The Convention on Biological Diversity

In June 1992 the global Convention on Biological Diversity and Agenda 21 towards sustainability were signed by over 150 countries and the European Union at the Earth Summit. The Earth Summit confirmed that only through integrating conservation and development could human and ecological challenges be met. This Convention is the first global instrument to take a comprehensive approach to the issues of conserving the world's biological diversity and to using its biological resources in a sustainable way. Substantial work is ongoing world-wide through programmes and activities that take a comprehensive natural resources management perspective and address agricultural biodiversity at ecosystems and landscape level (UNEP, 1999). According to Article 8(j) of the Convention on 'in-situ conservation', each Contracting Party shall "subject to its national legislation, respect, preserve and maintain knowledge, innovations and practices of indigenous and local communities embodying traditional lifestyles relevant for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity and promote their wider application with the approval and involvement of the holders of such knowledge, innovations and practices and encourage the equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the utilisation of such knowledge, innovations and practices."