Article 27.3(b), relationship between the TRIPS Agreement and the CBD, and the protection of traditional knowledge and folklore by USA | 13 Mar 2006
FTAs: Trading away traditional knowledge by GRAIN in collaboration with Dr Silvia Rodríguez Cervantes | 9 Mar 2006 Traditional knowledge is increasingly popping up in bilateral and regional free trade agreements. What's going on? Traditional knowledge has come up in a dozen or so free trade agreements (FTAs) over the last couple of years. In numerous cases, specific provisions on traditional knowledge were signed. The pattern at play is simple. When facing the US, trade negotiators concerned about "biopiracy" try to put limits on when and how researchers and corporations can get patents on biodiversity or traditional knowledge in the United States. When the US is not involved, governments carve out space to define their own legal systems of "rights" to traditional knowledge. In all cases, however, FTAs are framing traditional knowledge as intellectual property – a commodity to be bought and sold on the global market. Traditional knowledge is increasingly popping up in bilateral and regional free trade agreements. What's going on? Traditional knowledge has come up in a dozen or so free trade agreements (FTAs) over the last couple of years. In numerous cases, specific provisions on traditional knowledge were signed. The pattern at play is simple. When facing the US, trade negotiators concerned about "biopiracy" try to put limits on when and how researchers and corporations can get patents on biodiversity or traditional knowledge in the United States. When the US is not involved, governments carve out space to define their own legal systems of "rights" to traditional knowledge. In all cases, however, FTAs are framing traditional knowledge as intellectual property – a commodity to be bought and sold on the global market.
The relationship between the TRIPS Agreement and the Convention on Biological Diversity - Summary of issues raised and points made by WTO TRIPS Council Secretariat | 9 Mar 2006
Review of the provisions of Article 27.3(b) - summary of issues raised and points made by WTO TRIPS Council Secretariat | 9 Mar 2006
The protection of traditional knowledge and folklore - summary of issues raised and points made by WTO TRIPS Council Secretariat | 9 Mar 2006
Fowl play: The poultry industry's central role in the bird flu crisis by GRAIN | 26 Feb 2006 Backyard or free-range poultry are not fuelling the current wave of bird flu outbreaks stalking large parts of the world. The deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu is essentially a problem of industrial poultry practices. Its epicentre is the factory farms of China and Southeast Asia and -- while wild birds can carry the disease, at least for short distances -- its main vector is the highly self-regulated transnational poultry industry, which sends the products and waste of its farms around the world through a multitude of channels. Yet small poultry farmers and the poultry biodiversity and local food security that they sustain are suffering badly from the fall-out. To make matters worse, governments and international agencies, following mistaken assumptions about how the disease spreads and amplifies, are pursuing measures to force poultry indoors and further industrialise the poultry sector. In practice, this means the end of the small-scale poultry farming that provides food and livelihoods to hundreds of millions of families across the world. This paper presents a fresh perspective on the bird flu story that challenges current assumptions and puts the focus back where it should be: on the transnational poultry industry. Backyard or free-range poultry are not fuelling the current wave of bird flu outbreaks stalking large parts of the world. The deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu is essentially a problem of industrial poultry practices. Its epicentre is the factory farms of China and Southeast Asia and -- while wild birds can carry the disease, at least for short distances -- its main vector is the highly self-regulated transnational poultry industry, which sends the products and waste of its farms around the world through a multitude of channels. Yet small poultry farmers and the poultry biodiversity and local food security that they sustain are suffering badly from the fall-out. To make matters worse, governments and international agencies, following mistaken assumptions about how the disease spreads and amplifies, are pursuing measures to force poultry indoors and further industrialise the poultry sector. In practice, this means the end of the small-scale poultry farming that provides food and livelihoods to hundreds of millions of families across the world. This paper presents a fresh perspective on the bird flu story that challenges current assumptions and puts the focus back where it should be: on the transnational poultry industry.
Mali: Citizens' jury rejects GM agriculture by Organized by the Regional Assembly of Sikasso | 20 Feb 2006 Farmers in Mali decide that GM crops are not the way forward and instead propose a package of recommendations to strengthen traditional agricultural practice and support local farmers. Farmers in Mali decide that GM crops are not the way forward and instead propose a package of recommendations to strengthen traditional agricultural practice and support local farmers.