Conservation of Biodiversity in Sub Sahara Africa: Prospecting for Genetic Resources and Traditional Knowledge Regulation in Ethiopia

Legal protection and conservation of biodiversity in Ethiopia was taken so serious after the alleged misappropriation of Teff’s case. In 2006, Ethiopia enacted a proclamation No 482/2006 on access to Genetic Resources and Community knowledges and Communities Rights with subsequent regulation in 2009 mainly for the implementation of the Proclamation. Under the Proclamation and the Regulation, genetic resources and traditional knowledge belong to the government of Ethiopia and People of Ethiopia, recognizing sovereignty of indigenous people over their GRs and TK. Both Proclamation and Regulation were not only enacted due to the lost of Teff but also to observe Ethiopia legal obligation under the Convention on Biodiversity. Member state to the Convention on Biological Diversity and Nagoya Protocol must observe their provisions by enacting law on protection and preservation of GRs and TK. The purpose of enacting law on protection and preservation of GRs and TK is to ensure that the users of GRs and TK access it with prior informed consent of the holder follow by mutually agreed terms on how benefit arising from the utilization of GRs and TK will be equally and fairly shared. A descriptive and analytical approach is used to analyze the laws regulating GRs and TK in Ethiopia. Despite the fact that the laws regulating ABS in Ethiopia are comprehensive, there are some keys areas that are crucial for the conservation of biodiversity which have not yet been addressed. The aim of this research is to examine the extends of legal regimes of GRs and TK in regulating access and benefit sharing in Ethiopia and addressing challenging such as misappropriation of GR and TK, and how it can be well dealt with.