Share Ownership of Intellectual Property Right for Maruline

1
Share Ownership of Intellectual Property Right
for Maruline

• Joyce Katjirua
• Directorate of Environmental Affair, Ministry of
  Environment and Tourism Namibia

2
Structure

• The presentation will follow the structure of the
  summary sheet which was provided

3
Name and type of genetic resource

• Maruline, which is derived from marula
  (Sclerocarya birrea subsp. caffra) fruit seeds.
• Maruline is an active ingredient from the marula
  oil with enhanced antioxidant properties.

4
Actors involve

• Eudafano Woman's Cooperative - the marula fruit
  seed harvesters
• CRIAA SA-DC - Developers of marula oil for
  use in cosmetic sector
• Phytotrade Africa -- Development partners
• Aldivia S.A. of France lipid science

5
Use of the resource

• Tree
• prominent role in culture
• can be pre-determined the sex of a child
• the marriage tree (cleansing gifts)
• Wood makes good kitchen utensils
• Bark
• treat a number of ailments such as diarrhoea,
  diabetics, fever and malaria.

6
Use of the resource (continue)

• Kernels
• Testy used to prepare butter similar to peanut
  butter.
• The pressed oil is used to preserve meat and for
  cooking
• For centuries, woman pressed marula oil for skin
  care qualities
• Oil properties
• preventing and healing scar tissues
• preventing stretch marks during pregnancy

7
Type/kind of ABS agreement

• Interllectual property formally co-owend by
  primary produces from developing countries
  (represented by PhytoTrade Africa ) and a
  commercial company (Aldivia SA) from a developed
  country

8
Agreed benefits

• preferential access to the opportunities for the
  supply
• issued with the first licence by the
  patent-holders for production of Maruline

9
Benefit realized to date

• launched in 2005 and it is an income opportunity
  for local farmers.
• This market opportunity has renewed the local
  community sense of pride and built a new cohesion
  within the community.
• Marula products has sparked cultural new start

10
Direct contribution to poverty alleviation

• This is a market opportunity for the local
  farmers.
• Since they have preferential supply of the marula
  oil to Aldivia, their income is secure

11
Lessons learned

• poverty can be alleviated through partnership
  based on indigenous resources, modern technology
  and collaborative commercial strategy

12
Changes regarding benefits and poverty alleviation

• The Maruline example represent a vision of how to
  develop new ingredients that impact on peoples
  lives, offering traditional resource custodians
  in Africa a genuine partnership to develop better
  products for a better world.

13
Conclusion

• Good ABS outcomes are possible, even in the
  absence of ABS legislation.
• Need commercially realistic strategies