Stakeholders
The Initiative organizes thematic, geographical and stakeholder-oriented workshops and trainings for the benefit of the counterparts, namely governments, research institutions, businesses and non-governmental organizations.
Some of these partners also act as hosts and provide financial, technical and facility support. This helps to anchor ABS in the heart of the organizations and sets it prominently on the national agenda.
Who benefits how from the ABS Initiative’s activities?
Decision makers and legislators are informed and advised on ABS policy options, legal implications and technical requirements when translating the Nagoya Protocol into national context – be it for development or revision of national ABS laws and regulations.
National authorities responsible for implementing the Nagoya Protocol receive technical support for improving their capacities, including processing access applications, issuing permits and facilitating ABS partnerships.
Indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLCs) are custodians and owners of genetic resources and holders of traditional knowledge and therefore play a significant role in ABS. They receive sup-port in responding to requests for access to their genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge. Bio-cultural Community Protocols (BCPs) are important tools in this regard.
ABS cooperation partners in countries providing genetic resources – for instance small-and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), cooperatives, universities and research centers – are indispensable when initiating biodiversity-based value chains in conformity with the Nagoya Protocol. Some of them may be the actual providers of genetic resources, others may have different roles, e.g. in wild collection, cultivation schemes, the R&D process or initial processing steps of the resources. These key actors benefit from conceptual, technical and legal advice for establishing ABS compliant research cooperation and value chains.
Users are challenged by the still evolving legal and administrative systems in both user and provider countries. Industry and research institutions interested in establishing ABS agreements in partner countries of the ABS Initiative are familiarized with domestic regulatory contexts, relevant governmental and non- governmental actors and national particularities. Options of public-private partnerships may be identified. Cooperation with the ABS Initiative enhances transparency, user-provider understanding and thus reduces transaction costs through better prepared ABS processes.
