[Commons-Law] Matrix buys 13 technologies from Guj's tribal innovators

[Prashant Iyengar]

http://judis.openarchive.in/bomba/archives/20080529/rough/hindu324364.htm

Thu May 29 2008 15:38:41 GMT+0530 (India Standard Time)
Matrix buys 13 technologies from Guj's tribal innovators
Chitra Unnithan / Mumbai/ Ahmedabad May 29, 2008, 5:23 IST

Gujarat's tribal innovators are going global. Hyderabad's Matrix
Biosciences has bought rights of 13 technologies — six herbal
pesticides and seven veterinary products — from grassroot innovators
associated with Society for Research and Initiatives for Sustainable
Technologies and Institutions (SRISTI)-National Innovation Foundation
(NIF).

What's more, Matrix, which plans to market these products under its
own brand names plans register in Thailand, Hong Kong, Indonesia and
Phillipines.

"The products are marketed as our own brands with names given by us,
as part of the deal. We were approached by many NGOs for the
commercialisation of their products, but the unique thing we
appreciate about SRISTI is that they actually want to bring out the
name of the original innovator. Every bottle of the products contains
the names and photographs of the innovators," Ramesh Chouhan,
President (Technical), Matrix Biosciences.

Under the initiative, the rights of six herbal pesticides and seven
veterinary products for curing ailments have been transferred to the
company. The herbal products — SRISTI Krushak, SRISTI Rakshak, SRISTI
Shastra, SRISTI Shakthi, SRISTI Prayas and SRISTI Suraksha — and seven
veterinary products to cure ailments like coccidiosis, immunity in
birds, mastitis, lactogogue diarrhoea, wound and bloat were licenced
to the company.

The product coccicure to control coccidiosis, a protozoal ailment is a
unique product as it attacks the life cycle of the disease causing
protozoa and also protects the epithelial lining of the intestine.
This specific product will protect the birds through prevention as
well as treatment of the ailment.

The agricultural pesticide were tested against leaf curl, cotton pest,
sucking pest, shedding of flower, termite infestation and promoting
plant growth. These products are a result of the combination of
technological innovations by farmers and tribals, who are identified
by SRISTI through its various 'Shodh Yatras' across the remotest parts
of the country.

This is the first time that SRISTI has given way to group patenting of
more than 10 people, replacing their tradition of patenting individual
innovations. Anil Gupta, president of SRISTI and professor at Indian
Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIM-A) said, "More number of
innovators are coming under the group licensing with each passing day.

These herbal technologies, that are already out in the market are
developed by farm labourers and tribals, who have the traditional
knowledge but lack a platform to market them to their advantage.
Instead of patenting one herbal technology, we decided to weave
together a few technologies to have maximum impact."

A token amount of Rs 50,000 was given to these innovators by the
company at the organic food festival organised by the NGO. Besides,
five per cent of on sale is given as royalty to SRISTI. In
consultation with the innovators of these products, SRISTI and NIF
have made a formula for the sharing of royalty through
commercialisation of the products, which includes 30 per cent of the
benefits to the innovator or the traditional knowledge holder, 20 per
cent to the innovation fund, 15 per cent each for overhead and
research and development and five per cent each to preserve
environment, for the community, women of the community and
contingency.

The formulations were tried globally in countries like Canada, Eastern
Europe and Asian countries and apparently found promising results.
These herbal medications were documented by SRISTI and requisite value
addition was made over each product like preparation of liquid
medications, correct combination of the medications.