ABSTRACT
Benefit-sharing is a much bandied-around buzzword, conjuring up visions of community empowerment and enrichment, and partnerships that are altruistic and equitable. The concept is particularly associated with the CBD, which requires fair relationships to be developed between those commercializing biodiversity (largely companies in technologically advanced countries of the North) and those providing the genetic resources (generally the biologically rich South). Similar language is peppered throughout literature on the issue, from official UN documents through to popular publications. But how far are we in implementing these noble principles?
