Collaboration between the holders of traditional knowledge, researchers and industry,
meanwhile, would lead both to the rational use of these resources, preventing them from being
plundered, and to the adoption of measures to conserve them, while at the same time ensuring
compensation for the project and communities possessing this knowledge.
The granting of intellectual property rights to the holders of traditional knowledge would,
moreover, facilitate the safeguarding of these same rights. This could be done by using the rights
in traditional intellectual property, taking into account the source of the genetic resources and the
holders of traditional knowledge at the time of granting the rights in traditional intellectual
property, or setting up a “sui generis” protection system.
Overcoming the above-mentioned constraints and freeing intellectual property to play its true
role in protecting biodiversity and traditional knowledge and promoting their identification and
exploitation and the sharing of the benefits deriving from genetic resources and the knowledge
associated with it, will be possible by achieving the following strategic goals:
6.5.1. Disseminating the intellectual property system and raising awareness of it among the
holders of traditional knowledge
Raising awareness of intellectual property among the holders of traditional knowledge will
enable them to see the value and potential of the knowledge they have, and the protection that IP
could provide.
The possibility of appropriating these rights through the intellectual property system and the
compensation that may be paid to knowledge holders can be an optimal incentive to
disseminating traditional knowledge and using it for the purpose of research, industrialization
and marketing.
The strategic use of intellectual property will allow the exploitation of Mozambique’s potential
in terms of genetic resources and associated knowledge.