Actions related to objective 6.4

Full text of the objective 6.4" Create operational mechanisms to protect the knowledge, innovations and practices of indigenous and local communities embodying traditional lifestyles relevant for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversitys" from the National Strategy

Walloon Region:

The research unit on Biodiversity and Reflexive governance (BIOGOV) is a research unit of the Centre for the Philosophy of Law (CPDR) at the Université catholique de Louvain (UCL). Its focus is on collective learning in the field of sustainable development. This research is developed in an international (REFGOV) and national (IUAP VI/09) network on democratic governance.

Thematic fields in biodiversity governance :

• Microbiological commons: collective management organisations for the exchange of biological resources and related information
• Traditional knowledge: seed exchange networks and institutional repositories for biodiversity related traditional knowledge
• Joint forest management: joint management institutions of public and private forests
• Future harvest centres: collective action arrangements in the network of the CGIAR

Federal :

Belgian Development Cooperation projects that aim to support indigenous communities in partner developing countries. Potential actions foreseen in the Global Programme (2003-2007) for Biological Diversity and Development Cooperation at the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences for example include the valorisation of orally transmitted knowledge.Flemish Fund for Tropical Forests are particularly emphasising this aspect. Within the existing legal framework, conceiving the "bundle of rights" as an innovative mechanism of allotment of tangible and intangible rights on biological resources and related data (see MOSAICS project and "bundle of rights" concept)

Future actions:

• Support the participation of representatives of indigenous and local communities in appropriate forums;
• Avoid that the use of GMOs alter or eliminate traditional agricultural practices, leading to biodiversity as well as to social threats (cf. obj. 4.b.7; et 4.d.4 );
• Promote equitable sharing of benefits arising from transgenes issued from living organisms traditionally known for their interesting properties.