ACCESS AND BENEFIT SHARING (ABS) OF BIO-RESOURCES: EXTENT OF AWARENESS AMONG THE STAKEHOLDERS IN INDIASANGEETHA, M. GADDI GANGAPPA, M. AND RAMACHANDRA BHATTAAbstract Nagoya Protocol provides for the fair and equitable sharing of benefits derived from the utilization of bio-resources, the complexity of the regulations always acted as a barrier to reap the benefits of Bioresource utilization. The present study has analyzed the extent of awareness about the ABS among different stakeholders. A multi stakeholder approach was adopted to determine the awareness at each level of implementing the ABS and an ABS Awareness Index was developed. The lack of knowledge about ABS was found high among local communities, traditional knowledge holders who are the custodians of the Bioresource and its associated traditional knowledge. Results revealed a low to medium level of awareness about ABS and its provisions among the stakeholders. |