Statement I: Traditional knowledge related to bio-resources can be exploited to develop modern applications and can also be used to save time, effort, and expenditure during their commercialisation.
Statement II: Biopiracy is the term used to refer to the use of bio-resources by multinational companies and other organisations without proper authorisation from the countries and people concerned without compensatory payment.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → Both statement I and statement II are correct.
Developing countries are rich in biodiversity and in traditional knowledge about it. This knowledge is valuable to industry, and its use by others without permission is called biopiracy.
Statement I: Traditional knowledge related to bio-resources can be exploited to develop modern applications and can also be used to save time, effort, and expenditure during their commercialisation. — True. Knowing how a plant has long been used tells a company where to look, so it saves time, effort and money while making a product.
Statement II: Biopiracy is the term used to refer to the use of bio-resources by multinational companies and other organisations without proper authorisation from the countries and people concerned without compensatory payment. — True. This is the definition of biopiracy given in the book. The patent on Basmati rice is an example.
NCERT Extract:
Ethical Issues – “… Biopiracy is the term used to refer to the use of bio-resources by multinational companies and other organisations without proper authorisation from the countries and people concerned without compensatory payment. Most of the industrialised nations are rich financially but poor in biodiversity and traditional knowledge. In contrast the developing and the underdeveloped world is rich in biodiversity and traditional knowledge related to bio-resources. Traditional knowledge related to bio-resources can be exploited to develop modern applications and can also be used to save time, effort and expenditure during their commercialisation.”