Theme heading insertT H E N AT I O N A L R E C O R D A L S Y S T E M

Presented to the National Biodiversity Initiative

27-28 February 2013

• Introduction

• NRS Overview

• NRS Objectives

• NRS Benchmarking

• Applicable Legislation and Protocols

• NRS Short Video

• NIKMAS Snippets

PRESENTATION OUTLINE

The National Recordal System, a large fingerprint initiative of theDepartment of Science and Technology, will document, record andstore indigenous knowledge for the benefit of the communities ofSouth Africa. It takes into consideration the recording of un recordedIK in various multi media formats and aim to promote community IK.

It proposes both positive and defensive protection of IK. The system also aims to collect grassroots community experiences in local languages.

INTRODUCTION

• This flagship project creates a platform for the documentation ofunrecorded and oral forms of indigenous knowledge for posterity.

• NRS constitute an IKS network infrastructure that will create a legalframework that will link research and developmental strategy atdifferent layers of government.

• Will be supported by National Indigenous Knowledge ManagementSystem (NIKMAS) which comprises a semantic digital repositorywith custom-developed metadata schemata and a sophisticatedsecurity model to protect, preserve IK, an advanced semanticsearch engine, catalogue system and an overarching integrationarchitecture that combines the subsystems into a coherent, fit for thepurpose system.

VISION: to be the leading Indigenous Knowledge Systems treasure hub

through the recording, storing, management, maintenance, dissemination and protection of IK for communal socio-

economic development in South Africa.

INTRODUCTION

• Follows a holistic approach to capture IKS• Consider and support the complete IKS eco system• Addresses both socio and economic challenges in communities

and ensure community buy-in• Supports legislation and the benefit sharing framework• Follows a living lab approach to the project• Standards – Dublin Core (extended), International Classification

of Diseases, International Patent Classification Codes

NRS INITIATIVE

NRS OBJECTIVES

Mobilising, aligning and empowering communities and 

related stakeholders 

Building and supporting appropriate networks

Achieving national IP objectives for the appropriate protection 

of IK

NRS OBJECTIVES

Initiating, enabling and maintaining a secure accessible 

national repository for the management, dissemination and 

promotion of IK

Enabling the discovery, cataloguing, capturing, validation and use of the national IKS heritage in an appropriate framework

Format of traditional/indigenous knowledge (i.e. documented, books etc)Function(s) of the implemented systemsSupported languagesProtection (defensive, positive etc)

NRS BENCHMARKING

NameFormat of original

IKProtection Storage Aim/Function Capacity Building

National Recordal

System

Unrecorded oral in the

vernacular

Defensive and

positive

Distributive Promotion

Protection (prior art)

Preservation

IK Patent

Development

Toolkit

Traditional

Knowledge Digital

Library

Documented in books

in 4 languages

(Ayurveda, Unani,

Siddha and Yoga)

Defensive Centralised Protection (prior art) Toolkit

Biozulua Documented in local

Venezuela languages

Defensive Decentralised Protection (prior art)

IK Patent

Development

Consultation with

stakeholders

Honeybee Published community

newsletters

Defensive Localised Protection (prior art)

Promotion

Consultation with

stakeholders

National Legislation

• The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996

• National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act 10 of 2004

• Public Finance Research Act, 2009• Promotion of Access to Information

Act, 2000• Intellectual Property Laws Amendment

Bill• Copyright Act, 1978• Patent Act, 1976• Plant Varieties and Farmers Act of

2001• Traditional Leadership Governance

Framework• Traditional Health Practitioners Act

International Protocols and Treaties• Nagoya Protocol• World Intellectual Property Office

(WIPO)• United Nations Educational Scientific

and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)• Food and Agricultural Organization

(FAO)

APPLICABLE LEGISLATION

NRS OVERVIEW

Indigenous Knowledge Documentation Centres

(IKSDC)

CommunityNRS Central Operations

supported by the National IK 

Management System (NIKMAS)

Community

Publicaccess

Restricted access

Confidentia

l access

Commun

ity accessPreservation

Promotion

Protection

Development

•Community members•IK Holders

•General Public•Learners•Teachers

•IP offices•Registered scientists & researchers

•Approved and registered scientists

CatalogueIK RecordingVerificationQuality CheckClassificationScientific Authentication

NRS Processes

NIKMAS SNIPPETS

IK HOLDERS PROFILES & CLAIMS

Conceptual Model (Metadata)

NIKMAS SEARCH ON IK ENTRIES

COMMUNITY SEARCH

ACCESS TO NIKMAS

Open accessIK

Confidential  IK

Scientist /Researcher

All open access information

All open access IK submitted by community

Restricted info on confidential IK 

Restricted access 

application process

Confidential info on selected IK entries

Confidential access 

application process

Restricted detail

Confidential detail

Confidential detail

APPLICATION FOR RESTRICTED ACCESS

THANK YOU

Carol van WykDirector: Knowledge ManagementDepartment of Science and TechnologyTel: +27 (12) 8436545Email: carol.vanwyk@dst.gov.za

Tom SuchanandanDirector: Advocacy, Policy & Institutional CollaborationDepartment of Science and TechnologyTel: +27 (12) 843 Email: Tom.suchanandan@dst.gov.za