Initial Workshop At the Kirstenbosh National Botanical Garden Cape Town, South Africa

1. The Dutch-German ABS Capacity-Building Initiative for Africa Initial Workshop At the Kirstenbosh National Botanical Garden Cape Town, South Africa November 19th-24th, 2006 Sustainable Commercialization of Majidea Zanguebarica (Mgambo)

2. Background • Centre of origin is the Kenyan coastal strip. • Currently found growing in Hawaii, Barbados, South East Asian countries but in an endemic manner. • In Kenya: no previously known economic/commercial value. • Found mainly in areas falling under the jurisdiction of Kenya Forestry Research Institute, Kenya Wildlife Service, Forestry Department and on private land.

3. Actors Involved • Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI). • Growing Gorgeous, (Erin Lee Bratton & Betsy Rae Mock), a US based partnership housed at the University of Wyoming. • Local Community Groups: • Ufanisi Conservation Group • Goshi Dairy Self Help Group • Jiinue Uinuliwe Women Group • ICIPE-providing legal back-up support to the local community groups and KEFRI. Others: KEPHIS, KWS.

4. How the genetic resource isused • Seeds of the tree used to make jewelry. • Pods sold as dry flowers. • Main market is the US. • No known traditional knowledge.

5. Type/kind of ABS agreement • A Tri-partite Memorandum of Understanding among the parties. • Each party’s roles and responsibilities clearly laid out.

6. Agreed benefits in the agreement: Monetary • Access fees to KEFRI. • Cash payments to seeds and pods collectors. • Wages for jewelry makers (the women groups). • Annual Royalties to each. • A trust fund for the community groups as a source of funds to carry out communal activities of their own choice-schools and school fees, health centers etc etc.

7. Agreed benefits in the Agreement: Non-monetary • Training of the communities by KEFRI of sustainable seeds and pods harvesting skills. • Training of the communities by Growing Gorgeous of jewelry making skills. • Equipment for making the jewelry. • Infrastructural support to the local health care facilities.

8. Benefits realized to date • Cash payment for seeds and pods collected. • Wages for jewelry makers. • Jewelry making equipment. • Training on sustainable seeds and pods harvesting skills. • Training and transfer of jewelry making skills. • Establishment the tree specie (Majidea Zanguebarica) nursery by KEFRI.

9. Direct contribution to Poverty alleviation • Creation of income and employment. • Training and transfer of skills. • Sustainable use of local biological resources. • Other indirect benefits (mainly conservation related) arising from increased planting of the tree specie by the community, and others.

10. Lesson learned to date • Sustainable exploitation of genetic resources is possible. • The ‘local community’ involved must be identifiable. • The ‘local community’ involved must be organized in some way in order to acquire locus standi to negotiate • There is a thin line between a genetic resource and a commodity

11. Changes in national, Regional & int. level • National ABS legislation to set minimum/ uniform access and benefit sharing standards at the national level focusing on poverty alleviation • Regional cooperation agreements setting standards/ conditions/ rights/responsibilities/obligations on exploitation of cross-border genetic resources esp. aquatic resources and border measures. • International ABS framework may be useful in setting international standards and reduce transaction costs- ITPGRFA may serve as a useful lesson herein.

12. Questions/clarifications?? Thank you.