Entry Instance

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

{
    "id": 654176,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/654176/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 118,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. (Ms.) Sunjeev",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13136,
        "legal_name": "Sunjeev Kour Birdi",
        "slug": "sunjeev-kour-birdi"
    },
    "content": "do not get their dues. This biodiversity has got very huge commercial attraction from industry and investors, as I have mentioned. I would like to give the example of a local indigenous tree called mweri in Kikuyu. The bark of this tree is known to treat various diseases. This is a very old tree whose bark has been medicinal for centuries. Unfortunately, a French company has patented it and is using it to their advantage. I will give you another example from South Africa. There is a very interesting cactus whose characteristics are known to treat obesity. There is a multinational company that has patented the attributes of that plant. In simple words, it is like somebody coming to my place, using my things and just walking out without even a simple thank you, which is simply preposterous. It is not right. I would not allow that anyway. As has been said before, this Bill mainly seeks to establish Plant Genetic Resources Research Centre, which shall be responsible for providing guidelines on matters relating to plant genetic resources for food and agriculture. This is in line with Vision 2030 and the Jubilee Manifesto. I am also very happy that this Bill is coming at an opportune time. It will help to stop people from taking away the rights of the common mwananchi . In enforcing this Bill we are going to do something very akin to what we did with the Wildlife Bill. This is because we are conserving biodiversity. It is equally important as conserving our wildlife. Having said that, there are a few parts of this Bill that I think need some amendments which I will try and propose to the Committee later on. Overall, there is a very huge battle between the private seeds companies which bring sub-standard seeds and flood the market with them and the public seeds company. It does not go very well with the performance of the economy and the growing of healthy seeds and plants. With that, Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, I would like to thank you once again for this opportunity. I would like to urge this House to support this Bill. Thank you, Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker. I support."
}