Q.Write a short note on: Biopiracy (restrict the answer to 2 or 3 important sentences).

Biopiracy means using a nation's biodiversity and indigenous knowledge without authorization or benefit-sharing.

Biopiracy refers to the use of bio-resources (plants, microbes, genetic material) and the associated traditional knowledge of indigenous/local communities by individuals, organisations or countries, without proper authorisation from the country or people concerned, and without paying compensation. This has led to several international controversies, such as patents filed abroad on traditional Indian resources like turmeric (wound healing), neem (pesticidal properties) and basmati rice, which were later successfully challenged by India as prior traditional knowledge existed. It raises important issues of natio …