Question 6: Define biopiracy. Give two historic and one modern examples of this practice and briefly explain the impacts of the plant ‘transfers’.
Stronger nations and peoples have historically prayed on weaker, or supposedly more naïve peoples. This has been the way of the world for thousands of years, and has manifested itself in many forms: territorial conquest, political - social - economic oppression, and plant transfers (or biopiracy). While the influence and impact of these practices have changed over the years, their core concepts don’t change. Bio-piracy has been couched in cushy terms, such as plant transfers, and described as being beneficial to mankind as a whole. It remains however “the commercial development of naturally occurring biological materials, such as plant substances or genetic cell lines, by a technologically advanced country or organization without fair compensation to the peoples or nations in whose territory the materials were originally discovered”.
Many historic cases of biopiracy were carried out by the British, and the British East India Company. For example, they stole tea from China to grow in India, and rubber from Brazil to grow in Malaysia. While people think of explorers, large wooden sailing ships, and the age of exploration when discussing bio-piracy, it still occurs in the modern era. For example, the Ayahuasca plant of the indigenous amazonian peoples. This plant is used for shamanic rituals and healing by the locals, and has gained a large following among the international community as a drug and “hallucinogenic drink”. However, the US government granted its “discoverer” a patent.
The impact of these actions is deep and far-reaching. Its consequences are two-fold. It damages cultural values and also the economic livelihood of the indigenous peoples. While the Ayahuasca plant impacts the South American cultural values, the theft of tea and rubber impact the economic status indigenous peoples. It takes away the local ability to control the prices and reduces the financial possibilities of the people. Biopiracy is just another example of the total disregard of indigenous peoples by the so called “advanced” western powers.
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Hey Tyler, I was wondering if you know when the term biopiracy was coined? Also, at what point does a nation/country/village have the "individual rights" to a plant. If it can be grown anywhere how can one claim it as "their" plant?
ReplyDeleteI do not know when the term was coined... However, I believe that the indigenous people have ownership over the plants if 2 conditions are met. Firstly, they need to have used the plant either current or historically. Secondly if it is on tribal land or if it is in the location the live and call their home (if their culture doesn't have land ownership concepts).
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