1) The document discusses geographical indications (GIs) as a tool for leveraging agrobiodiversity and innovation. It provides examples of biological resources from various countries that have been commercialized with benefit sharing arrangements. 2) International agreements related to biodiversity conservation and intellectual property rights, including CBD, TRIPS, and ITPGRFA are summarized. India's Biodiversity Act of 2002 and establishment of the National Biodiversity Authority are also covered. 3) Key aspects around registering GIs in India and Bangladesh are highlighted, including identification of unique products and addressing issues of homonymous GIs between the two countries. The roles of agricultural scientists are also briefly discussed.

1. Geographical Indications as tool for
leveraging innovation & managing agro
biodiversity
Lectures delivered on10th May 2016- for participants of Bangladesh
Agricultural University
S.K. Soam
Head, ICM Division
ICAR- NAARM, Hyderabad- 500 030

2. Biodiversity-Equitable benefit
sharing
• Cyclosporin [Tolypocladium inflatum]- Novartis
• Trichopus zelanycous [Arogyapachha, jeevani]
• tef [Teff]- Ethiopia
• Hoodia gordonii- Kalahari/San tribe 77-2002. Convention on
International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora
[CITES certificate]
• Argania spinosa [Argan oil]- Morocco
• Microrganism from soda lake in Kenya. Lake Bogoria-stonewash
denim- Leicester Univ, UK+Genencor+Proctor & Gamble- Tide.
Extremophile enzyme, Puradax cellulase and Indiage neutra derived
from bacteria from East African Rift Valley. Give jeans a softer feel
and a stonewashed look
• NIPRISAN [Nicosan]- Nigeria/ Kasalath rice/ GLoFishTc/ Rice paten
• TK- indigenous knowledge & creative- not true science- inferior to
western science

3. Convention on Biological Diversity
• UNCED: 3-14June 1992- Rio de Janeiro
• Open from 5th June 92
• In New York 15th June 92-4th June 93
• Enforcement 29th December 93
• 42 Articles- 2 annexure; 191 members
• National focal point- national reports (Art 26)
• National Biodiversity Strategy Action plan
• Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical &
Technological Advice (SBSTTA-Art 25.3) for
Conference of Parties (COP)
• Keywords: Ownership/Right to exploit as own
environmental policies/Access/Equitable
benefit sharing/conservation

4. TRIPS-CBD-WIPO
• Art27.3b- Members may exclude from patentability
– Plant and animal other than microorganisms, and
essentially biological processes…plant variety
suigeneris+/or patent…review of provisions 4 years
• Paragraph 19 of Doha declaration
– Source of gen. resource & country of origin
– PIC (not required for FAO-IT)
– Evidence of fair and equitable benefit sharing (mutually
agreed terms)
• Art30-Members may provide limited exception to the
exclusive rights by patents- Farmers privileges
• WTO-WIPO (PCT-PLT)- No hierarchy of agreements
• India-lessons from Neem/Turmeric cases-TKDL-
Traditional Knowledge Digital Library. Source of
origin and approval from NBA essential for Indian
patent application.

5. International Treaty for Plant Genetic Resources
for Food & Agriculture- ITPGRFA
• Adopted- 3rd November 2001
• Enforcement- 29th June 2004
• Harmony with CBD
• Conservation, sustainable use, fair & equitable
sharing (Art13), farmers’ rights & TK (Art9)
• Sovereign rights of states
• Multilateral system of A-B-S, subject to national
legislation
• Facilitated access
• GPA (Art 14), CGIAR system wide information
network-SINGER (Art17), commission on plant
genetic resources for food and agriculture
• Keywords: SMTA, MTA, No IPR in the form received,
dispute arbitration, local secretariat, benefit
sharing, commercialization [1.1%], IPR-Royalty

6. Biodiversity-legal framework

7. Biological Diversity Act-2002
• President signature- 5th Feb 2003/ Enforcement- 15th
April 2004
• National Biodiversity Authority (NBA), Chennai- 1st
October 2003. http://nbaindia.org/
• 16 members- 1+3+7+5
– National Biodiversity Fund-royalties, fees
– Committee on agro-biodiversity
• State Biodiversity Board (SBB)- 1+5+5
– State Biodiversity Fund
• Biodiversity Mgmt Committee (BMC)-1+6
– Local Biodiversity Fund-local levy
– People’s biodiversity registers
• Bangladesh?

8. Biodiversity as Geographical
Indications
• General understanding about GI.
• Some example of various types of GI.
• How GI registered in India? Act and Procedures.
– GI Registry- http://ipindia.nic.in/girindia/
• How GI registered in Bangladesh? Act and
Procedures.
• Identification and prioritization.
• Homonymous indications between India and
Bangladesh.
• What is the role of agricultural scientists?
• Strategic priorities for Bangladesh.

9. Special and Unique
Special
– Not general
– Exceptional
– Extraordinary
– Value added trait
• Absolute statement
within the product (what
is the specialty
contributing to
reputation?)
Unique
– Distinctive
– One and only
– Have no like or equal
– General or value added
trait
• Comparative statement
encompassing similar
products (How do we
differentiate from
other?)

10. Some examples of uniquness
Product Special Unique
Pokkali rice Organic nature Symbiotic cultivation
Navara rice Medicinal properties Shape, color & size of
grain
Temi tea Organoleptic
characteristics
Organic production
Assam tea Malty flavour and bright
liquor
Processed by the
traditional method of
rolling

11. GI-TM-International issues-
homonymous indications

12. Ownership/USP and Profit sharing
• Pride of ownership of brand
(Confidence building among
community)
– Tea and spices in general
– Example of basmati rice
– Example of Jamnagar
petrol/diesel
– Example of Mysore sandal
soap
• Ownership linked to cornering
community profit sharing
– Darjeeling tea and
Makhana

13. Every bio-resource in not GI generally: How
to make it a GI?
Kashmir kesar Russian cake

14. Social Research: Popularising the
GIs- Churpi

15. Lab Research: Standards, quality & product
development- Sangali turmeric vs Lakadong
turmeric

16. Lab Research: Establishing the Uniqueness-
Tibetan, Nepali & Sikkim Cordyceps? Or what is the
difference between Indian and Bangladesh Hilsa?

17. Extension Research: consolidation
of farmers & groups

18. Market research: Brand building and product
development: Hong Kong Tea Cake

22. Further Reading__ NAARM material on
http://eprints.naarm.org.in/
• S.K, Soam and S.M., Ilyas (2008) Participatory Socioeconomic Analysis of Geographical
Indications in India. ICAR- National Academy of Agricultural Research Management, Hyderabad.
– http://eprints.naarm.org.in/108/
• S.K, Soam and B, Hanumantha Rao A Snapshot guide to Intellectual Property Systems. NAARM.
ISBN 978-81-909983-0-7
– http://eprints.naarm.org.in/22/
• Soam, S.K. and Kalpana, Sastry Socio-economic implications of GI registration for agricultural
and non-agricultural commodities/ products in India: Volume-1: Analysis of country-wide survey
results of 75 products. NAARM, Hyderabad, 503 pages. [Research Projects Reports]
– http://eprints.naarm.org.in/id/eprint/165
• Soam, S.K. and Chaitanya, Amitabh Geographical Indication Portfolio Analysis for Enahncing
Income of Makhana Growers in Bihar.[Student Project Reports] (Unpublished)
– http://eprints.naarm.org.in/163/
• Soam, S.K., S. Prakash Tiwari and R. Kalpana Sastry (2007). Sustainable use and Conservation of
Agro-biodiversity through Protecting as Goods of Geographical Indications. In Agrobiodiversity,
Vol. 1: Crop Genetic Resources and Conservation, edited by Kannaiyan S. and Gopalam A. pp.
229-241. Associated Publishing Company, New Delhi. ISBN 9788185211725
– http://eprints.naarm.org.in/166/
• SK Soam (2011). Commercialization of health drinks as Geographical indications
– http://nopr.niscair.res.in/bitstream/123456789/11575/1/JIPR%2016%282%29%20170-175.pdf
– http://eprints.naarm.org.in/168/

23. Content and photographs © SK
Soam, NAARM, Hyderabad
soam@naarm.ernet.in
sudhir.soam@icar.gov.in