Rachel Wynberg: Senior Researcher

Rachel Wynberg is a natural scientist and environmental policy analyst, with more than fifteen years experience in the environmental field. Since 1992, she has worked actively on biodiversity issues with a wide range of international and South African governmental, non-governmental and business organizations. Email: wynberg@uct.ac.za

Rachel's work is focused on issues relating to the commercialization and trade of biodiversity and the integration of social justice into biodiversity concerns. Areas of research specialisation include the commercial use and development of indigenous southern African plants; policy issues relating to bioprospecting, natural product development, genetic resources, access and benefit-sharing; intellectual property rights and traditional knowledge; fair trade in southern African products; the impacts of genetically modified crops in developing countries; and legal and strategic frameworks for biodiversity conservation and use.

Rachel holds two Masters degrees, one in Marine Biology, and the other in Environmental Science, both awarded cum laude from the University of Cape Town, and a doctorate from the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, focused on pro-poor models of non-timber forest product commercialisation in southern Africa. Based at the Environmental Evaluation Unit, University of Cape Town since 2005, Rachel is also a trustee and founding member of two South African NGOs, the Environmental Monitoring Group, and Biowatch South Africa.

Email: wynberg@uct.ac.za