Ecobreves – PERU:: Protecting Medicinal Herbs

By IPS Correspondents and - - Reprint | | Print |

LIMA, Jan 20 2003 (IPS) - The Peruvian government will defend biological diversity, genetic resources and indigenous knowledge of natural medicines through a Register of Native Crops and Plants — and diplomatic and legal actions abroad. The initiative, approved Nov. 19 by the congressional Agrarian Commission, is a response to numerous denunciations of biopiracy committed by transnational corporations.

These firms attempt to patent as their own products that have been used for generations by indigenous communities of the Peruvian jungle and sierra who hold the knowledge about their medicinal and food uses.

The export of medicinal products has grown recently at a pace of 20 percent annually, and this year is expected to generate revenues of around 10 million dollars.

José Luis Silva, president of the Peruvian Institute of Natural Products, warned about the interest of some foreign importers — such as from China and Japan — in acclimatizing native herbs like 'maca', 'yacón' and 'sangre de dragón' to be grown in their own countries.

Silva also demanded measures to promote the export of these products, but with added value.