The National Biodiversity Authority has released a new set of rules to manage sharing of benefits generated through the use of biological resources. The Biological Diversity (Access to biological Resources and Knowledge Associated thereto and Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits) Regulation 2025 was approved by the Central government and …
a meeting of the Convention on Biodiversity (cbd) will be held in February in Bangkok to discuss rules for international transfer of biological resources. In preparation, ministerial delegations of a group of developing countries called the Like Minded Megadiverse Countries (lmmc) met January 20-21 in New Delhi to develop a …
With the world becoming increasingly knowledge-driven, protecting the rich traditions of Asia and the Pacific region has assumed great significance. The incomplete mandate of the Doha Round of talks followed by the failure of the Cancun summit last year has widened an already existing divide between the developed and the …
Two hundred thousand traditional medicine practitioners of South Africa will be officially recognised as health-care professionals. So says a new legislation passed on September 9. According to health minister, Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, the Traditional Health Practitioners Bill received near unanimous backing in the South African parliament. Under the new law, a …
the Orissa government has decided to promote prawn culture in seven coastal districts of the state. This move has the potential for inducing a bitter clash between big farmers and traditional fisherfolk, if undertaken without a foolproof blueprint. Under the proposed expansion, the government aims to generate Rs 2,000 crore …
aids is threatening the traditional agricultural practices of Mozambique, indicates a study conducted by the Food and Agriculture Organization (fao). The finding is alarming, as more than 1.3 million people in the country are suffering from the disease. During the fao research, about 90 men and women from three communities …
a recent research is yet another proof of the fact that traditional knowledge is of immense help in areas where science has failed to infiltrate. During the study, traditional poultry farming practices of Karnataka and Kerala were assessed. The findings show that the traditional procedures immensely benefit areas bereft of …
When deliberations began on May 13, 2004 the world's forest policy-makers thought that all was well at the fourth UN Forum on Forest meet (UNFF-4). But by midnight everything had collapsed: two resolutions were dropped and another significantly watered down. By next afternoon, the delegates were on their way home, …
only mother's son: Japanese and Korean scientists have created a mouse without using a sperm. The feat is akin to the birth of Dolly, the world's first cloned mammal. Bees, ants, aphids, some fish and reptiles reproduce without having sex in a process called parthenogenesis. But creating a living mammal …
In these times of water scarcity, it is perhaps salutary to look at water systems built in the past. In February this year, one such system, dating to the eighteenth-century, was uncovered in Pune, Maharashtra. While this 15-kilometre long, 30-feet deep, 5-feet wide underground waterbody was not exactly unknown, it …
Komal Kothari 1929-2004 Renowned folk imagist Komal Kothari passed away in Jodhpur on April 20 after a prolonged bout with cancer. He was 75. Komalda, as everyone fondly called him, will be remembered for his extensive work on Rajasthan's folk music. Mention the three tribes of folk musicians, Langas, Manganiars …
Members of the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) have agreed to back legal and policy options on the protection of traditional knowledge with a precise analysis of the implications of each option. They have also decided to develop an overview of policy objectives and core principles for the protection of …
In 1995many in India were outraged to learn that a university in the US was granted a patent to make and sell haldi (turmeric) for its wound healing properties. Patents are usually given to creations that are deemed
The impending Lok Sabha and state assembly polls have brought a brief respite to Orissa's 2 lakh-odd traditional fisherfolk who eke a living off Chilika lake. For, electoral compulsions have forced political parties to shelve the controversial Chilika Fishing Regulatory Bill, 2002, which seeks to grant 30 per cent fishing …
Kanji, a ready-to-serve traditional drink, can help you win a few hearts very easily. It is essentially fermented water, which is made yummy with the help of kali gajjar (purple coloured carrots) and a few spices. It is relished in Northern India. Kanji's recipe is a part of our traditional …
Back in the 20th century, when India had villages, there were several popular films that showed villages in a contemporary light. Well, somewhat. While Indian cinema was urban from its very beginning, there were several films of immense popularity that were, in many ways, a statement of the presence of …
