ABSTRACT
Institutional policy development is a process (see Box 3.2) and no single institution can be expected to master quickly the complex and extremely involved policy dialogue currently underway relating to access and benefit-sharing. However, nor can they afford half measures. Staff should be designated or hired to address these issues, and the implementation of policies – and not merely drafting of documents – must be given priority. An important part of a comprehensive institutional approach is the development of follow-up strategies to ensure implementation and acceptance of the policy, as well as its refinement and adaptation over the years in light of lessons learned, and changing legal, ethical and scientific trends. The process by which a policy will be further refined, developed and implemented should be made clear within the policy document itself. The RBG Kew policy, for example, highlights the need to build internal capacity to implement the policy, and to constantly revise the policy in accordance with rapidly evolving standards of accepted best practice. Steps outlined in the policy to do this include: developing guidelines for staff on how to implement the policy; an improved collections strategy; more detailed policies on the acquisition of genetic resources by RBG, Kew; more detailed policies on access and benefitsharing for information acquired with genetic resources (eg ethnobotanical data); and procedures for monitoring, evaluating and enforcing the policy.
