[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 269 Introduced in House (IH)]






108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 269

   Expressing the sense of the Congress that the trade and economic 
 development policies of the United States should respect and support 
 the rights of African farmers with respect to their agricultural and 
     biological resources, traditional knowledge, and technologies.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 25, 2003

  Ms. Waters submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 
 referred to the Committee on International Relations, and in addition 
  to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently 
   determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 
 provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
   Expressing the sense of the Congress that the trade and economic 
 development policies of the United States should respect and support 
 the rights of African farmers with respect to their agricultural and 
     biological resources, traditional knowledge, and technologies.

Whereas indigenous agricultural and biological resources, traditional knowledge, 
        and technologies are vitally important to the economies, cultures, 
        environment, food security, and rural livelihoods of sub-Saharan Africa;
Whereas the majority of Africans in the sub-Saharan region depend directly on 
        agriculture for their daily sustenance and income needs;
Whereas the majority of farmers in this region cultivate their crops on small 
        family plots, growing crops and raising livestock for their own food 
        needs, saving and exchanging their seeds and produce, and freely selling 
        their surplus harvest according to traditional practices passed on for 
        generations;
Whereas African women are the main producers of food crops cultivated for family 
        and local consumption;
Whereas public access to and communal prerogatives over agricultural and 
        biological resources, traditional knowledge, and technologies are 
        integral to African culture, food security, and to the local economies;
Whereas corporations and outside individuals are profiting from the use of these 
        agricultural and biological resources, and from the traditional 
        knowledge and technologies, without the prior agreement of African 
        farmers and local communities;
Whereas the international trend toward the patenting of life forms threatens 
        public access to and communal prerogatives over agricultural and 
        biological resources, traditional knowledge, and technologies in Africa; 
        and
Whereas in order to safeguard the access and rights of African farmers to their 
        agricultural and biological resources, traditional knowledge, and 
        technologies, the Organization of African Unity has developed the 
        African Model Legislation for the Protection of the Rights of Local 
        Communities, Farmers and Breeders, and for the Regulation of Access to 
        Biological Resources: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That it is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) African nations and people have the right to ensure the 
        conservation, evaluation, and sustainable use of their 
        agricultural and biological resources, traditional knowledge, 
        and technologies, and to govern access to them;
            (2) African farmers have the right to access, use, 
        exchange, and share their agricultural and biological 
        resources, traditional knowledge, and technologies as 
        established by customary law and practice;
            (3) African nations have the right to protect the rights of 
        farmers and communities to their agricultural and biological 
        resources, traditional knowledge, and technologies;
            (4) the patenting of life forms that are part of African 
        agricultural and biological resources, traditional knowledge, 
        and technologies violates the rights described in paragraphs 
        (1) through (3);
            (5) the African Model Legislation for the Protection of the 
        Rights of Local Communities, Farmers and Breeders, and for the 
        Regulation of Access to Biological Resources seeks to 
        recognize, protect, and support the rights described in 
        paragraphs (1) through (3); and
            (6) the trade and economic development policies of the 
        United States toward Africa should respect and support the 
        rights of African farmers with respect to their agricultural 
        and biological resources, traditional knowledge, and 
        technologies, and the provisions of the African Model 
        Legislation.
                                 <all>