Hoodia, a case study at CSIR

Abstract

An appetite suppressant agent from Hoodia developed by CSIR scientists, promises to become the first natural food ingredient for weight management based on a plant indigenous to the African continent. The research programme that led to this potential product started at CSIR in 1963, and today includes major multi-national companies, farmers and communities. An analysis of the key innovative steps in the research programme illustrates the value of combining modern science and ancient knowledge on the use of South Africa’s rich biodiversity. Hoodia illustrates the potential of bioprospecting to produce significant economic and social benefits for a nation. The processes leading to the creation and protection of intellectual property, licensing to commercial partners and the benefit-sharing agreement with the San people, custodians of indigenous knowledge on the use of Hoodia, are discussed