IV 
108TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. CON. RES. 269
Expressing the sense of the Congress that the trade and economic develop-
ment policies of the United States should respect and support the rights 
of African farmers with respect to their agricultural and biological re-
sources, traditional knowledge, and technologies. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 25, 2003
Ms. WATERS submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was re-
ferred to the Committee on International Relations, and in addition to 
the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently de-
termined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions 
as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 
Expressing the sense of the Congress that the trade and 
economic development policies of the United States 
should respect and support the rights of African farmers 
with respect to their agricultural and biological resources, 
traditional knowledge, and technologies.
Whereas indigenous agricultural and biological resources, tra-
ditional knowledge, and technologies are vitally important 
to the economies, cultures, environment, food security, 
and rural livelihoods of sub-Saharan Africa; 
Whereas the majority of Africans in the sub-Saharan region 
depend directly on agriculture for their daily sustenance 
and income needs;
•HCON 269 IH 
Whereas the majority of farmers in this region cultivate their 
crops on small family plots, growing crops and raising 
livestock for their own food needs, saving and exchanging 
their seeds and produce, and freely selling their surplus 
harvest according to traditional practices passed on for 
generations; 
Whereas African women are the main producers of food crops 
cultivated for family and local consumption; 
Whereas public access to and communal prerogatives over ag-
ricultural and biological resources, traditional knowledge, 
and technologies are integral to African culture, food se-
curity, and to the local economies; 
Whereas corporations and outside individuals are profiting 
from the use of these agricultural and biological re-
sources, and from the traditional knowledge and tech-
nologies, without the prior agreement of African farmers 
and local communities; 
Whereas the international trend toward the patenting of life 
forms threatens public access to and communal preroga-
tives over agricultural and biological resources, tradi-
tional knowledge, and technologies in Africa; and 
Whereas in order to safeguard the access and rights of Afri-
can farmers to their agricultural and biological resources, 
traditional knowledge, and technologies, the Organization 
of African Unity has developed the African Model Legis-
lation for the Protection of the Rights of Local Commu-
nities, Farmers and Breeders, and for the Regulation of 
Access to Biological Resources: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
concurring), That it is the sense of Congress that—
•HCON 269 IH 
(1) African nations and people have the right to 
ensure the conservation, evaluation, and sustainable 
use of their agricultural and biological resources, 
traditional knowledge, and technologies, and to gov-
ern access to them; 
(2) African farmers have the right to access, 
use, exchange, and share their agricultural and bio-
logical resources, traditional knowledge, and tech-
nologies as established by customary law and prac-
tice; 
(3) African nations have the right to protect the 
rights of farmers and communities to their agricul-
tural and biological resources, traditional knowledge, 
and technologies; 
(4) the patenting of life forms that are part of 
African agricultural and biological resources, tradi-
tional knowledge, and technologies violates the rights 
described in paragraphs (1) through (3); 
(5) the African Model Legislation for the Pro-
tection of the Rights of Local Communities, Farm-
ers and Breeders, and for the Regulation of Access 
to Biological Resources seeks to recognize, protect, 
and support the rights described in paragraphs (1) 
through (3); and
•HCON 269 IH 
(6) the trade and economic development policies 
of the United States toward Africa should respect 
and support the rights of African farmers with re-
spect to their agricultural and biological resources, 
traditional knowledge, and technologies, and the pro-
visions of the African Model Legislation.
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