TECHNOPOLICY BRIEF 13

WHAT IS SUI GENERIS SYSTEM OFINTELLECTUAL PROPERTYPROTECTION?

Moni Wekesa

AFRICAN TECHNOLOGY POLICY STUDIES NETWORKPublished by
The African Technology
Policy Studies Network
P.O. Box 10081, 00100 General Post Office,Nairobi, Kenya.
© 2006 African Technology
Policy Studies Network (ATPS)

Printed by
Newtec

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ISBN: 9966-916-71-7

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ABOUT THE AFRICAN TECHNOLOGY POLICY STUDIES NETWORKThe African Technology Policy Studies Network (ATPS) is a multi-disciplinary networkof researchers, policy makers, actors in the private sector and other end-users
interested in generating, promoting and strengthening innovative science andtechnology policies in Africa. With a regional secretariat in Nairobi, the network
operates through national chapters in 23 African countries, with an expansion plan
to cover the entire sub-Saharan Africa.
One of the objectives of the network is to disseminate research results to policy
makers, legislators, the organized private sector, civil society, mass media andfarmers’ groups through publications, dialogue and advocacy. Among its range of
publications are the Working Paper Series (WPS), Research Paper Series (RPS),
Special Paper Series (SPS) and the Technopolicy Briefs.
Technopolicy Briefs Series are commissioned short papers written byexperts from all over the world specifically to address current science andtechnology policy concerns and questions in Africa. The briefs are also
summaries of technical papers published under our WPS, SPS and RPS
written to highlight significant policy recommendations. These briefs are
writen with the busy policymakers and non-specialists in mind. The materials
are designed for general readership and help advance the advocacy andknwoledge brokerage roles of the ATPS.
ATPS is supported by a growing number of donors including the International
Development Research Centre (IDRC), the Carnegie Corporation of New York, theRockefeller Foundation, the World Bank, the OPEC Fund, Ford Foundation, CocaCola Eastern Africa, the African Development Bank, and the Royal Dutch Government.

Acronyms
ABS
AU
CBD
FTAA
IPRs
ITPGRFA
MTAs
OAU
PBRs
PIC
SSA
TK
TKDL
TRIPS
UNESCO
UPOV
WHO
WIPO
WTO

Access and Benefits Sharing
African Union
Convention of Biological Diversity
Free Trade Area Agreements
Intellectual Property Rights
International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food andAgriculture
Multi-lateral Transfer Agreements
Organization of African Unity
Plant Breeders’ Rights
Prior Informed Consent
Sub-Saharan Africa
Traditional knowledge
Traditional Knowledge Digital Library
Agreement on Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
International Union for Protection of New Plant Varieties
World Health Organization
World Intellectual Property Organization
World Trade organization

Table of Contents
1.0

Introduction

1

2.0

What are the Limitations of the Current Intellectual
Property Regimes?

2

3.0

What is sui generis?

3

4.0

What is Traditional Knowledge?

4

5.0

What is the Economic Value of Medicinal Plants or
Traditional Medicine?

66.0

Why Protect Traditional Knowledge?

77.0

What are the Examples of sui generis Applications?

10

8.0

What are the Policy Options for African Countries?

13

9.0

Conclusions/Recommendations

16

For more information on this series and ATPS, contact:

The Executive Director
The African Technology Policy Studies Network
3rd Floor, The Chancery, Valley Road
P.O. Box 10081 00100 General Post Office
Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: +254-020-2714092/168/498
Fax: +254-020-2714028
Email: info@atpsnet.org
Website: http://www.atpsnet.org

1.0
Introduction
Information on the use of plants in medicine and agriculture is enshrined in
traditional knowledge (TK).
During seminars on biotechnology in agriculture and health in Entebbe, Uganda;
Dakar, Senegal and Maputo, Mozambique participants observed that the current
regime of intellectual property rights (IPRs), such as patents, trade secrets, plant
breeders’ rights, and industrial designs cannot accommodate TK, the basis ofinnovation in many African countries. They expressed much interest in the conceptof sui generis and agreed that countries in Africa need to move with haste and takeaction to protect the rich plant genetic resources in Africa. They also expressed aneed for more information on sui generis. Many policy makers supported the ideaof putting such a system in place. However, a major problem lies in scarcity of
information on sui generis.
This policy paper attempts to explain the concept of sui generis, justifies the needfor such a system and offers policy options that countries may wish to consider as
they navigate the cumbersome road towards a sui generis system.

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2.0
What are the Limitations of the Current
Intellectual Property Regimes?
There are two major features of intellectual property rights (IPRs) systems thatmake them inadequate to protect traditional knowledge (TK).
First is the notion of property ownership. IPRs are largely individual rights. Modern
IPRs regimes recognize individual ownership based on time and labour expended
in coming up with the new invention. Conversely, TK is passed on from generation
to generation. There is no “effort” to come up with something new.
Modern IPRs do not recognize “community rights”. TK, therefore, does not fit in thestraitjacket of IPRs. It is knowledge owned largely by the community and there is no“inventor”. TK is largely in the public domain but limited to certain families orcommunities.
Another limitation of the IPRs regimes in relation to TK is the requirements ofnovelty, inventive step and the patent’s commercial viability. A patent is given for an
invention that fulfils all the three tests. TK does not pass the three tests because theknowledge under TK is not new, has no inventive step and the restriction of ownershipwithin families or certain communities does not make it commercially viable. The
families or communities in possession of specific TK take(s) pride in keeping it“secret”. Traditional medicine men and women, therefore, cannot use patents toprotect their knowledge.
Realizing the difficulties associated with plant protection in relation to TK, thenegotiators of the Agreement on Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS)
inserted Article 27(3) (b) that allows member states of the World Trade Organization(WTO) to use a sui generis protection system, permitting countries to come up withspecialized and appropriate forms of protection regimes.

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3.0
What is sui generis?
Sui generis is a Latin term meaning “a special kind”. In intellectual property rights
discourse (IPRs) the term refers to a special form of protection regime outside theknown framework. It can also be viewed as a regime especially tailored to meet acertain need. In the African context, this regime becomes necessary in protecting
traditional knowledge (TK) and associated natural resources. TK does not neatly
lend itself to protection using the existing legal regimes because it is premised on
the concept of community property ownership whereas the existing forms of IPR
regimes are based on the Western concept of property ownership.

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4.0
What is Traditional Knowledge?
Traditional knowledge (TK) has no clear definition. However, TK can be said toinclude information on the use of biological and other materials for medical treatment
and agriculture, production processes, music, rituals, literature, designs and otherarts. TK, therefore, includes knowledge that can be used in medicine, agriculture,engineering and cultural events. TK comprises knowledge mostly developed in
the past and may still be developing. TK is knowledge used by generations and ispassed on to future generations as part of the community’s property. In sub-Sahara
Africa (SSA) where the history of writing is still new, most TK is not codified. Such“uncodified” TK includes folklore and traditional medicine that are largely basedon traditional norms, values and beliefs. TK represents a reservoir of knowledge
accumulated during century’s old experiences of trial and error, success and failureand has been passed on through oral tradition at the family level. TK, such ashealing practices, may be possessed by individuals or by a group. Such practices
may also be available to all members of a group, for example, knowledge on homeherbal remedies. TK may, therefore, possess commercial value depending on its
use. Some TK may be understood and used outside its origin but this is not always
the case. TK also incorporates spiritual components peculiar to each community.
Debate on protection of TK has taken two different angles. The first school ofthought looks at protection of TK as excluding others from unauthorized use by
third parties. The second school of thought looks at protection of TK as a tool topreserve it from uses that may erode it or negatively affect the life or culture of thecommunities that have developed and applied it. The Organisation of African Unity(OAU) now renamed the African Union (AU) supports the second school of thought.
The AU model l0000000aw for the Protection of the Rights of Local Communities,
Farmers and Breeders, and for the Regulation of Access to Biological Resources
says in part:4○ ○ ○ ○ ○

What is sui generis System of Intellectual Property Protection?
“Community rights recognize that the customary practices of local communities
derive from a priori duties and responsibilities to past and future generations ofboth human and other species. …community rights and responsibilities that govern
the use, management and development of biodiversity, as well as the traditional
knowledge, innovations and practices relating to them, existed long before privaterights over biodiversity emerged, and concepts of individual ownership and property
arose. Community rights are thus regarded as natural, inalienable, pre-existing or
primary rights.”
The African Union (AU) model law takes cognisance of the needs of local
communities.

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5.0
What is the Economic Value of Medicinal Plants
or Traditional Medicine?
The world trade in medicinal plants in the late 1980s was about US$500 million
annually. In 1990, medicinal plants earned US$43 billion globally. In 1996, Europe
imported 26,500 tons of medicinal plants from Africa. The World Health Organization(WHO) estimates that 80% of the world’s population depends on traditional
medicine.
The Hoodia plant of South Africa is an appetite suppressant. The San tribe ofSouth Africa sold the right of ownership of the plant to a British company for about
US$20 million. The Devil’s claw is a plant in Namibia that is used as an analgesic
and anti-inflammatory drug. Its export earns Namibia US$2 million annually. Prunus
africana is a plant that flourishes in the highland of Cameroon, Ethiopia, and Kenya.
It has properties that boost immunity and cures prostate cancer. In 1994, Germany
spent US$150 million on importing this plant. Worldwide trade in Prunus-based
products fetches an estimated US$220 million annually. Other plants known tohave medicinal value but whose economic potential is yet to be fully exploited
include Withania samnifora, Mondia whytei, Rosewood, and Mucuna pruriens, toname a few. Withania samnifora boosts immunity and libido. Mondia whytei boosts
lactation in cows and libido in men, among other uses. Withania and Mondia arefound in Kenya. Mucuna pruriens neutralises venom from cobra and viper. It isfound in Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria where the Rukuba people use it in its raw form
to treat snake bites. These examples serve to illustrate the richness of the African
flora in medicinal value. The medicinal value of the plants constitutes part of TK.

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6.0
Why Protect Traditional Knowledge?
Five main reasons advanced for the need to protect traditional knowledge (TK)
include:• Equity• Conservation of biodiversity• Preservation of traditional practices• Prevention of biopiracy• Promotion of the use and importance of TK in development

EquityTK generates value that is currently inadequately recognized and compensated.
Traditional farmers, for example, conserve and use plant genetic resources. They
improve the value of plant genetic resources through continuous selection of thebest adapted farmers’ varieties (landraces). Seed companies collect the varieties
from farmers and process and produce them for sale. Seed companies can protect
the improved varieties through plant breeders’ rights (PBRs) and benefit from them,while locking out traditional farmers. Farmers and scientists thus rely on the store
of genetic diversity present in crop plants that hundreds of generations haveaccumulated, observed, selected, multiplied, traded, and kept variants. The irony
is that scientists can protect and benefit from their innovation, whereas the traditional
farmer’s contribution is overlooked. Traditional farmers are not paid for their value
addition. The plant breeder and seed companies are also not charged for the
samples they take, hence the inequality inherent in the current system of intellectual
property rights (IPRs).

Conservation of Biodiversity
Knowledge, innovations and practices of indigenous peoples and local
communities are a show of their cultures. Protecting a people’s culture, therefore,
entails preserving the link between the people and natural features including plants

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ATPS Technopolicy Brief 13
and animals. Protection of TK can, therefore, help conserve the environment andpromote sustainable agriculture and food security.

Preservation of Traditional Practices
Protection of TK can provide a framework for maintaining practices and knowledge
embodying traditional lifestyles. Preservation of TK helps to preserve the selfidentification of a people and can ensure the continuous existence of indigenous
and traditional people. This role is certainly beyond the scope of IPRs protection
foreseen in TRIPS and similar multilateral instruments. The protection of TK
through an appropriate form of IPRs can raise the profile of the knowledge andmake it more attractive and worthy of preservation.

Prevention of Biopiracy
Biopiracy is the process through which the rights of indigenous cultures to genetic
resources and knowledge are ignored in preference of the Western model of IPRs.
A large number of patents, for example, have been granted on genetic resources
and knowledge obtained from Africa and other developing countries. An example
is the US patent number 5, 401, 5041 granted for wound healing properties ofturmeric acid. The innovation had been used in India for centuries prior to theregistration of the patent. The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)
from India successfully applied for its revocation.
A major concern is how to prevent misappropriation of TK. Three suggestions
have been advanced:• First, documentation of TK with a view of establishing a TK digital library(TKDL). A TKDL could enable patent offices to check for possible misuse
of TK.
• Secondly, the requirement for proof of origin of materials. All those applying
for IPRs should be compelled to disclose the origin of materials used in
the innovation. This could allow protection of countries supplying thematerials probably through benefits sharing.
• Thirdly, prior informed consent. Those seeking IPR protection should
show evidence of free and informed consent of the traditional owners forthe sharing of ownership, control, use and benefits. National laws should
provide for labelling and correct attribution of TK.

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What is sui generis System of Intellectual Property Protection?

Promotion of the Use and Importance of TK in Development
There is need to protect TK against loss and misappropriation. Some form ofprotection may make local communities willing to part with their TK and genetic
resources. If the knowledge owners are compensated, they would be motivated toprovide easy access to their TK. Moreover, they may be encouraged to conserve it
and ensure future access. Policy makers are called upon to balance the expected
benefits from an IPRs related form of protection as weighed against the costs likely
to arise from limitations on its use. Concerning traditional medicine, IPRs-likeprotection may reduce access to products and treatment essential for a community.
Governments may, therefore, consider promoting the use of TK and also attempt toprevent misappropriation.
The objectives to be pursued in the protection of TK are so diverse that they cannot
be comfortably accommodated under existing IPRs systems, hence the need for a
sui generis regime of protection.

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7.0
What are the Examples of sui generis
Applications?
Sui generis system within the African context
No country has put a sui generis system in place. Most are content using patents
and International Union for Protection of New Plant Varieties (UPOV) to protect
their genetic resources. Kenya and Malawi are making efforts to establish sui
generis systems. Many other countries have been proactive in the debate attempting
to link the objectives of Access and Benefit-sharing (ABS) as contained in theConvention on Biological Diversity (CBD) to Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual
Property Rights (TRIPS). They are fighting for a modification of TRIPS to allow
them control access to genetic resources and get some benefits from them.

Sui generis system in an international context
Costa Rica, the Philippines, Peru, Thailand and Venezuela have put sui generis
regimes in place. Costa Rica has a law on biodiversity under which traditional
knowledge (TK) is recognized. Article 82 provides:“The State expressly recognizes and protects, under the common
denomination of sui generis community intellectual rights, the knowledge,
practices and innovations of indigenous peoples and local communities
related to the use of components of biodiversity and associated knowledge.
This right exists and is legally recognized by the mere existence of thecultural practice or knowledge related to genetic resources and biochemicals;
it does not require prior declaration, explicit recognition nor official registration;
therefore it can include practices which in future acquire such status. … noform of intellectual or industrial property rights protection … shall affect suchhistoric practices”

The 1987 Constitution of the Philippines recognizes traditional knowledge.
Section 17 article XIV provides:

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What is sui generis System of Intellectual Property Protection?
“The State shall recognize, respect and protect the rights of the indigenous
cultural communities to preserve and develop their cultures, traditions andinstitutions”

Peru developed a draft sui generis system whereby ownership, rights andappropriations of indigenous people to TK are recognized. The law provides forindigenous people to enter into “knowledge licensing contracts”. The law has also
encapsulated the concept of “prior informed consent” for knowledge that is not in
the public domain. The law created a fund for the development of indigenous
people. The communities are expected to receive 0.5% of sales from products
developed based on TK. However, the draft was widely resisted and is currently
subject to further consultations. The local communities complained that the
proposed law was not compatible with their understanding of resource rights.
Thailand developed the “Thai Traditional Medicinal Intelligence Act”. This Act
recognizes three forms of protection.
• The first one is the national formula that is given to the state. Formulae
accorded “national” status are those deemed to be extremely crucial to
the national public health system. The Minister for Public Health may
declare any formula of Thai traditional medicine to be a national formula.
Such declaration vests the rights in a national formula in the state. The
commercial use of a national formula for research and development andproduction of drugs is subject to permission from the government. Violationof the Act is punishable through criminal sanctions.
• The second one is the private formula. Third parties must seek permission
from the private rights holder to a private formula. The rights over a private
formula subsist throughout the life of the rights holder and extend up to 50
years after the person’s death. The aim of the Act is to ensure that theowner of TK is adequately compensated for their contribution.
• The third category is a general formula that covers knowledge in the
public domain and is free for all to use. The law allows free domestic useof all types of TK in small quantities. The Act also provides for conservationand sustainable use of medicinal plants. The Act created the “Thai Instituteof Thai Traditional Medicine” and the “Thai Traditional Knowledge
Developing Fund”. This law has spurred a lot of activity in the registration

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ATPS Technopolicy Brief 13
of traditional medicine. Thailand now gets substantial revenue from theuse of TK.
The 1999 Constitution of Venezuela gives recognition to traditional knowledge.
Article 124 provides:“The collective intellectual property of indigenous knowledge, technology
and innovations is guaranteed and protected. Any work on genetic
resources and the knowledge associated therewith shall be for the collective
good. The registration of patents in those resources and ancestral knowledge
is prohibited”

The above cases illustrate the fact that some countries have taken steps tosafeguard their biological resources.

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8.0
What are the Policy Options for African
Countries?
The development of a sui generis system of intellectual property rights (IPRs)
poses the following challenges:• Definition of the subject matter of protection, that is, what is traditional
knowledge? As discussed earlier, the system covers a wide range ofknowledge varying from cultural expressions, such as carvings to traditional
medicine. The exact “material” to be protected must be identified before
hand.
• Requirements for protection - the preconditions for registration• The nature of the rights to be conferred, for example, the right to exclude
others, the right to obtain remuneration, or the right to prevent
misappropriation• Title holders - individuals, communities or the state• Modes of acquisition of protection - the process of registration• Duration - that is, for how long should the rights conferred be protected?
• Enforcement measures - how can the rights holder assert his/herrights?

Policy questions
Should there be a single or multiple regime(s)?
Whether the sui generis regime should take the form of a single comprehensive
regime or whether there should be a set of specific regimes adapted to various
forms of TK is a vital policy issue. The advantage of a single regime is that it
becomes a one-stop reference shop. The disadvantage lies in the complex natureof TK (covering artistic works, folklore, traditional medicine etc.). It can be laborious
and nearly impossible to define common rules to cover the whole area. There may
be need, therefore, to devise separate regimes for each TK component, for example,
artistic creations and folklore, plant genetic resources for agriculture, traditional
medicine, among others. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization/ World Intellectual Property Organization (UNESCO/WIPO) and some13

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ATPS Technopolicy Brief 13
countries have already done some work to protect artistic works including folklore.
Part of such protection is found in the copyright laws of most countries. Concerning
plant genetic resources, many countries have resigned to using UPOV. There isneed to be proactive in this area. One area that seriously cries out for a sui generis
system is traditional medicine.
Provisions within the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the Agreement on
Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) and the International Treaty on
Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA) give member states
the “go ahead” to develop their own sui generis form of IPRs to protect plant genetic
resources. Instead of moving on to do so, a number of developing countries areseeking a multilateral instrument that covers prior informed consent (PIC), accessand benefits sharing (ABS) and multilateral transfer agreements (MTAs). Latin
American countries were initially moving in the right direction by attempting tocome up with sui generis system. However, these efforts are being frustrated
through the free trade area agreements (FTAA) being concluded at a bilateral levelwith the US. The US does not accept agreements with clauses that recognize TK.
Traditional medicine is a rich area deserving specific regime for sui generis.
Traditional medicine includes knowledge of properties of certain biologicalmaterials used in isolation, in their wild form or in combination as part of a mixture
or concoction, methods of diagnosis and treatment including mental, physicaland spiritual therapies. The World Health Organization (WHO) recognized theusefulness of traditional medicine as early as 1978. Both the WHO and WorldBank are spearheading efforts meant to increase recognition and use of traditional
medicine.
Another policy issue is whether the sui generis system can be accommodated
within existing laws or whether they should be separate regimes.

Sui generis within existing laws
The advantage of having sui generis within existing laws is that it will beef up
already existing laws. However, the advantages include the following:• Such an approach requires extensive revisions of certain laws, such as
those dealing with wildlife (flora and fauna), public health laws, patent

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What is sui generis System of Intellectual Property Protection?

••

laws, copyright law, laws on research, and laws on agriculture among
others.
It can take a long time within a legislative calendar to amend all these
multifarious laws to accommodate provisions on sui generis.
Amendments do not usually attract as much publicity as new laws. The
amendments are therefore likely to “disappear” in the forest of other laws
in which they are to be accommodated.

Sui generis as stand alone legislation
An advantage of this approach is that:• Laws are likely to attract a lot of publicity and, therefore, generate interest.
• It will look neater.
• One is likely to deal with two to three pieces of legislation targeting thethree main components of TK and is, therefore, easier to deal with andeven to accommodate in a legislative agenda.
A major disadvantage is the likelihood of repetitions. The provisions of the newlaws, for example, may overlap with those in other laws, such as wildlife orenvironmental laws.

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9.0
Conclusions/Recommendations
The need for a sui generis form of IPRs was recognized early enough. Any
procrastination in this area opens a window of opportunity for biopiracy andmisappropriation especially of plant genetic resources. Moreover, suchprocrastination is dealing a death blow to the dream of conservation and sustainable
use of plant genetic resources. It can also not be said that the absence of a sui
generis system means many communities are being robbed not only of their TK
but also of their inheritance. Closely connected to this is that the countries lose a
lot of revenue which they actually need for their own further development.
It is, therefore, recommended that countries move with speed to put in place sui
generis systems of IPRs. In so doing, the broader aim should be to plough backsome benefits of TK to communities, biodiversity conservation and to ensuresustainable use of the resources.

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ATPS Technopolicy Briefs Series
Who Benefits from the New International Intellectual Property Rights Regime? And What Should
Africa Do? by Ha-Joon Chang(ATPS Technopolicy Brief 1)
How Can We Constitutionalize Innovation, Technology and Intellectual Property in Kenya ? by
Bernard Sihanya(ATPS Technopolicy Brief 2)What Can Biotechnology Do For Africa? How Can The Associated Risks And Uncertainties Be
Managed? by Norman Clark(ATPS Technopolicy Brief 3)
Who Needs Technology Policy? by Ha-Joon Chang(ATPS Technopolicy Brief 4)
Keeping Hunger at Bay: Genetic Engineering and Food Security in sub-Saharan Africa by John
Mugabe(ATPS Technopolicy Brief 5)
Science in a Globalizing World: Implications for Africa by Awele Maduemezia(ATPS Technopolicy Brief 6)
How can Science and Technology in Africa be Formulated and Implemented? by Osita Ogbu
(ATPS Technopolicy Brief 7)
How can Science and Technology Policy Aid Nigeria’s Reconstruction? by Osita Ogbu
(ATPS Technopolicy Brief 8)
Can Africa Develop without Science and Technology by Osita Ogbu
(ATPS Technopolicy Brief 9)
How can Innovation Systems and Innovative Clusters be used to Develop Africa? by Osita Ogbu
(ATPS Technopolicy Brief 10)
What Danger Lies in the WTO-NAMA Negotiations for Africa? by Ha-Joon Chang(ATPS Technopolicy Brief 12)

The author is a Professor of Sports Medicine and Intellectual Property Law, Kenyatta
University and Director, MOWE Research & Consultancy Services (Medico-Legal)