Building African Capacity

Photo: Rachel Wynberg

The use of genetic resources and the sharing of benefits arising from this use have received considerable attention over the past two decades. Not only is there increasing recognition of the interdependencies of countries on the world’s genetic resources, but so too is there greater awareness of the potential benefits that arise from the use of these resources. Efforts have been made to increase knowledge and capacity around access and benefit sharing (ABS), but remain constrained by the complexity of ABS which gathers a wide range of scientific, conservation, trade and legal elements onto the same stage.

African countries face particularly acute capacity constraints in implementing ABS on the national and regional level. Overcoming such limitations requires solutions which are cross-sectoral in nature, wide-ranging in scope and bring together a range of diverse understandings and stakeholders. The EEU, in partnership with the ABS Capacity Building Initiative for Africa, directed the first Training Course to Build African Capacity in ABS in Cape Town from 25-29 January 2010. It is hoped that further training courses will be rolled out elsewhere in Africa in 2011 and beyond to raise awareness and understanding of ABS on the African continent.