ABSTRACT
In this chapter, I distil a series of linkages, key lessons and challenges related to the conceptualization and implementation of fair and equitable benefit-sharing, as arising from the previous analysis. I conclude that the concept falls short of its promises to inject fairness and justice in agricultural development, at least as currently applied in the contradictory policy context, which fails to support user-based innovation and poses a host of obstacles to smallholders. I argue, however, that it has the potential to contribute to sustainable agriculture and rural livelihoods objectives, if constructed broadly to cover a series of supportive elements and enabling conditions, in addition to the outcome of the process. I thus stress the need to move beyond narrow or strictly monetary understandings of benefit-sharing, highlight the role of social movements as driving forces of international law development and call for drawing inspiration from the sharing ethos of grassroots communities to enrich the concept of fair and equitable benefit-sharing in international law.
