Linkages between pharmaceutical firms and universities in South Africa

A research report submitted to the Wits Business School, University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Management in Innovation Studies November 201

Traditional Knowledge and Biodiversity in South Africa : CSIR case

The focus of this paper is traditional knowledge (TK) and indigenous biological resources protection in South Africa, through the analysis of the existing policies and legislations, in order to provide a useful insight for a developed country such as Japan which has recently adopted the guidelines for the protection of TK and biological resources and promotion of access and benefit sharing (ABS). South Africa is the 3rd most diverse country in terms of natural resources, culture and traditions, languages and geology and its comprehensive legislative framework system shows the country\u27s seriousness to safeguard TK and conserve biological resources for future generations. The paper uses the South Africa\u27s government owned research and technology development institution, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), as an example to demonstrate the application of the TK protection and biodiversity conservation (including access and benefit sharing) laws, through case studies approach for lessons learned for other African countries, contemplating creation of their own TK protection and environmental conservation. Due to the repositioning of CSIR within the local and global research and develop, the organisation has adopted Industrialisation Strategy, and TK will play a significant role in technology development and new business models in rural agroprocessing and production to enhance inclusive development (through benefit sharing) and support economic growth. The paper concludes that TK and indigenous biological resources protection through the relevant government laws, as well as value addition to TK and biodiversity through research and development supported by government funding, is necessary for socioeconomic attainment, especially for local and indigenous communities and rural agroprocessing businesses as part of benefit sharing

Indigenous Knowledge on the Uses, Sustainability and Conservation of African Ginger (<i>Siphonochilus aethiopicus</i>) among Two Communities in Mpumalanga Province, South Africa

Harvesting of medicinal plants in the wild has an impact on sustainability of medicinal plants, which leads to the need for intervention in terms of conservation strategies. Siphonochilus aethiopicus, commonly known as African ginger or wild ginger is used to cure a variety of health conditions/illnesses, such as coughs, colds, asthma, nausea, headaches and pains. This study explored the potential role of indigenous knowledge on the uses, sustainability, and conservation strategies for African ginger among two communities in Mpumalanga province. Qualitative method entailing in-depth interviews were used for this research. We used a non-probability sample (snow-balling) to recruit ten (10) participants that comprised of four traditional health practitioners, four knowledge holders and two herbalists, considered as experts on African ginger in the study area. The data was analysed using thematic analysis. The diverse indigenous knowledge on the uses of African ginger were divided into two categories (diseases and spiritual/cultural purposes) among the local communities. African ginger is indigenous to South Africa and the plant species in the wild is mainly lost to commercial trade. As revealed by the participants, the multiple uses of African ginger are major contributing factors exacerbating the demands for the plant. The uses of African ginger have resulted in the scarcity and possibly extinction of this plant species in the wild, which remain a major concerns to several stakeholders especially traditional health practitioners. Harvesting of the rhizomes of African ginger is recommended instead of the root given the relative ease and higher chances for survival and regeneration. To ensure the sustainable utilisation of African ginger, its cultivation was recommended by the participants. However, there is a need for further intervention to assess how the community members can be assisted with developing and adopting indigenous conservation protocols for the continuous sustainability of African ginger. In addition, it is pertinent to strongly discourage the indiscriminate destruction of natural habitats and create more awareness on the importance of designating protected areas among local communities