Natural Justice Collaborates with the Department of Science and Technology (SA)

Johanna von Braun and Kabir Bavikatte were invited to Pretoria by the South African Department of Science and Technology (DST) to discuss the possibilities of future collaboration between DST's work on indigenous knowledge systems and Natural Justice. The DST was represented by its Director General Prof. Yonah Seleti, Hlupheka Chabalala of the National Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Tom Suchanandan, Director: Advocacy and Policy Development. The meeting discussed the work of Natural Justice in the context of bio-cultural protocols and traditional knowledge commons. The meeting concluded with an agreement on 4 key areas of collaboration:

1) A joint proposal by DST and Natural Justice to develop the first small pilot on traditional knowledge commons in South Africa
2) A proposal for a scoping study to be conducted by Natural Justice on the possible development of traditional knowledge based first aid kits by the Bushbuckridge Traditional Health Practioners Association based on their bio-cultural protocol. This scoping study will be the basis of a larger proposal to national and international donors to seek financing for a larger project that would be implemented by Natural Justice, the DST and a range of local partners in the Bushbuckridge region.
3) A Natural Justice proposal to provide legal advice to the South African Medical Research Council (MRC) in its engagement with a community in the Northern Cape for further research on a local medicinal plant used by the community. Part of the proposal will be the development of a bio-cultural protocol based on which an ABS agreement could be entered into between the MRC and the community for the use of their traditional knowledge relating to this plant.
4) Natural Justice was also asked to submit a proposal to develop a feasibility study for the DST on a South African law dealing with Sui Generis Systems to protect traditional knowledge. The law would have to be developed in the context of the various other laws in South Africa that refer to traditional knowledge.

The high point of the meeting was a strong support by the DST for bio-cultural community protocols as the way forward to protect community knowledge and resources and a readiness to make bio-cultural protocols national policy through the potential South African sui generis law. The meeting also explored ways in which Natural Justice and the DST could collaborate on the ongoing negotiations at the WIPO IGC.

SEED Gold Award Winners

On 4 February 2010, Natural Justice was awarded the SEED Gold Award at a ceremony co-hosted by SEED and the Department of Science and Technology at parliament in Cape Town, South Africa. The Gold Award was given to five winners from 1,100 entries from across the globe, and was awarded to Natural Justice as an “exceptional social and environmental start-up enterprise”, in particular for the biocultural community protocols initiative. The ceremony was a great success with representatives from partner organizations displaying interest and offering to support Natural Justice in future endeavours. The award includes skills training and capacity development for Natural Justice, with the goal of enhancing an already successful organization.

Farmer to Pharma

Natural Justice is collaborating with the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and its the implementation of the ‘Farmer to Pharma Grand Challenge’ (FTP). According to the DST the aim of the Program is to “…catapult South Africa to a leading position in Biotechnology and pharmaceuticals by harnessing the country’s biodiversity, indigenous knowledge and scientific expertise.” Natural Justice was invited to the First National Bio-prospecting Stakeholders Meeting in July 2009 to present on mechanisms to integrate communities into the design and implementation of bio-prospecting permit applications.

Since this workshop Natural Justice has continued working closely with DST and its Farmer to Pharma program. In October 2009 Natural Justice facilitated a DST delegation visit to Mpumalanga and Limpopo to explore possible pilot regions for the implementation of possible initiatives in this field.

Indian Delegation Visits K2C

Harry Jonas facilitated a visit by a delegation from the Indian Ministry of Environment and Forests and the Foundation for the Revitalization of Local Health Traditions (Bangalore) as part of UNDP’s South-South cooperation framework to foster information exchange on the conservation of medicinal plants. The delegation had a number of meetings including with the Department of Science and Technology, the K2C Biosphere Committee and the executive of the Bushbuckridge Traditional Healers. The trip culminated with a meeting with Natural Justice, at which the organization was offered to become the South African nodal centre for future cooperation on ABS-related activities.

Department of Science and Technology Visit to K2C

Johanna von Braun accompanied six DST members on a trip to the K2C Biosphere Reserve in October 2009. The main focus of the visit was to introduce communities to the Pharma to Farmer concept, while allowing DST to observe some of the initiatives which communities have developed in the region. Meetings included one with Wayne Twine of Wits Rural, a visit to Vukuzenzele, a Silk Cosmetic Production meeting, and some other field visits to local communities to observe the production of local products.
It was a productive visit for DST, in which the FTP program was exposed to different communities involved in various kinds if industry and agriculture, and their operational skills and facilities. The communities also expressed great interest in the FTP program. Natural Justice continues to work alongside DST in this area.