Bio Piracy:

Indigenous knowledge is important for ecological, economic and social sustainability. However, the instruments of ‘Intellectual Property Rights’ (IPRs) have overridden the authority of local communities to use traditional and indigenous knowledge in biosphere. In spite of the fact that indigenous knowledge is critical for societal advancement, the patenting rights deny local communities the use of this knowledge. Striping the ownership of the traditional knowledge and vesting them with private entities, mostly in developed countries, to exploit biological resources for profit is bio piracy.

The patenting system of biological resources prevents developing countries from the use of their very knowledge freely that they owned for generations. At the same time, they are forced to purchase the very products developed by stealing their own knowledge at a high cost. The patenting system creates a monopoly of biological resources and thrusts its ownership with the corporate interests of the powerful. It is a blatant form of exploitation of indigenous and traditional knowledge. The Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 1995 provided a license, giving impetus to bio piracy.

Biodiversity in developing countries is the main casualty of bio piracy. Biodiversity entails a wide variety of ecosystems and living organisms: animals, plants, their habitats and their genes. Bio piracy has many negative effects on biodiversity such as extinction of endemic living organisms, depletion of biodiversity and privatization of treasures of the country while there is an economic impact in terms of deprivation of long-term benefits. Impact of bio piracy on cultural and social life of the communities is enormous as monopoly over seeds and medicines poses a threat to farmers and their livelihoods.

Bio piracy is a main source of threat as far as human security is concerned. It directly affects food security. If not addressed systematically on time, there will be a phenomenon of reverse technology transfer in developing countries that will make bio piracy a serious issue, having profound implications on many aspects of human security.

Against this backdrop, the Regional Centre for Strategic Studies (RCSS) has decided to have its next webinar on the topic “Bio Piracy: Threat to Biodiversity and Human Security”. Three world renowned Sri Lankan scholars: Prof. Siril Wijesundara, Research Professor (Plant Taxonomy and Conservation) at National Institute of Fundamental Studies and Former Director General at the Department of National Botanic Gardens, Peradeniya; Prof. Veranja Karunarathne, Senior Professor, Department of Chemistry, University of Peradeniya and Former Vice Chancellor of SLINTEC ACADEMY, Homagama; and Prof. Sarath Kotagama, Professor Emeritus, Department of Zoology and Environment Science, University of Colombo, will be speaking at the webinar. RCSS has also invited Dr. Jagath Gunawardena an expert on Environmental Laws, and team member at the Environmental Foundation Ltd. Sri Lanka. Prof. Gamini Keerawella, Professor Emeritus, Department of History, University of Peradeniya and the Executive Director of Regional Centre for Strategic Studies will moderate the webinar. This virtual event will take place on Thursday 25th March 2021 at 3.00 PM, India Standard Time.