Resources vulnerable in rush to new frontiers<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The rapid growth of \"biodiversity prospecting\"
\nin the search for new medicines and better agricultural crops
\nmust be balanced by a sound law which guarantees the conservation
\nof natural resources, an expert says.<\/p>\n
\"This 'gene rush' could wreak havoc on ecosystems and the
\npeople living in or near them,\" said Aprilani Soegiarto, a member
\nof the National Research Council during the International Forum
\non Conservation and Sustainable Use of Tropical Resources.<\/p>\n
The three-day forum, held at the Agency for Technology
\nAssessment and Application, was attended by scientists from
\nMalaysia, Thailand, Japan and Indonesia.<\/p>\n
\"Biodiversity prospecting\" has become an increasingly popular
\nterm over the last couple of decades, describing the search for
\nwild species whose genes could hold new promise in the fields of
\nmedicine and agriculture.<\/p>\n
\"Unfortunately, this flurry of interest and enthusiasm in
\nbiodiversity prospecting is taking place in a policy vacuum.
\nVirtually no precedent exists for national policies and
\nlegislation to govern and regulate it,\" Aprilani said.<\/p>\n
In his keynote address yesterday, State Minister for Research
\nand Technology B.J. Habibie admitted that no specific law
\noverseeing the scientific aspects of development exist at the
\nmoment. He assured the forum, however, that one would soon be
\nmade.<\/p>\n
\"Its not that I have been ignorant about the issue... Its just
\nthat we have to be very careful when formulating a law. Once it
\nis passed, it is very difficult to change,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Policy vacuum<\/p>\n
If such a law was issued, he said: \"It is most important that
\nit benefit the public. The public, and no one else\".<\/p>\n
Aprilani, who is also vice chairman of the Indonesian
\nInstitute of Sciences, pointed out that countries need to begin
\nfilling in the policy vacuum to minimize the side effects of bio-
\nresource exploitation.<\/p>\n
If carried out correctly, he said, biodiversity prospecting
\ncould contribute greatly to environmentally-sound development and
\nbenefit everyone, especially farmers, forest dwellers and the
\nindigenous people who maintain the resources.<\/p>\n
\"But carried out in the mode of previous resource-exploitation
\nventures, it could have a negligible or potentially harmful
\neffect on biodiversity conservation and environmentally sound
\ndevelopment,\" he warned.<\/p>\n
Aprilani also pointed out the need for the government to
\noversee the question of equity distribution between those who
\nlive in the center of the bio-resources and those who have the
\ntechnology and wealth to exploit them.<\/p>\n
\"Ideally, the rural communities should also have the right to
\nregulate and charge fees for access to the bio-resources that
\nsurround them and to be compensated for their intellectual
\ncontribution to the discovery and development of new products,\"
\nhe said.(pwn)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/resources-vulnerable-in-rush-to-new-frontiers-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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