the ministry of environment and forests (mef) has finally drafted a set of "terms and conditions for granting access to genetic material'. The move will lead to a much-needed legislation for regulating access to the country's genetic resources. "It will be in the form of a public notification and is targeted mainly at international research institutes and botanical gardens who use our plant varieties as raw materials in their laboratories,' reveals Amarjeet Ahuja, joint secretary in charge of the biodiversity cell in the ministry.

The Convention on Biological Diversity (cbd)