APPENDIX
Raika Bio-cultural
Protocol
OVERVIEW
This protocol specifically:
• Strengthen in situ conservation of breeds of the Raika
and include them in the BMC being initiated by
• Sets out our biocultural values and explains how we,
the Raika, have developed and preserved unique breeds
of livestock and traditional knowledge associated with
them, and how our pastoral lifestyle has developed the
co-evolved ecosystem of Rajasthan’s forests which we
have traditionally conserved and sustainably used;
• Details our customary decision making process involved
in providing free prior informed consent to any actions
that relate to our grazing rights, animal genetic resources
and associated traditional knowledge;
the government.
• Advise the Central Government and coordinate the
activities of the State Biodiversity Boards to protect the
customary grazing rights of the Raika so as to safeguard
our traditional lifestyles that ensure the conservation
and sustainable use of the our breed diversity, associated
traditional knowledge and the local ecosystem;
• Ensure that our prior informed consent (according to
customary law) is obtained before any decision are
taken that affect our traditional way of life or access is
• Illustrates the disastrous impacts that our exclusion from
granted to our breed diversity and associated traditional
previously communal grazing areas and forests is having
knowledge for research or for commercial purposes, and
on our lives, livestock, genetic resources, traditional
further ensure that we receive a fair and equitable share
knowledge and the forest ecosystem itself;
of the benefits arising from the utilization of our breeds
• Articulates our forest access rights and rights over our
genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge
under Indian law;
• Calls upon the National Biodiversity Authority to:
and traditional knowledge according to mutually agreed
terms; and
• Calls on the Secretariat of the UN Convention on Biological
Diversity, specifically under Article 8(j) of the Convention,
to recognize the contribution of our traditional lifestyles
• Recognize our local breeds and associated traditional
to the conservation and sustainable use of biological
knowledge as set out in the Raika Biodiversity Register
diversity in Rajasthan; and calls on the UN Food and
and to include it in the Peoples Biodiversity Register;
Agriculture Organization to recognize the importance of
• Facilitate the setting up of Biodiversity Management
our animal genetic resources and to recognize livestock
Committees under the local bodies (Panchayats or
keepers’ rights.
Municipalities) where we live and to support these
Committees in ensuring the conservation and sustainable
use of our breed diversity and traditional knowledge;
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