Why BiodivSourcing?

In this part of BiodivSourcing’s website, I want to start sharing views, news and thoughts on biodiversity sourcing, related projects and other developments.

I studied biology because I wanted to understand better how the living organisms live and their interactions with human beings. Plants, traditional medicine, traditional culture always have been topics that interest me. Without going until the idea of being an ethnobotanist, I oriented my experiences in development issues and more over on sustainable development.

It is important to note that sustainable development is a concept that is applicable/applied by every country in the world. However, most of the biodiversity hot spots are in Southern countries (e.g. the Amazon, Madagascar, India, etc.). Together with the diversity of plants and animals, these countries own as well a diversity of cultures, heritages that provide important insights on the use of plants/animals for nutrition, medication or cosmetic purposes.

This is why the use of biodiversity can and should promote sustainable development. Every actors should be aware of biodiversity related issues. A very interesting study, the Biodiversity Barometer, is done every year by the Union for Ethical BioTrade. This study aims to measure biodiversity awareness in different countries and along time. It had been selected by the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) as the measurement to their Aichi target n°1.

Thanks to my experience gained with the Union for Ethical BioTrade and the network I met, I really understood how every one can play an important role for biodiversity and sustainable development. Businesses, governments, NGOs (local and international), local communities, individuals, we can all together make changes and ensure a better future.

This is why I founded BiodivSourcing, to continue being involved on these issues wherever I am settled, to contribute with you to these impacts/changes.