Context
The destruction of biodiversity particularly affects developing
countries. Significant consequences of this include poverty, loss of
social stability and migration. At the same time, biodiversity is the
basis for many economic sectors. Companies and research institutes
around the world utilise biological resources to develop products and
conduct research. Access and benefit sharing (ABS) regulates access to
the resources and fair benefit sharing for those providing them. The aim
is for the sectors utilising the resources to contribute to development
and conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity in the countries
that provide the resources.
Although the United Nations enshrined ABS in the Convention on
Biological Diversity (CBD) in 1992 and there is widespread support, the
national implementation of ABS is progressing only slowly. In many
countries in Africa and other regions of the world, the conditions
required for successful ABS cooperation between the resource-providing
countries and the users of genetic resources have not been sufficiently
developed.
Objective
The conditions are improved so that providers and users of biological
resources can cooperate successfully in ABS and contribute to
biodiversity conservation in cooperating countries.
Approach
Together with partners the project supports activities that aim to
increase the international relevance of ABS and encourage active
stakeholder involvement.
It supports the private sector and research institutes to implement
ABS-compliant cooperation arrangements with resource-providing c
ountries, indigenous peoples and local communities.
The project works to expand knowledge sharing and advises public
officials on integrating ABS into policy.
Advisory support is also provided to Indigenous Peoples and local
communities so that they are in a position to assert their rights to the
resources and to actively participate.
The Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), the Norwegian
Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD) and the Dutch Ministry of
Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (MLNV) are also supporting the
project with additional funding.