Protection of indigenous knowledge and possible methods of sharing benefits with local communities

The first part of ths background paper to the Multi-stakeholder Dialogue on Trade, Intellectual Property and Biological and Genetic Resources in Asia gives an overview of indigenous knowledge in the context of the formal IPR regimes. It outlining the core components of the existing system giving examples to demonstrate the need for protection of indigenous knowledge and the core problems associated with the current system and listing the action required at both national and international levels.

The author then highlights the potential commercial value of IK based products in particular and looks at the process of commercialisation of IK products in the agriculture and pharmaceutical fields and giving examples of different approaches to benefit sharing. The most substantial part of the paper reviews legal and other initiatives for protecting IK such as:

• legislative approaches
• conservation and protected areas
• Integration of IK into formal healthcare systems
• documentary approaches
• Sui Generis systems