Vision: ABS – an instrument for poverty alleviation

Poverty alleviation was not the policy maker’s primary concern when the relevant parts of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) were drafted. Nevertheless, it seems obvious that an additional transfer of resources through ABS agreements to the South can contribute to poverty alleviation. But the relationship is not that simple: the poverty-alleviating effect of ABS agreements depends, firstly, on the volume of monetary benefits transferred, secondly, on the types of benefits, and thirdly, - of course - on the beneficiaries.

Based on several case studies, an analysis published by the German Development Institute [1] highlights that depending on the relevant public policies of the providing countries of genetic resources ABS agreements can help to foster the opportunities – by direct monetary transfers, by investments in capital and human resources through e.g. training – and empowerment – by participation in the negotiation and implementation of ABS agreements – of the poor, even if so far the volume of monetary benefits is limited. This covers well the World Bank’s three part strategy for poverty alleviation: promoting opportunities, facilitating empowerment, and enhancing security. Concepts for poverty alleviation should ideally tackle all dimensions of poverty if the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that the international community has set itself are to be achieved. However, benefits geared to enhancing security are harder, if not impossible, to identify in the context of ABS agreements.

Against this background it is obvious that at the national level governments need to establish a broad participatory process when drafting ABS relevant legislation to make sure that everybody is on board and that awareness is raised to a level where it effects on the outcome of ABS negotiations. Especially in Africa, a continent with major ethnical, social and political diversity a participatory and multi-stakeholder approach is key requirement for the successful development and implementation of ABS regulations. Furthermore, legislation or policy should stipulate explicitly that benefits for the local poor are to be addressed when benefits are being negotiated. Additionally, at the international level the benefit-sharing requirement of the CBD must be brought into reality through appropriate user measures as outlined in the Bonn Guidelines as well as changes in relevant multilateral agreements.

Therefore, the Dutch-German ABS Capacity Development Initiative for Africa envisions to create a win-win situation for poverty alleviation and the conservation of biological diversity trough the implementation of the third objective of the CBD. The latter can only be achieved if the private sector invests in bioprospecting activities – where necessary in cooperation with national and international research institutions – and share generated profits with national governments as well as local communities.

This requires capacity development measures to empower stakeholders not only to identify and articulate their own interests but also to find fair and mutually agreed solutions in negotiations at international (ABS regime of the CBD) and national level (legislation/regulations) as well as in contractual agreements. Key stakeholders in this context are: policy makers, legislators, implementing agencies, national and international research institutions, the private sector and last but not least representatives of local and indigenous communities. Only consensus of the groups mentioned on principles, procedures, rules and regulations will allow to generate sustainable benefits in the framework of ABS in Africa .

In the light of this the Dutch-German ABS Capacity Development Initiative for Africa supports directly the main steps towards achieving this win-win situation:

1. The international regime on ABS, which provides a norm setting for benefit-sharing that contributes to poverty alleviation, i.e. inclusion of local and indigenous communities that provide genetic or biological resources and associated traditional knowledge.
   
2. ABS policies and poverty alleviation approaches, which are liaised with other relevant policies and incentives important to prevent or counteract marginalisation within countries, such as land tenure, ownership and use rights for biological resources, food security, support for small and medium-sized local enterprises, access to (micro-)credits etc.
   
3. National ABS legislation, which establishes the legal basis for resource ownership and community based benefit-sharing mechanisms ensuring poverty alleviation. Additionally, traditional knowledge is protected based on the specific national requirements and the needs of its “traditional knowledge holders” as well as documented were requested by the traditional knowledge holders.
   
4. Market opportunities, which enhance the support for the private-sector development (including public-private partnerships) and the productive potential of economically poor but knowledge- and biodiversity-rich communities by improving entrepreneurial capacities with respect to biological and genetic resources as well as associated traditional knowledge.
   
   

[1] Henne, G., Liebig, K., Drews, A. & Plän, T., 2003. Access and Benefit-Sharing (ABS): An instrument for poverty alleviation. Proposals for an International ABS Regime. German Development Institute (GDI), Bonn, 71 pp.