Thesis (MComm)--Stellenbosch University, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study analyses the extent to which the current intellectual property system is
suited to the protection of traditional knowledge in the Western Cape. Employing a
multidisciplinary approach that incorporates economic and legal theory as well as
legal philosophy, this study argues that although advances in the fields of
biotechnology has brought with it the need for greater intellectual property rights
protection, the protection of traditional knowledge has largely been ignored.
Traditional ethnobotanical knowledge holds immense economic value for both
commercial entities seeking to develop products based on traditional knowledge as
well as for the communities that possess such knowledge. Protecting traditional
knowledge is necessary to ensure that the communities contributing their knowledge
are recognized and compensated for such contributions. In order for a system to
provide adequate protection for traditional knowledge it has to be consistent with and
suited to the needs of traditional knowledge holders. This study therefore evaluates
the prevailing system of knowledge protection as embodied in the intellectual
property rights regime as a means of protecting traditional knowledge. The analysis
reveals that the dominant justification for the existence ofIPRs is based on utilitarian
considerations that promote IPRs as a necessary incentive encouraging innovative
activity. This utilitarian justification also provides the basis for an economic
justification for the existence of IPRs that suggests that the conferring of exclusive
rights (in the form of IPRs) to innovators ensure that such innovators are able to
recover their research costs and realize profits from their inventions. The IPR system
as it exists is underpinned by these considerations and embedded in principles of
individualism and private property. The WTO reinforces and promotes this approach
to intellectual property in the TRIPs agreement by recognizing intellectual property as
a 'trade related' issue. The inclusion of IPRs as a 'trade related' issue in the
multilateral framework of the WTO reflects the interests of multinational corporations
and developed nations who rely extensively on these mechanisms to maintain their
power and wealth in an increasingly knowledge driven global economy. The
exclusion of traditional knowledge within the TRIPs, coupled with the desire to
extend patents to cover life forms is also indicative of this bias inherent in the system.
South African intellectual property legislation is then applied to the traditional
knowledge of an indigenous medicinal plant to test whether IPRs are able to provide adequate protection to traditional knowledge. In this regard it is found that patent
protection, which could potentially provide the greatest form of protection for
traditional knowledge is. not suited to the needs of traditional knowledge holders.
Problems of identifying owners, determining inventors and novelty, time limited
rights and costs all limits the potential of patents as a tool for protecting traditional
knowledge. Similar constraints limit the potential of other categories of IPRs to
provide protection for traditional knowledge. However, it was found that IPRs do
provide a certain measure of defensive protection. The study therefore concludes that
the IPR system as it exists, both in the international trade environment as well as at
the national level, fails to adequately address the threat of appropriation and the
concerns of traditional knowledge holders. Amending the IPR system and/or
developing sui generis systems of protection are therefore necessary to ensure that the
knowledge of communities are protected and such communities are able to benefit
from the exploitation oftheir knowledge and resources. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie studie is om vas te stel in hoe 'n mate die huidige sisteem vir die
beskerming van intellektuele eiendom geskik is vir die beskerming van tradisionele
kennis in die Wes-Kaap. 'n Multidissiplinêre benadering, wat uit elemente van
ekonomiese- en regsteorie sowel as regsfilosofie haal, is gevolg om te wys dat die
beskerming van tradisionele kennis grootliks geïgnoreer is, alhoewel nuwe deurbrake
in biotegnologie die behoefte skep vir groter bekerming van intellektuele eiendom.
Tradisionele etnobotaniese kennis het geweldige ekonomiese waarde vir beide die
kommersiële entiteite wat produkte uit sodanige kennis wil produseer sowel as vir
tradisionele gemeenskappe aan wie die kennis behoort. Dus, indien sulke
gemeenskappe voordeel wil trek uit hierdie kennis, is dit nodig dat hul bydraes erken
moet word, en dat hulle daarvoor vergoed moet word. Sulke beskerming sal net
doeltreffend wees indien dit aangepas is by die behoeftes van hierdie gemeenskappe.
Dus word die huidige sisteem vir die beskerming van tradisionele kennis geevalueer
in hierdie studie. Die ondersoek wys dat die sisteem vir die beskerming van
intellektuele eiendom berus op die teoretiese basis van nutsmaksimering, waar die
hoofdoel te vinde is in die bydrae wat dit kan maak tot ekonomiese welvaart deur
middel van innovasie. In hierdie opsig word beskerming van intellektuele eiendom
beskou as 'n manier waardeur die innoveerder sy navorsings- en ontwikkelingskostes
kan delg en wins kan maak. Hierdie benadering word onderskryf deur die WTO in die
TRIPS Ooreenkoms. In hierdie opsig word die belange van veral die ryk lande en die
multinasionale maatskappye bevorder, 'n sleutelvoordeel in 'n wêreld waar kennis
gepaardgaan met mag in die mark. Hierdie verskynsel word versterk deur die
uitsluiting van tradisionele kennis van die TRIPS Ooreenkoms en die behoefte
daaraan om patentregte uit te brei.
Suid-Afrikaanse wetgewing oor intellektuele eiendom word vervolgens toegepas op
die geval van tradisionele kennis oor 'n inheemse medisinale plant om te toets of
intellektuele eiendomsreg genoegsame beskerming aan tradisionele kennis bied. Daar
is gevind dat patentregte, wat potensieël die grootste mate van beskerming sou kon
bied, nie gepas is in die geval van houers van tradisionele kennis nie. Probleme wat
voorkom sluit in die identifisering van eienaars, innoveerders en innoverings, die tydsbeperking op regte, asook kosteoorwegings. Ander vorms van beskerming is aan
soortgelyke kritiek onderhewig, alhoewel bevind is dat intellektuele eiendomsreg wel
'n mate van defensiewe beskerming bied. Die gevolgtrekking word dus gemaak dat
die huidige vorms van beskerming vir intellektuele eiendomsreg, beide internasionaal
sowel as in Suid-Afrika, nie die belange van die houers van tradisionele kennis
beskerm nie. Dit is dus nodig om die huidige vorms aan te spreek, of om sui generis
beskerming te ontwikkel om hiervoor te sorg.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/49992 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Daya, Yusuf |
| Contributors | Vink, N., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of AgriSciences . Dept. of Agricultural Economics . |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 130 p. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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