Kenya's plan to protect Kiondo, Kikoy

Gladys Wangechi, a Kiondo seller at Karatina Market in Nyeri. [Kibata Kihu, Standard]

Losing the Kenyan brand identity to other countries such as the Intellectual Property issues surrounding the Kenyan kiondo and kikoy will soon be a thing of the past.

The Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Heritage, through the Natural Products Industry initiative, a Kenya Vision 2030 Flagship Project, has piloted Phase 1 of the Indigenous Knowledge Documentation and Digitisation (DoDi) of intellectual assets of Kenyans.

The final product will be an Indigenous Knowledge Innovation Bank that will serve as a platform for lawful access and utilisation of the communities' indigenous knowledge and intellectual assets.

By providing legal certainty and clarity, the innovation bank platform will also prevent bio-piracy of Kenyan communities' assets such as the case with the kiondo that has been patented by Japan and is also being made by China.

The DoDi programme is being rolled out in 13 counties namely Garissa, Kakamega, Kericho, Kilifi, Kisii, Makueni, Marsabit, Muranga, Kisii, Siaya, Tharaka Nithi, Turkana and Vihiga.

The Principal Secretary of the State Department of Culture and Heritage Ummi Bashir Mohamed said the project seeks to cover the country's 47 counties.

"This project is being implemented in line with international commitments and conventions such as the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), Nagoya Protocol, Wand IPO, and UNESCO among others, which have been domesticated under our supreme law, the Constitution," she said.

Flagged off in Tharaka Nithi County, the roll-out ceremony paid reference to the Ameru indigenous culture with the Njuri Ncheke Governing Council of Elders, who act as custodians of the community's indigenous knowledge assets, representing the Ameru people.

"I am informed that the following indigenous knowledge intellectual assets have been prioritised for documentation in Tharaka Nithi County. Cultural sites and shrines such as Kibuka, Igaironi, Kiria, Mau Mau Caves and Mwarati wa Njogu (elephant maternity where elephants have come to give birth since time immemorial)," Mohamed said.

She added: "Traditional medicines such as ntonga (anti-venom and asthma), mutuika (stomach ailments) and mucharagwe (animal diseases); and indigenous technologies such Tharaka women dress, Tharaka girl dress, Ngathi; traditional foods and cuisines such as maroa-making (fermented millet), cultural dances and songs such as Mwinjiro, Kiinguri, Nchungo and Mugari, have also been prioritised."