GRA/World Bank workshop on Indigenous Knowledge

Kopanong (the place of meeting) was the venue for the GRA/World Bank workshop on Indigenous Knowledge which took place from 9-11 February. The goal of the workshop was to being together traditional healers and scientists from many part of the world to discuss and plan the way forward on the complex issues of validation, benefit sharing and intellectual property.

Following three days of intensive discussion a roadmap was developed and potential pilot projects identified.

GRA group photo

Dr Kumar (CSIR India), Dr Muraleedharan and Dr Prakash, Traditional Healers from India, Dr Qazi (CSIR India) and Dr Bhatt a Traditional Healer with Carole Liddy of the GRA Nerve Centre

Mindelwa Kwelemtini, Mathambo Ngakaeaja and Mohammed Kassomo, Traditional Healers from South Africa, Botswana and Tanzania

Dr Catherine Bounsaythip of VTT, Prof Dr Jan van der Greef from TNO and Dr Balendu Prakash a Traditional Healer from India

Dr Qazi of CSIR India with Abdullah Hamid of SIRIM-Berhad, Malaysia

Mr Nicolas Gorjestani and Mrs Ritva Reinikka of the World Bank in discussion with the South African Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Mosibudi Mangena and Dr Reinie Biesenbach of the GRA

Nick Ndaba of BOTEC-Botswana with Dr Bev Sithole and Peter Christopherson of CSIRO in Australia