The objective of this Toolkit is to provide guidance, standardize access procedures and enhance capacity of all players to ensure fair access to genetic resources and equitable sharing of accruing benefits arising from sustainable use of biodiversity for the development of this country.
Currently, the development, use and regulation of GR and/or associated traditional knowledge (TK) in Kenya is governed by the ABS Regulations, 2006. Despite the existence of this subsidiary law, Kenya lacks a standard Toolkit and protocols upon which the ABS Regulations on sharing of the benefits arising from the use of Kenyan GR. For this reason, the Authority in liaison with lead agencies has developed a toolkit using the services of Annifri Services Consultants based in Nairobi. The toolkit will stimulate, development of, and support a national research agenda as well as strengthening adherence to Genetic resources access and benefit sharing Regulations in the country. In this Toolkit, Chapter I briefly describes the genetic resources of Kenya, laying the foundation for the discussion on ABS. It broadly presents the standard practices of accessing the GR and TK. It outlines the steps taken by Kenya to domestic the international instruments of access and benefits sharing and underscores the importance of legal access. Finally, it states the objectives and identifies the gap in ABS implementation filled by the development of this toolkit. Chapter II describes the methodology used in the development of this toolkit, briefly mentioning, the steps involved and the process and the scope and general guiding principles applicable to the toolkit. Chapter III deals with the main ABS stakeholders, identified as the users, the providers including the communities and the regulators and each having specific roles.