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Is Bioprospecting A Viable Strategy for Conserving Tropical Ecosystems?

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  • Barrett, Christopher B.
  • Lybbert, Travis J.

Abstract

This paper explores whether bioprospecting can reasonably be expected to change rural incentives to conserve tropical ecosystems. Bioprospecting advocates posit that the prospect of discovery ofbiota of immense commercial worth offers an avenue to increase the valuation of nature and endogenously reduce consumptive use of habitat. We consider the microeconomic mechanisms by which bioprospecting might affect incentives and the distributional consequences of these effects.

Suggested Citation

  • Barrett, Christopher B. & Lybbert, Travis J., 1999. "Is Bioprospecting A Viable Strategy for Conserving Tropical Ecosystems?," Working Papers 127695, Cornell University, Department of Applied Economics and Management.
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:cudawp:127695
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.127695
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    10. Rausser, G.C. & Small. A.A., 1998. "Bioprospecting with Patent Races," Papers 98-07, Columbia - Graduate School of Business.
    11. Christopher B. Barrett & Peter Arcese, 1998. "Wildlife Harvest in Integrated Conservation and Development Projects: Linking Harvest to Household Demand, Agricultural Production, and Environmental Shocks in the Serengeti," Land Economics, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 74(4), pages 449-465.
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    Cited by:

    1. Brush, Stephen B., 2005. "Farmers' rights and protection of traditional agricultural knowledge," CAPRi working papers 36, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    2. Lebdioui, Amir, 2022. "Nature-inspired innovation policy: Biomimicry as a pathway to leverage biodiversity for economic development," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 202(C).
    3. Pascual, Unai & Dedeurwaerdere, Tom & Krishna, Vijesh V., 2006. "Bioprospection Beyond Intellectual Property Rights: The Kani Model of Access and Benefit Sharing," 2006 Annual Meeting, August 12-18, 2006, Queensland, Australia 25377, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    4. Polasky, Stephen & Costello, Christopher & Solow, Andrew, 2005. "The Economics of Biodiversity," Handbook of Environmental Economics, in: K. G. Mäler & J. R. Vincent (ed.), Handbook of Environmental Economics, edition 1, volume 3, chapter 29, pages 1517-1560, Elsevier.
    5. Pushpakumara, D.K.N.G & Kotagama, H.B, 2002. "Prospects of Pharmaceutical Prospecting to Finance Biodiversity Conservation in Sri Lanka," Sri Lankan Journal of Agricultural Economics, Sri Lanka Agricultural Economics Association (SAEA), vol. 4, pages 1-34.
    6. Nicolas Pauchard, 2017. "Access and Benefit Sharing under the Convention on Biological Diversity and Its Protocol: What Can Some Numbers Tell Us about the Effectiveness of the Regulatory Regime?," Resources, MDPI, vol. 6(1), pages 1-15, February.
    7. Robert Innes & George Frisvold, 2009. "The Economics of Endangered Species," Annual Review of Resource Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 1(1), pages 485-512, September.
    8. Lybbert, Travis J. & Barrett, Christopher B. & Narjisse, Hamid, 2002. "Market-based conservation and local benefits: the case of argan oil in Morocco," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 41(1), pages 125-144, April.
    9. Brush, Stephen B., 2007. "Farmers' Rights and Protection of Traditional Agricultural Knowledge," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 35(9), pages 1499-1514, September.
    10. Bertacchini, Enrico E., 2008. "Coase, Pigou and the potato: Whither farmers' rights?," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 68(1-2), pages 183-193, December.
    11. Winands, Sarah & Holm-Müller, Karin, 2014. "Eco-regional Cartels on the Genetic Resource Market and the case of the Andean Community's legislation," Discussion Papers 163046, University of Bonn, Institute for Food and Resource Economics.

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