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Seven San tribes from three countries are battling it out in the Kalahari. They are fighting over protecting intellectual property, namely the hoodia plant.
This follows their agreement with the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) on use of the hoodia plant, which the San people have been using for generations as a suppressant for hunger and thirst.
The plant is endemic to the northern parts of South Africa, parts of Namibia and Botswana, historically the places roamed by the San people. People used the plant to keep going on hunting expeditions.
However, in modern society it is used in diet pills. The San people were granted royalties for their intellectual knowledge of the hoodia plant, but this was only after the threat of legal action five years ago.
Hoodia royalties remain problematic
The problem now is how to divide the royalties among the San tribes in the three countries. They also want to share their knowledge to stop the exploitation of indigenous peoples around the world. A guidebook and documentary on the San negotiations will be produced at the end of the conference.
Many San people still struggle for land education for their children and ways of uplifting their communities. Royalties from the hoodia plant are supposed to be used for these purposes.
Source: sabcnews.com |
