Sailing The Seas of Treaties

Five centuries after the Doctrine of Discovery undermined indigenous property rights, biopiracy continues through the theft of traditional knowledge. This analysis examines the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGR), designed to ensure fair benefit-sharing but facing implementation challenges in developing nations. Case studies reveal systemic gaps in protecting indigenous communities' interests, particularly regarding the treaty's compliance with the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). Critical concerns include: the Interim Committee's questionable standard-setting authority; delays establishing the Governing Body; non-party influence on decisions; and CBD's exclusion from key Standard Material Transfer Agreement negotiations. The article argues that without robust safeguards against institutional overreach and stronger CBD-ITPGR coordination, equitable access mechanisms risk perpetuating historical inequities in plant genetic resource governance.