Bioprosecting

BDCP has developed innovative and successful methods of biological prospecting for medicines, cosmetics and crop protection agents based on leads from traditional ethnobotanical knowledge and ecological indicators. Or major in-country focus is on development of cures for malaria, leishmaniasis, trypanosomiasis and other tropical diseases. We have also developed partnership arrangements with developed countries which include the search for cancer and AIDS. In these projects, full recognition and compensation is given to the sources of knowledge and raw materials.

Biodiversity Development Institute of Nigeria (BioDin)
The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) in collaboration with Bioresources Development and Conservation Programme (BDCP) has established a Biodiversity Development Institute in Nigeria. NASENI is a government parastatal which has the mandate to establish development centers for the purpose of facilitating and advancing biodiversity issues. It is also empowered to go into joint or co-operative agreements with other bodies, institutions and establishments. BDCP through its offices and collaborating scientists seeks to develop technical capacity and scientific capability in tropical countries that will enable them appreciate and understand tropical ecosystems as sources of materials for sustainable national development and biodiversity conservation. The two institutions agreed to join their respective resources and advantages to facilitate the integration of existing research efforts for the search for biotic and genetic materials and dissemination of information that may be of use to biotechnology, pharmaceutical, personal care and agricultural industries.

The main objectives of BioDin will be to promote sustainable utilization of biological resources and conservation of the environment through research, bioprospecting, inventory, training and information management. The Institute will also serve as a clearing house for the sustainable utilization of the national biological resources as well as facilitate the development of the necessary specialist skill and framework to provide a common multi-disciplinary forum of people from a wide range of interest.

The activities of the institute will include building up of necessary reference information and the scientific and technical expertise needed for research, negotiations and information management as well as enlightening the general public. It will also establish a network of experts and consultants spread all over the country through whom specific projects can be executed and from whom specialist counsel can be obtained. The Center will also affiliate and seek support of institutions within and outside the country which pursue similar ideals and identify with its aims and aspirations.

BioDin, which is an independent, self-sustaining, not-for-profit organization, comprises of three major divisions:

Division of Biodiversity Prospecting, Division of Biodiversity Inventory and Division of Information Management and General Administration.

For more information on the Biodiversity Development Institute of Nigeria, contact BioDin Office at 9 Kofo Abayomi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos or BDCP (USA) Office at 11303 Amherst Ave., Suite #3, Silver Spring, MD 20902.

ASCOPAP:

The African Scientific Co-operation on Phytomedicine and Aromatic Plants (ASCOPAP) was initiated in October, 1995 at Douala, Cameroon. The mission of ASCOPAP is to promote and facilitate the research, development and commercialization of safe, efficient, affordable, standardized phytomedicines based on sustainable utilization of African plant resources.