A Tale of Two Danish Bio-Tech Firms, Protection of Genetic Resources and 2.3 Million Shillings in Royalties for Lake Bogoria Enzyme

The Baringo County has confirmed recent media reports that residents living around Lake Bogoria in Baringo County have received the sum of KES 2.3 Million in royalties from a Dutch bio-enzyme company. According to Baringo County news, this royalties deal comes after “successful negotiation between the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and Novozyme – a foreign company that took an enzyme drawn from a Bacteria in Lake Bogoria hot springs about 15 years ago”. It is reported that the royalties will be partly used as bursaries for over 200 local students while part of the funds will be deployed to fund other development projects in the area. However, local civil society organisations have reportedly demanded full disclosure of all the money from the royalties deal.

This blogpost uses the recent news from Baringo County to examine the protection of genetic resources in Kenya, taking into account Kenya’s new domestic and international rights and obligations in this area.

South African Firm Accused by Kenya of Patent Rights Breach

The Daily Nation reports that a South African company has been blamed for selling semen from the Boran bull, a Kenyan cattle breed by purporting it is a patented product of that country.

When questioned by the Nation, the Livestock Minister Dr. Mohamed Kuti said that the move was in violation of the country’s patent rights since the Boran cattle is an indigenous breed of pastoral communities in Northern Kenya. The minister also said that the RSA company was working in cahoots with a local ranch.

Background:

Genus: Bos
Species: Indicus
Breed: Boran

The Boran cattle is described as a sub-tropically adapted Kenyan breed for natural beef.

Genetic studies at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) have revealed that the genetic composition of the Kenya Boran is unique. The Boran now found in Zambia, Tanzania, Uganda, Australia and USA originated from genetic exports of Kenyan Boran cattle between the 1970’s and 1990’s. The breed in Zimbabwe and South Africa came from embryos exported from Ol Pejeta Ranch at Nanyuki, Kenya, during 1994 and 2000.