18 Jan 2023

The Department of Research Science and Technology (DRST) will host the annual Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Summer School from January 30 to February 3 this year in Ghanzi to advance IP training and practice among communities.

The event under the theme, Tshomarelo le Tshireletso ya Dikitso tsa Setso  will be graced by representatives from African Regional Intellectual Property Organisation (ARIPO); an intergovernmental organisation for cooperation among African states in patent and IP matters.

In an interview, Principal Research, Science and Technology officer at DRST Mr Washa Mazhani confirmed that their target audience would include among others traditional communities, indigenous knowledge holders, and cultural organisations within communities as well as traditional healers, to mention but a few.

Mr Mazhani said from January 30-31, activations would be held around Ghanzi to enlighten the community about the scheduled event and  be convened alongside panel discussions at the main Kgotla.

He further said  that February 2-3, had been reserved for stakeholder presentations which would  inform and train the community on issues pertaining to practical demonstrations of indigenous knowledge systems,, its relation to IP and benefit thereof.

Moreover, Mr Mazhani mentioned that the panel discussions led by UB, Dingaka Tsa Setso Association, BAC and ARIPO would be convened under the topic, “Reluctance of Developed Countries to Use Intellectual Property System to Protect Traditional Knowledge.”

For scheduled presentations, he enlisted University of Botswana (UB), DRST, Botswana Accountancy College (BAC), Botswana Digital and Innovation Hub (BDIH), Botswana Institute for Technology Research and Innovation (BITRI), Copyright Society of Botswana (COSBOTS), Companies and Intellectual Property Authority (CIPA) and ARIPO amongst key partners that would pool their expertise and resources together to  unpack indigenous knowledge systems to the audience.

Mr Mazhani said previously they targeted the tourism sector however, this time around they decided to sensitise communities on new international regime which suggests that knowledge has become a commodity that has value for commercialization.

He stated that IP rights designed to protect commercial innovations has been deemed inappropriate for protecting traditional knowledge.

Mr Mazhani said traditional knowledge was expressed in stories, songs, folklore, proverbs, and dances, myths, cultural values, beliefs, rituals, community laws, local language and agricultural practices shared and communicated orally.

The IP Law requires traditional knowledge holders to reveal/disclose their knowledge in exchange for IP protection through patents and trademarks. But, he said it has received  skepticism due to the history of colonisation. Ends