BIOPIRACY

What exactly is biopiracy?

The exploitation of natural resources is becoming more widespread around the world. Bio-piracy is one of the most serious environmental issues that has arisen in recent years. Biological piracy is the practise of commercially exploiting natural chemicals or genes, particularly by obtaining patents that restrict their future usage, while failing to compensate the communities from whom the chemicals or genes were derived. leaving. Bio-piracy is currently wreaking havoc on many of the world’s tropical environments. A majority (90 percent) of the world’s surviving biodiversity is found in tropical and subtropical countries.

Biopiracy

Biopiracy is defined as the acquisition of unique privileges of individual sovereignty over the biodiversity of a country by individuals, foreign institutions, or corporations, with the result that the country of origin is deprived of its rights. Some examples of natural crime’s goals include the following:

Types

New plant species are being introduced.

New Organisms are being introduced.

Pharmaceutical production

Confidentiality of traditional knowledge

Furthermore, natural crime can be characterised as the theft of information from traditional and traditional communities or individuals, as well as from individuals. Additionally, the phrase can be used to refer to a violation of contract in the access to and exploitation of traditional knowledge in the context of provider corruption and bioprospecting without the approval of local populations, among other things. Such ‘natural crimes’ have arisen as a term to characterise the manner in which firms from wealthy countries claim ownership of genetic resources, traditional knowledge, and technology in developing countries, or use them to their advantage.

Medicinal Vegetables 

Agriculture, sometimes known as farming,

Alimentary crop varieties 

A good example is the patenting by pharmaceutical companies of indigenous knowledge about medicinal plants and herbs, despite the fact that this information is neither new nor developed by the patentee, thereby depriving the indigenous people or community for their knowledge, or a community of the right to commercial exploitation of the discovery and technology that they themselves have developed over time.

Traditional Knowledge and Its Importance in the Modern World

For many local communities, traditional knowledge/Indigenous knowledge is an integral aspect of their sense of self and their sense of place. Due to the fact that it is a vital aspect of the social and physical climate of the community, it must be protected at all costs. Traditional knowledge fraud attempts for the sake of industrial or commercial gain may lead to the misuse of traditional knowledge and may infringe on the rights of the traditional knowledge’s legal guardians. 

Due to the dangers posed by these concerns, methods for the protection and planting of traditional knowledge for sustainable growth must be developed in accordance with the interests of traditional knowledge owners. In developing nations, the preservation, protection, and promotion of traditional knowledge-based renaming and methods used by local people are of critical importance to their survival and development.

 Their traditional knowledge and biodiversity have a major role in health care, food security, community, religion, identity, climate, trade, and development, to name a few areas of interest. Many sections of the world, however, are in danger of losing access to this vital resource.

Examples of Biopiracy

1.Biopiracy in the Enola Bean Industry:

It was given this name in honour of Larry Proctor’s wife, who approved it in 1999. Enola beans are a distinct kind of Mexican yellow bean. Sales of this bean were concentrated in the northern part of the country. Following that, the patent holder filed a lawsuit against many Mexican yellow bean importers. As a result, farmers are experiencing financial difficulties. According to the United States Patent and Trademark Office, a case was filed against the farmers, and the outcome was in their favour.

2.The Biopiracy of African Super-Sweet Berries

A sweet berry known as Pentadiplandrabrazzein is an indigenous plant that may be found in the western region of South Africa. Brazzein is a type of important protein source that is found in many foods. Because it is regarded to be 2000 times sweeter than sugar, it is used in baking.

Pentadiplandra brazzein is a plant that may be found in the Western Cape of South Africa. Brazzein, a type of protein found in abundance, is a significant source of nutrition. Locals consume it as a low-calorie sugar substitute. It is generally considered to be more sweet than sugar. Recent advancements include the organisation and patenting of a division of the gene encoding brazzein in the United States.

3.Basmati Patent (Oryza Sativa Linn) 

It is an aromatic rice type that is native to the Indian subcontinent and is distinguished by its long, slender grain. An American business firm RiceTec Inc., situated in Texas, was awarded a patent (No. 5663484) by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) in 1997 for “Basmati rice line and grains.”

4.The Case of the Ayahuasca (Banisteriopsis Caapi Mort.)

Banisteriopsis Caapi Mort has been cultivated and planted by the Shamans, a local community in the Amazon basin, for many centuries. Banisteriopsis Caapi Mort is a species of Banisteriopsis. It is necessary to prepare an authentic indigenous drink known as “Ayahuasca.” “Wine of the soul” is a term used by Shamans to describe the intoxicating beverage used in mystical and curative rites to cure illness and attract ghosts, as well as to predict the future.

Loren Miller, an American citizen, was issued a US Plant Patent, allowing him ownership rights to a claimed variety of Banisteriopsis Caapi Mort that he had collected from the Amazon and named “The Da Vine,” and which he had examined for potential medical benefits.

5.The  Rosy Periwinkle:

The rose periwinkle was first discovered in Madagascar, where it is still found today. Now, it has been bought and planted in a number of other tropical countries throughout the world, including Australia. Researchers from other countries will be able to gather knowledge in other countries from one nation and plant samples, as well as identify new hybrids as a result of its implementation.

The Consequences of Biopiracy

1.Monetary Losses to Native Communities:

In developed countries, many multinational corporations (MNCs) are making huge profits with a small investment in research and development. As a result, they end up with a large profit margin on their products because they exploit readily available traditional knowledge about the beneficial uses of plants, herbs, and other natural resources. 

Typically, indigenous groups assist multinational corporations (MNCs) in identifying medicinal and other beneficial uses of plants and herbs, thereby saving them time and money. However, indigenous groups receive no compensation for the large profits generated by these corporations as a result of their monopoly through patents and other legal loopholes.

2.Failure to Contribute to Biodiversity Depletion:

For example, Asia produced more than 100,000 kinds of rice in the twentieth century; today, less than a dozen types are cultivated by rice producers on 70 percent of the country’s rice land. 30,000 Currently, there are ten variations.

3.What is the impact of Biopiracy on Biodiversity?

Bio-piracy has had a significant influence on biodiversity all across the world in recent years, particularly in developing countries. Bio-piracy has a wide range of private consequences for biodiversity, which are discussed here. Extinction of existing species, extinction of biodiversity, privatisation of biodiversity and indigenous knowledge are only a few of the issues facing humanity today. The deforestation of wildlife has a negative impact on the environment’s ability to maintain a healthy balance throughout time. 

Reduced biodiversity can have a negative impact on ecological stability in some circumstances. Live animal exports that are not approved have contributed to the extinction of many species. Bulath Hapaya is one of Sri Lanka’s most endangered freshwater fish species, and its extinction is largely owing to the illegal export of ornamental fish products to other countries. Natural crime also has an impact on indigenous peoples’ cultural identities and traditional knowledge, which are both harmed by it. The erosion of traditional knowledge has resulted in a 70 percent decrease in the production of traditional plants in Asian countries. Specifically, the evolution of genetically modified organisms has resulted in the extinction of natural species.

CONCLUSION

There are numerous ways in which the current dominance of biopiracy in the modern world might be viewed as an outcome of the political and economic ideology of neoliberalism . The concept is closely linked to the concept of intellectual property rights for biological inventions, which is itself a highly problematic topic in and of itself. When it comes to patenting biotechnology inventions, the process is substantially more complicated due to the large number of international agreements that are involved.