Entry Instance

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "id": 305860,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/305860/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 482,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "language that predicates access of our generic resources to transfer of technology. It is good that the Ministry is establishing the National Plant Genetic Resource Centre (NPGRC), under Clause 27, and giving it explicit powers. Under Sub-Clause 2(d), the Bill provides that one of the functions of the NPGRC shall be to co-operate with international institutions on matters relating to plant genetic resources, including the administration of material transfer agreements. What I want to encourage is for us to ensure that we protect our own unique plant genetic resources. We need a firm language that predicates access to transfer of technology and also to access to gene banks that are in the developed countries. What international organizations do is that they come to Africa, get our own plant genetic resources, modify them and put them in their gene banks. When we want to access those gene banks, we have to pay or we are not allowed to access them at all, but they say that our own plants are a common heritage of mankind and, therefore, they can just walk into Kenya or any part of Africa and pick them up without paying anything. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, the Minister has made reference to one of the things I want done, but I want us to introduce a firm language on payment of royalties to communities for accessibility and transfer of technology. I want to give an example of the rosier periwinkle, which is a native plant of Madagascar. This plant has actually enhanced the survival chances of children suffering from leukaemia. The people of Madagascar have no control over that plant because another country has patented it. The United States of America (USA) has patented endod, which is a native plant of Ethiopia. The people of Ethiopia, who discovered this plant, have no control over it. Even though it is their own people who discovered the plant, if they want to use it, they have to pay to access user rights."
}