The Inaugural Indigenous Knowledge Systems Exhibition and Workshop

Thanks to Wim Alberts (Bowman Gilfillan), Afro IP has learnt that next week (4th-9th of August) the Department of Science and Technology has organised an Expo on Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) in the Transvaal Museum in Pretoria entitled: "THEME FUTURE OF IKS BEYOND 2010". Each day different speakers will discuss issues related to IKS (agriculture, education, music, intellectual property rights). The programme can be found here and includes an array of interesting topics such as:

"Indigenous Knowledge System beyond 2010;"From Farmer to Pharma"

"Leveraging Knowledge Management within the Continent"

"Bioprospecting at CSIR: New drugs and herbal products from medicinal plants"

"Science & Technology creating wealth and job opportunities for the Disadvantaged though the use IKS"

"The Impact Of Intellectual Property System On Indigenous Knowledge: Possible Solutions."

"The Hoodia case as a practical example of traditional knowledge of plant use leading to benefit sharing agreements under the Biodiversity Act."

For related (and unrelated) posts on traditional knowledge affecting Africa click here.