Biopiracy: The Global Race for Patenting Traditional Knowledge
In an increasingly globalized world, the race to secure intellectual property rights has led to a controversial practice known as biopiracy. This term refers to the exploitation of indigenous knowledge, especially in the fields of medicine, agriculture, and biodiversity, by companies and institutions in developed countries. The most troubling aspect of biopiracy is that it often disregards the rights and contributions of the indigenous communities who have nurtured this knowledge for generations. One of the most striking examples of biopiracy involves the attempt to patent traditional Ayurvedic and herbal medicinal knowledge from India. Biopiracy Biopiracy occurs when corporations, researchers, or governments in developed countries exploit biological resources or traditional knowledge from developing countries without proper authorization, compensation, or recognition to the local communities. This practice undermines the cultural heritage and economic rights of the communities that ha