Victor Barber, Gudrun Henne, Lyle Glowka, and Antonio
La Vina. (1996). Managing Access to Genetic Resources: Towards Strategies
for Benefit-Sharing. Kenya, Nairobi: African Centre for Technology Studies.
Nabhan, Gary Paul, Angelo Joaquin Jr., Nancy Laney, and Kevin Dahl. (1996)
Sharing the Benefits of Plant Resources and Indigenous Scientific Knowledge.
IN Valuing Local Knowledge: Indigenous People and Intellectual Property
Rights. (Stephen B. Brush and Doreen Stabinsky, eds). Pp. 186-208.
Washington, DC: Island Press.
Nettleton, D.E. Jr. (1995). Bioprospecting, Compensation and
Biopreservation. Drug News and Perspectives 8/4, 250-256.
Posey, Darrell. (1996). Protecting Indigenous Peoples' Rights to
Biodiversity: People, Property, and Bioprospecting. Environment 38(8),
37-45.
Putterman, Daniel M. (1995) Model Material Transfer Agreements for
Equitable Biodiversity Prospecting. Colorado Journal of International
Environmental Law and Policy 7:149-177.
Reid, Walter V., Sarah A. Laird, Carrie A. Meyer, Rodrigo Gámez, Ana
Sittenfeld, Daniel H. Janzen, Michael A. Gollin, and Calestous Juma (eds.).
(1993). Biodiversity Prospecting: Using Genetic Resources for Sustainable
Development. Washington, DC: World Resources Insititute.
Rosenthal, Joshua P. (1996). Equitable Sharing of Biodiversity Benefits:
Agreements on Genetic Resources. OECD International Conference on
Biodiversity Incentive Measuress. Cairns, Australia, March 25-28, 1996.
Rubin, S., and S. Fish. (1994). Biodiversity Prospecting: Using Innovative
Contractual Provisions to Foster Ethnobotanical Knowledge, Technology, and
Conservation. Colorado Journal of International Evironmental Law & Policy 5,
23-58.
Simpson, R. David, R.A. Sedjo, and Walter V. Reid. (1996). Valuing
Biodiversity for Use in Pharmaceutical Research. Journal of Political
Economy 104(1), 163-185.
Soejarto, D.D. (1996). Biodiversity Prospecting and Benefit-Sharing:
Perspectives from the Field. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 51(1/3), 1-15.
ten Kate, Kerry (1995). The Role of Providers, Collectors and Users:
Biodiversity Prospecting Partnerships. Biotechnology and Development
Monitor 25, 16-21.
Kenneth J. Goodman, M.A.
Health Researcher
Battelle Centers for Public Health Research and Evaluation
2101 Wilson Blvd., Suite 800
Arlington, VA 22201
(703) 875-2101
(703) 527-5640 - fax
goodmanj@battelle.org
Subject: World Bank Forum on IK and Development
Date: Wed, 3 Mar 1999 22:58:16 -0500 (EST)
From: Shane P Mulligan <smulliga@uoguelph.ca>
To: indknow <indknow@u.washington.edu>
The Bank has been hosting a knowledge and development discussion since
February 1. Week five focuses on IPRs and IK - thought some here might
want to join in. The Bank's introductory message is below.
More info is available at
http://www.worldbank.org/dev-forum/current-knowledge.html
or one can join the discussion by sending to
majordomo@jazz.worldbank.org
(no subject)
the message:
SUBSCRIBE IKD
Adios,
Shane P. Mulligan
P.O. Box 48-2398
University of Guelph
Guelph, Ontario
N1G 2W1, CANADA
smulliga@uoguelph.ca
http://www.uoguelph.ca/~smulliga
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, 03 Mar 1999 14:54:06 -0500
From: Cdahlman@worldbank.org
Reply-To: ikd@jazz.worldbank.org
To: ikd@jazz.worldbank.org
Subject: [IKD] Introduction to Week 5
Week 5: Indigenous Knowledge and Intellectual Property Rights Issues.
Indigenous knowledge (IK) is an important, yet underutilized resource in
the development process. Numerous IK practices have evolved, especially in
agriculture, health, environment, customary law and social institutions in
various cultures and environments. Communities in other parts of the world
could benefit from such practices if the latter are exchanged and
disseminated. But there is a risk that due to the advance and rapid
dissemination of Western scientific knowledge, indigenous knowledge could
be swamped or ignored.
There is also concern about a tendency of pharmaceutical or agro-industrial
multinationals to appropriate indigenous knowledge, build upon it, and
patent
it without compensating the original owners of that knowledge. Most IK
does not meet conventional patenting requirements: ownership by a legal
entity, novelty, and originality, so it is difficult to protect under
existing conventions.
Some of the questions that could be addressed in this week's discussion
include:
What are examples of IK practices in the areas of education, health, social
institutions, environment?
How can IK be protected?
What positive examples are there of compensation by multinationals of
indigenous knowledge and how was that achieved?
Is developing a code of ethics a viable proposition, and is it likely to
work?
What role could local communities play in exchanging their know-how across
cultures and borders?
What role could the private sector, governments or donor organizations play
without compromising IPR of the communities?
At a broader level there is concern that the trend towards strengthening of
intellectual property rights (IPRs) could hurt developing countries and the
poor. This applies not only to agreements that have already been reached
but
also to future issues that are constantly being brought forward as science
and
technology open up new issues in areas such as bioengineering and software
development which are still not fully covered by existing agreements and
that
can have also have some secondary impacts. (Take for example Monsanto's
development of hybrid seeds that are designed to become sterile so that the
plants cannot reproduce and the additional concern of this sterilization
feature could accidentally spill over and make even some local varieties
sterile.)
Some of the issues that could be addressed include:
What can be done to counterbalance some of these trends toward greater
privatization of knowledge that can negatively affect poorer developing
countries?
Where can stronger IPRs have positive impacts on less developed countries?
How can the tension between these two be best addressed?
How can the negotiating capacity of developing countries be strengthened in
current and future negotiations on intellectual property rights?
Carl Dahlman
cdahlman@worldbank.org
Subject: [IKD] WEEK 5 - ON RIGHTS AND WRONGS
Date: Thu, 4 Mar 1999 11:24:49 -0600
From: Alfonso Gumucio Dagron <agumucio@guate.net>
Reply-To: ikd@jazz.worldbank.org
To: "'ikd@jazz.worldbank.org'" <ikd@jazz.worldbank.org>
CC: "'James Deane'" <panos@gn.apc.org>,
"'James Deane (PANOS)'"
<jamesd@panoslondon.org.uk>
The appropriation of indigenous knowledge is a fact that affects not
only scientific knowledge (medicine, agriculture...) but also the arts.
Music for example, is one of the most affected areas in that sense.
The culture of the poorest countries is often object of pillage by
stronger countries. This is very clear to everybody in the area of
medicine, where herbal knowledge from traditional doctors has been
largely appropriated by multinational laboratories.
It is less known that this also happens between neighboring countries.
Traditional songs and festivals from Bolivia, for example, have been in
recent years "adopted" by Chile as if they were original from that
country, although it has very little indigenous Aymara population. Brasil
record industry made millions with the "Lambada" song until a legal
process determined that the rights were owned by a Bolivian folk group. A
third level of appropriation happens within each country: richer people
will take advantage of power and position to deprive poor people from the
rights to their knowledge, often transmitted orally from generation to
generation.
Actually, I have always thought that many academicians in the "First
World" have a very similar practice when they publish their books based
on the hard research made by their students, and in many cases take
credit for discoveries that were the result of a collective effort.
I fully agree that existing conventions do not protect indigenous
knowledge which is often a collective knowledge. Legislation on
intellectual property is also culturally biased and usually benefits the
powerful rather than the poor. Another Bolivian example: in the early
sixties a group of young Bolivian filmmakers did a research on a few
famous bandits from the US that ended their life while robbing trains in
the Bolivian highlands. They filmmakers prepared a script and went to
the US to seek for funding for a film production. Their negotiations
were not successful, 20th Century Fox rejected the project, the studio
was not interested. But only a few years later, in 1969, the same
script was directed by George Roy Hill, with Paul Newman and Robert
Redford. The title: "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid". The script was
credited to William Goldman. The real authors of the script attempted
legal action against 20th Century Fox, but of course they never got very
far with it.
In final analysis, we are talking about one same thing: power and
discrimination. But again, there is a role for communication as an
instrument of strengthening cultural values and identity. No matter what
legislation is in place if communities continue to be marginalized and do
not know how to take advantage of laws protecting their scientific and
cultural knowledge, things will not change. Perfecting the legislation is
only one aspect, the other is empowering communities to participate more
actively in a nations life.
Alfonso Gumucio Dagron
gumucio-dagron@bigfoot.com
Subject: [IKD] Integrating Indigenous Knowledge (IK) in development
Date: Fri, 5 Mar 1999 11:55:36 +0100
From: "Liebenstein, Guus von" <lieb@nuffic.nl>
Reply-To: ikd@jazz.worldbank.org
To: "'IKD@JAZZ.WORLDBANK.ORG'" <IKD@jazz.worldbank.org>
I am Guus von Liebenstein, director of the Centre for International Research
and Advisory Networks (http://www.nuffic.nl/ciran).
I welcome the discussion on Indigenous Knowledge (IK) as it may add to the
1998/99 World Development Report (Knowledge for Development) a proper
acknowledgement of indigenous knowledge that is outside the realm of the
technocratic and scientific community. From a development perspective - to
quote Nigel Cross , Director Panos, London - it is often unconnected
knowledge that is most valuable and productive. I trust that this discussion
will also contribute to a global effort to:
(1) make IK a key issue on the international development agenda
I share Carl Dahlman's observation that Indigenous Knowledge is an
important, yet under-utilised resource in the development process. Therefore
IK should be made a key issue on the international development agenda, which
at the same time also requires international support to strengthen
developing countries' capacity to capture, store and share indigenous
knowledge.
(2) raise awareness among policymakers and stakeholders with a professional
interest in development (private sector, NGOs, research and training
institutions)
Successful impact on the international development agenda requires a
strategy to raise awareness and to sensitise the sponsors of development
(including the donor community) and other stakeholders with a professional
interest in development, on the contribution of indigenous knowledge to
development planning and implementation. Establishing IK-information systems
and sharing information plays a crucial role in this process. The use of ICT
may accelerate the process on information sharing
(3) apply Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Practices (IKSP) in development
planning and implementation
IK is often closely related with survival and subsistence, which puts IK at
the basis for local-level decision making in e.g. food security, human and
animal health, education, and natural resource management. IK has the
potential to provide cost-effective, locally manageable and sustainable
problem-solving strategies for local communities, especially the poor. The
use of IK for development - if the producers are willing to share their
knowledge - should be communicated globally to further integrate IK in
development planning and implementation, and in community based and
participatory approaches for development.
(4) increase and support of efforts for the capturing, storing and
disseminating of IK
Global and local efforts are necessary to create a solid body of information
(e.g. best practices) on the contribution of IK to development, that may
feed the awareness raising strategy (see under 2). Support of local,
regional and global exchange of IK is necessary to learn from lessons, to
stimulate a sustained public debate on the role of IK in development, to
create diversity in knowledge, to guarantee the authenticity of knowledge,
and to create a variety in IK-information systems and knowledge brokers.
International cooperation and partnerships are required to promote the use
of IK in development by linking involved parties (sub-networks, thematical
and/or regional focal groups) and to facilitate interaction and exchange of
information between them.
CIRAN/Nuffic supports activities that capture, store and disseminate
information on IK's contribution to development by publishing and sharing
information on IK and development, by technical backstopping, and
consultancy on the establishment of IK-(information)networks
(http://www.nuffic.nl/ciran/ik.html), and by stimulating the establishment
of IK Resource Centres in developing countries
(http://www.nuffic.nl/ciran/ikdm/addresses.html). It is fortunate to observe
a growing number of global initiatives which aim at the establishment of
IK-information systems, e.g. World Bank's IK Initiative
(http://www.worldbank.org/html/afr/ik/default.htm), UNESCO-MOST programme
(http://www.unesco.org/most/bphome.htm), and ILO-INDISCO programme
(http://www.ilo.org/public/english/65entrep/coop/indisco.htm)
When I use term indigenous knowledge, I refer to knowledge and skills which
are generated outside the formal education system, and have the potential
for providing problem-solving strategies for local communities. I would like
to state explicitly that my concept goes beyond indigenous knowledge that is
sensitive of having a potential asset for being used and exploited by
pharmaceutical or agro-industrial multinationals. As a professional in the
development business, my first concern with IK is knowledge which is
potentially relevant and valuable from a development perspective. With this
statement I have no intention to avoid the discussion on IPR. I think the
IPR issue is extremely relevant, however the IPR discussion should be dealt
with in its proper context, and should not keep us away from the discussion
on 'free' information and knowledge, which may be useful for other
communities as well.
Guus von Liebenstein
CIRAN/Nuffic
The Hague, the Netherlands
tel: + 31 70 4260 321
fax:+ 31 70 4260 329
email: lieb@nuffic.nl
Subject: Integration Indigenous Knowledge (IK) in development
Date: Fri, 5 Mar 1999 15:18:19 +0100
From: "Liebenstein, Guus von" <lieb@nuffic.nl>
To: "'IK-network@nuffic.nl'" <IK-network@nuffic.nl>
Dear Madam/Sir,
World Bank's Development Forum (http://www.worldbank.org/devforum/) is a
public venue for online discussions on development issues sponsored by the
World Bank on behalf of the entire development community. Its focal point is
a series of new and ongoing moderated electronic discussions on key issues
and challenges facing the development community and the world's poor, with a
particular emphasis on learning from the experience of those who face these
challenges in their daily lives.
The online discussion includes one on Knowledge and Information for
Development (IKD), co-sponsored by the Panos Institute London. This list
will discuss the role of information and knowledge as tools of sustainable
development, and the challenges facing developing countries in seeking to
join the global information economy. It takes as its of departure the recent
World Bank World Development Report on Knowledge for Development and the
series of Panos Institute articles responding to that Report.
This week a discussion has been launched on a subject that may interest you,
i.e. Indigenous Knowledge and Intellectual Property Rights Issues. In case
you have not been informed otherwise on this online discussion list, I am
providing you with the following information, including my (CIRAN)
contribution to the list.
In case you wish to subscribe to the list, please send a message (do not
enter a subject) to
MAJORDOMO@JAZZ.WORLDBANK.ORG
In the body of the message type:
SUBSCRIBE IKD
I hope you will send your contributions as well to start a concerted effort
in promoting the use of IK in development.
Guus von Liebenstein
G.W. von Liebenstein
Director
Centre for International Research and Advisory Networks (CIRAN)
c/o Nuffic
P.O. Box 29777
2502 LT The Hague
The Netherlands
Phone: + 00 31 70 4260320/321
Fax: + 00 31 70 4260329
e-mail: lieb@nuffic.nl
http://www.nuffic.nl/ciran/ik.html
INTRODUCTION BY MODERATOR (CARL DAHLMAN)
OF THE LIST
Week 5: Indigenous Knowledge and Intellectual Property Rights Issues.
Indigenous knowledge (IK) is an important, yet underutilized resource in
the development process. Numerous IK practices have evolved, especially in
agriculture, health, environment, customary law and social institutions in
various cultures and environments. Communities in other parts of the world
could benefit from such practices if the latter are exchanged and
disseminated. But there is a risk that due to the advance and rapid
dissemination of Western scientific knowledge, indigenous knowledge could
be swamped or ignored.
There is also concern about a tendency of pharmaceutical or agro-industrial
multinationals to appropriate indigenous knowledge, build upon it, and
patent
it without compensating the original owners of that knowledge. Most IK
does not meet conventional patenting requirements: ownership by a legal
entity, novelty, and originality, so it is difficult to protect under
existing conventions.
Some of the questions that could be addressed in this week's discussion
include:
What are examples of IK practices in the areas of education, health, social
institutions, environment?
How can IK be protected?
What positive examples are there of compensation by multinationals of
indigenous knowledge and how was that achieved?
Is developing a code of ethics a viable proposition, and is it likely to
work?
What role could local communities play in exchanging their know-how across
cultures and borders?
What role could the private sector, governments or donor organizations play
without compromising IPR of the communities?
At a broader level there is concern that the trend towards strengthening of
intellectual property rights (IPRs) could hurt developing countries and the
poor. This applies not only to agreements that have already been reached
but
also to future issues that are constantly being brought forward as science
and
technology open up new issues in areas such as bioengineering and software
development which are still not fully covered by existing agreements and
that
can have also have some secondary impacts. (Take for example Monsanto's
development of hybrid seeds that are designed to become sterile so that the
plants cannot reproduce and the additional concern of this sterilization
feature could accidentally spill over and make even some local varieties
sterile.)
Some of the issues that could be addressed include:
What can be done to counterbalance some of these trends toward greater
privatization of knowledge that can negatively affect poorer developing
countries?
Where can stronger IPRs have positive impacts on less developed countries?
How can the tension between these two be best addressed?
How can the negotiating capacity of developing countries be strengthened in
current and future negotiations on intellectual property rights?
Carl Dahlman
cdahlman@worldbank.org
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
---
CONTRIBUTION OF GUUS VON LIEBENSTEIN TO THE LIST
I am Guus von Liebenstein, director of the Centre for International Research
and Advisory Networks (http://www.nuffic.nl/ciran).
I welcome the discussion on Indigenous Knowledge (IK) as it may add to the
1998/99 World Development Report (Knowledge for Development) a proper
acknowledgement of indigenous knowledge that is outside the realm of the
technocratic and scientific community. From a development perspective - to
quote Nigel Cross , Director Panos, London - it is often unconnected
knowledge that is most valuable and productive. I trust that this discussion
will also contribute to a global effort to:
(1) make IK a key issue on the international development agenda
I share Carl Dahlman's observation that Indigenous Knowledge is an
important, yet under-utilised resource in the development process. Therefore
IK should be made a key issue on the international development agenda, which
at the same time also requires international support to strengthen
developing countries' capacity to capture, store and share indigenous
knowledge.
(2) raise awareness among policymakers and stakeholders with a professional
interest in development (private sector, NGOs, research and training
institutions)
Successful impact on the international development agenda requires a
strategy to raise awareness and to sensitise the sponsors of development
(including the donor community) and other stakeholders with a professional
interest in development, on the contribution of indigenous knowledge to
development planning and implementation. Establishing IK-information systems
and sharing information plays a crucial role in this process. The use of ICT
may accelerate the process on information sharing
(3) apply Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Practices (IKSP) in development
planning and implementation
IK is often closely related with survival and subsistence, which puts IK at
the basis for local-level decision making in e.g. food security, human and
animal health, education, and natural resource management. IK has the
potential to provide cost-effective, locally manageable and sustainable
problem-solving strategies for local communities, especially the poor. The
use of IK for development - if the producers are willing to share their
knowledge - should be communicated globally to further integrate IK in
development planning and implementation, and in community based and
participatory approaches for development.
(4) increase and support of efforts for the capturing, storing and
disseminating of IK
Global and local efforts are necessary to create a solid body of information
(e.g. best practices) on the contribution of IK to development, that may
feed the awareness raising strategy (see under 2). Support of local,
regional and global exchange of IK is necessary to learn from lessons, to
stimulate a sustained public debate on the role of IK in development, to
create diversity in knowledge, to guarantee the authenticity of knowledge,
and to create a variety in IK-information systems and knowledge brokers.
International cooperation and partnerships are required to promote the use
of IK in development by linking involved parties (sub-networks, thematical
and/or regional focal groups) and to facilitate interaction and exchange of
information between them.
CIRAN/Nuffic supports activities that capture, store and disseminate
information on IK's contribution to development by publishing and sharing
information on IK and development, by technical backstopping, and
consultancy on the establishment of IK-(information)networks
(http://www.nuffic.nl/ciran/ik.html), and by stimulating the establishment
of IK Resource Centres in developing countries
(http://www.nuffic.nl/ciran/ikdm/addresses.html). It is fortunate to observe
a growing number of global initiatives which aim at the establishment of
IK-information systems, e.g. World Bank's IK Initiative
(http://www.worldbank.org/html/afr/ik/default.htm), UNESCO-MOST programme
(http://www.unesco.org/most/bphome.htm), and ILO-INDISCO programme
(http://www.ilo.org/public/english/65entrep/coop/indisco.htm)
When I use term indigenous knowledge, I refer to knowledge and skills which
are generated outside the formal education system, and have the potential
for providing problem-solving strategies for local communities. I would like
to state explicitly that my concept goes beyond indigenous knowledge that is
sensitive of having a potential asset for being used and exploited by
pharmaceutical or agro-industrial multinationals. As a professional in the
development business, my first concern with IK is knowledge which is
potentially relevant and valuable from a development perspective. With this
statement I have no intention to avoid the discussion on IPR. I think the
IPR issue is extremely relevant, however the IPR discussion should be dealt
with in its proper context, and should not keep us away from the discussion
on 'free' information and knowledge, which may be useful for other
communities as well.
Guus von Liebenstein
CIRAN/Nuffic
The Hague, the Netherlands
tel: + 31 70 4260 321
fax:+ 31 70 4260 329
email: lieb@nuffic.nl
Subject: [IKD] Re: Role of the media
Date: Fri, 5 Mar 1999 16:20:23 -0500 (EST)
From: "Michel J. Menou" <Michel.Menou@wanadoo.fr>
Reply-To: ikd@jazz.worldbank.org
To: ikd@jazz.worldbank.org
I am also following with interest the debates on this list.
As the discussion on the media is winding up, I note that the message I
sent at the beginning (reproduced below) was not posted, and that the issue
was hardly considered.
As one says when dealing with the media, No comment!
Michel Menou
>Date: Thu, 25 Feb 1999 09:36:04 +0100
>To: ikd@jazz.worldbank.org
>From: "Michel J. Menou" <Michel.Menou@wanadoo.fr>
>Subject: Re: [IKD] Role of the media - Introduction to Week 4
>
>Is not it a bit surprising not to find in the list of central issues (even
if it has no pretense at exhaustivity) the concentration penomena in the
media, and between them and major industrial conglomerates, including those
in the telecoms and entertainment industries ?
>Alas, if I am not mistaken, the issue of the control of communications has
not yet been touched. Although who controls the communications controls the
battle field.
>But of course there is no battle ....
>Michel Menou
>
Subject: [IKD] Re: Introduction to Week 5
Date: Fri, 5 Mar 1999 16:25:25 -0500 (EST)
From: "Angela C. de Siqueira" <acs4085@garnet.acns.fsu.edu>
Reply-To: ikd@jazz.worldbank.org
To: ikd@jazz.worldbank.org
" Most Indigenous knowledge does not meet conventional patenting
requirements: ownership by a legal entity, novelty, and originality, so it
is difficult to protect under existing conventions."
Who established the named "conventional patenting requirements"? who
benefits from them? In fact all knowledge is a collective and historical
production. No one creates knowledge from nothing... The basis of all
knowledge is some other knowledge produced by generations, even if used
to neglect it.
Imagine if all previous knowledge was patented; that is, transformed in
private property of a few? How knowledge production, transformation and
re-criation would be limited if for instance the newtonian physics was a
property of a few? Or if all seeds and way of food production becomes
property of a few? Everyone will be dependent of these few...
Indigenous knowledge carries novelty and originality; what they do not have
is ownership by a legal entity, because they are seem as "humanity
knowledge"; that is for the benefit of all. It is not a private property or
a secret that one must buy; you can have your own "pharmacy" on your
backyard or in a collective plantation. However, this does not bring profits
for multinational corporations that want to sell their products, by creating
new markets; even destroying and appropriating of indigenous knowledge.
If you go to poor and developing countries there is plenty use of herbs.
Many of them never studied in labs, but has been proven efficient to cure by
the use of generations. Isn't this knowledge? Why to be said that something
is efficient or exists one has to measure it, count and make lab tests? This
is only the western way; but this not imply and cannot give authority to say
that any other form of ancient use is not useful, right, valuable, or even
that it does not exist because there is no "scientific evidence", according
to western understanding.
This is the true way by which indigenous knowledge is being stolen and
appropriated: by denying its supposed lack of "scientific evidence".
Thus, those who created the "patents requirement", have the money and
technicians to make tests in lab proving the existence of some special
substance that indegenous people always used, without knowing or applying
a name for it, become property of a colletive knowledge!
However, they are only giving scientic names and classifying; not
discovering the use or the application of substances... Is this novelty and
originality? It is useful to remember that advertisment and industries are
very used to make up some products changing its size, color, shape, etc
to sell old things as new ones....They try to deny that there was previous
generational knowledge about the effect of such plants and that this
knowledge is a collective and generational patrimony; it does not have a
private owner and should not have. It is for public domain and well-being
of humanity.
There lot of things we use to cook that are seen as home medicine, besides
fruits, plants and even some animals and minerals. The homeophatic medicine
is a good example of this use; however, it was very depreciated by most of
medicine schools. The millenar acunpunture was also denied as medicine by
western medicine... Sure there was pressure from multinational firms to ban
and forbidden these practices, and the best way was not to teach and even
deny these subjects in medical courses.
The best way to protect indigenous knowledge is to reinforce its importance;
not to deny it. This means that traditional knowledge should continue to be
passed from generation trough generations.
However, most of the "international aid" based on western way of life
generally comes to destroy all local culture, values and knowledge, bringing
new "ideas" for education system (a kind of "international" "neutral"
curriculum- that is completely distant from local reality; books, tests, tv
programs, radio, etc).
If one wants to write about indigenous knowledge spelling out the
"scientific principles" one can do for curiosity; for classification, to
better understand of the active principles, etc; but never to deny where the
knowledge comes from; all its ancient, traditional and generational usage;
and moreover not to make a pillage over their natural, collective and great
resources, reaping not only the knowledge but also their environment as a
private property.
Angela C. de Siqueira- acs4085@garnet.acns.fsu.edu
Subject: [IKD] indigenous knowledge frontier
Date: Sun, 7 Mar 99 13:24:15 +0800
From: "Com. Dev. & Eco" <gxcao@km.col.com.cn>
Reply-To: ikd@jazz.worldbank.org
To: ikd@jazz.worldbank.org
Based on the experiences in Chinese society and rural areas, I want to make
following points regarding indigenous knowledge:
1) There is no clear boundary between indigenous knowledge and western
knowledge (or scientific knowledge),
2) Indigenous knowledge is a dynamic pool of accumulation of local knowledge
based on the local information flow with outside or within local
communities,
3) There is a need to readjust the conventional international patent system
if the patent is built on the indigenous knowledge.
1. Less clear boundary between indigenous knowledge and western knowledge
can be identified by both looking into indigenous knowledge and western
knowledge itself:
In China, Chinese medicines based on natural resources and some
agriculture practices are continually adjusted with the newest scientific
findings, and these medicines and agriculture practices have become dominant
in Chinese society no matter how strong the sceintific education is.
Fengshui (one of Chinese indigenous technology) is another example for
guiding the place and oreintation of constructed buildings and houses, I see
more papers on Fengshui have been included into scientific publications, and
Same as mainland China, Societies such as Hongkong, Singapore, and Taiwan
very much appreciate Fengshui.
Westen knowledge itself cannot be treated as unique even, if my reading
is correct, the conflict between Hollywood culture and Franch culture
somehow demonstrated.
2. If we look historically, indigenous knowledge is the product of cultural
diffusion, it become particularly true when we look it horizontally. For
example in Xishuanbanna, southern Yunnan province, local farmers cultivate
rubber and create many of sound techniques, which in our view should be
included in indigenous knowledge. Local farmers in Yunnan also create a head
coppicing technique to manage Eucalyptus for timber and leaves. ...... All
of these indigenous technologies in agriculture seem out of the scope of
patent issue. What do the local people really want? Based on our findings
we found that local farmers are interested in the outside knowledge no
matter scientific or indigenous could be of useful for increasing their
production or benefiting their living or ....
3. There are reports that some of Chinese traditional medicines have been
patented in another country, then the domestic Chinese companies and
individuals learn the lesson and patent the medicines locally. Perhaps some
individuals will doubt that what about these companies to the original
owner. In fact the Chinese medicines have been relatively well documented by
ancester Chinese and inherited historically. There is still individual based
knowledge which is however not circulted, and these individuals have the
exclusive rihgt and position to patent. Same as the other indigenous
knowledge so called, much of the indigenous knowledge we know currently
reflects the fact that local people want them to widely circulate in order
to benefit from that openess. Those not circulated such as the grafting
technique, the special family medicine etc., may not be the case to be
discussed here.
Still there may be the case that the patent from the indigenous knowledge
owner, which cannot be compensated. And if that is often the case, then
there is a need to reform the current international patent system.
Cao Guangxia
ADDRESS: SOUTHWEST FORESTRY COLLEGE
KUNMING 650224
P.R. CHINA
Tel: 86 871 3862525
Fax: 86 871 5615879 /3862525
Email: gxcao@km.col.com.cn
Subject: [IKD] RE: Introduction to Week 5
Date: Mon, 8 Mar 1999 12:48:33 -0000
From: Lyla Mehta <L.Mehta@ids.ac.uk>
Reply-To: ikd@jazz.worldbank.org
To: "'ikd@jazz.worldbank.org'" <ikd@jazz.worldbank.org>
I am a research fellow in the Environment Group of the Institute of
Development Studies, University of Sussex.
I just plugged into your discussion last week so some of what I raise here
might have been discussed earlier. Apologies for any repetitions.
I agree with the previous contributors about the importance of IK for
development and the fact that it is an under-utilised resource in the
development process. However, I raise caution regarding the conclusion that
it should be captured and stored by and for development professionals for
the following reasons.
Not much of this discussion raises the dangers of divorcing IK from its
socio-cultural embeddedness. And the fact that the validity of IK is judged
according to western science and western notions of development rather than
being accepted and judged on its own terms. Clearly, all forms of knowledge
- western and non-western/ urban and rural/ scientific and non-scientific-
are rooted in culture and practice ably demonstrated by several disciplines
such as the sociology of science/ science studies and anthropology.
Hence, it is rather naive to believe that IK can be extracted form its
socio-cultural setting and deposited for posterity somewhere else. IK - like
all forms of knowledge- is dynamic and constantly changing. Furthermore, who
sets the yardsticks of how it is to be incorporated into the "development
project" ? There are questions of power that must be addressed. On the one
hand, the WDR argues that IK must be recognised. On the other hand, it
promotes the idea of free trade, patenting and international property
rights, phenomena that are in very real terms often undermine the IK of
rural people and legitimse their appropriation for schemes and projects that
might not serve the interests of the poor (e.g. recent debates concerning
genetically modified crops and seeds). Issues concerning a wider political
economy might also stymie the life-worlds and occuptions of the poor and
marginalised. Hence there is a need to address the asymmetries of power that
cement the marginalisation of certain groups and their knowledge systems.
There appears to be a fundamental flaw in the WDR which views knowledge and
IK as a stock and commodity which can be readily transported or transferred
from place to place, evident in the rather ludicrous notion of Knowledge as
Light. This totally disconnects knowledge and IK from issues concerning
power, politics and their socio-cultural embeddedness.
Lyla Mehta
PS I am interested in writing an article on the rise of knowledge in the
Bank and the notion of the Knowledge Bank. If anybody has tips re: what I
should refer to, please let me know.
Dr Lyla Mehta
Research Fellow
Environment and Development
Institute of Development Studies
University of Sussex
Brighton BN1 9RE
UK
Tel: 44-1273-678736 (direct) and 606261 (w); 683046 (h)
Fax: 621202/691647
email: L.Mehta@ids.ac.uk
Subject: [IKD] WEEK 5 - ON RIGHTS AND WRONGS
Date: Mon, 8 Mar 1999 10:27:11 -0500 (EST)
From: avongalis@ozemail.com (Athena Vongalis)
Reply-To: ikd@jazz.worldbank.org
To: ikd@jazz.worldbank.org
Of course indigenous knowledge is important, that is not what is in dispute.
It is the value that is placed on it. The fact that indigenous knowledge can
be marketed without much resistance from the original owners is the key
issue here. The old truism is that money talks, and without it the original
holders of knowledge have no basis to 'buy' their own knowledge. Bizarre
that knowledge held firm in communities has to be bought back. But this
situation is nothing new. In Australia, the aboriginal people are still
trying to get legislation passed to recognise that they have ownership
of the land. You see, there were no such things as formal agreements of
ownership, therefore according to the law, their ownership did not exist.
Now, appropriating the language of law and bureacracy and to some degree
playing the game, (and having the money to do so) has given these
indigenous people a shot at ownership of their land and way of life
including beliefs, customs knowledge and so on.
It is fine to say the west does this and that, or that corporations do
this or that but this situation if anything is more prevalent now with the
resurgeance in the laissez faire capitalism of globalisation and will not
change with fine words nor sentiments. I say money is the answer. Give the
local populations an open cheque book and let them sort it out. Aid
agencies,
bureaucracies, education and so on are fine but money (without strings)is
better.
Athena Vongalis
avongalis@ozemail.com
Subject: [IKD] World Bank control
Date: Mon, 8 Mar 1999 10:36:36 -0500 (EST)
From: "C.J. Patel" <cjpatel@MailAndNews.com>
Reply-To: ikd@jazz.worldbank.org
To: ikd@jazz.worldbank.org
(NOTE FROM THE MODERATORS: We debated whether to post this message by C.J.
Patel. Frankly, we felt that it was based on a serious misunderstanding
on the substance and motivation of this list, and would just serve to
distract what we felt was an interesting, lively and diverse discussion.
However, in the interest of transparency, we decided to post it anyway.
The two moderating organizations, Panos and the World Bank, will each
post a reply.)
This listserve claims to discuss the questions of information and knowledge
for development, but the real question is ignored: why is it that the World
Bank tries to control every channel of communication about development? Why
does it ignore criticms from developing countries like India, which can be
heard on other outstanding Internet discussions, but as soon as a rich,
white
organization like Panos criticises them, they jump right up and set up a
special listserve to appease them. It is disgusting.
I've been reading the messages of this listserve for several weeks now and
all
I see are a lot of messages that are abstract discussions and second-hand
information from a bunch of World Bank bureaucrats and consultants paid by
the
World Bank. Have these people spent ten years living and trying to survive
in
a village? No, but they presume to tell others what is knowledge and how
they
should communicate. This is an insult to all of us who have been struggling
so
hard against "big business as usual" development paid by places like the
World
Bank. But I'm sure that the World Bank moderators will not dare to publish
this message.
C.J. Patel
cjpatel@MailAndNews.com
Subject: [IKD] Re: Response to CJ Patel
Date: Mon, 8 Mar 1999 10:44:05 -0500 (EST)
From: panos@gn.apc.org (James Deane)
Reply-To: ikd@jazz.worldbank.org
To: ikd@jazz.worldbank.org
In response to C.J. Patel's message:
Why does the World Bank ignore criticms from developing countries
like India, which can be heard on other outstanding Internet
discussions, but as soon as a rich, white organization like Panos
criticises them, they jump right up and set up a special listserve
to appease them. It is disgusting.
Not too sure what constitutes a "rich white organisation" but anyway, three
points are worth making clear. Panos agreed to accept an invitation from
the
World Bank having levelled a great deal of criticism (some of the most
incisive of which has derived from the directors of our regional offices in
Southern Africa, Eastern Africa and South Asia) at the World Development
Report and at the rationale behind the Bank's strategy of becoming a
"knowledge bank". As an organisation specifically dedicated to promoting
informed public debate, and having received a guarantee from the Bank that,
in the event of serious disputes about which messages would and would not
be posted, then the Bank would defer to Panos, we welcomed the opportunity
to engage in a such a debate.
Second, just to be clear, Panos has not received a penny, cent or paisa from
the World Bank to comoderate this dialogue.
Third, Panos has over the last three years been engaged in a process of
radical decantralisation of the authority of the organisation to regional
offices in Kathmandu, Lusaka and Addis Ababa. From the beginning of this
process, these offices have been designed to be independent organisations
in their own right, accountable to boards drawn from their regions, not to
our office in London. They are staffed and directed by nationals from the
regions concerned. In the words of one of our regional directors, I'd say
we
were more mongrel than anything - and proud of it.
In relation to the GKD list - I think the GKD list is an excellent one
(largely funded, incidentally by the World Bank). Knowledge is a big issue
- we felt that IKD, as a more structured, time limited discussion was a
useful complement to it. It's up to others to decide if we were right, but
my belief is that we were.
I've been reading the messages of this listserve for several weeks
now and all I see are a lot of messages that are abstract
discussions
and second-hand information from a bunch of World Bank bureaucrats
and consultants paid by the World Bank.
As the majority of messages have been more critical of the Bank's stance
than not, it seems a little strange to argue that the very intelligent and
diverse contributions we've had have come from World Bank bureacrats. C.J.
Patel has not posted any messages before now - s/he could have done so.
Personally, I've been a little disappointed that more contributions have
not come from more World Bank staff since this would have stimulated the
dialogue more effectively.
Have these people spent ten years living and trying to survive in
a village? No, but they presume to tell others what is knowledge and
how they should communicate.
Much of the thrust of the discussion has been to question who should and
should not define knowledge, with much of it agreeing that it is up to those
who need it to define what does and does not constitute "knowledge". This
was one of the central tenets of the original Panos critique of the World
Development Report.
Unless there is substantial disagreement from participants to the list, I'd
suggest that further discussion of this issue takes place off line.
James Deane
Director, Programmes
Panos Institute
9 White Lion St
London N1 9PD, UK
Tel: +44 171 278 1111
Fax: +44 171 278 0345
e-mail: jamesd@panoslondon.org.uk
or panos@gn.apc.org
Web site: http://oneworld.org/panos
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