Sarawak Biodiversity Centre

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[edit] Sarawak Biodiversity Centre (SBC)

INTRODUCTION

In 1997, the Sarawak State Government enacted the Sarawak Biodiversity Centre Ordinance and set up the Sarawak Biodiversity Centre (SBC) the following year to initiate programmes for the conservation, utilization, protection and sustainable development of biodiversity in the State. The State Government also enacted the Sarawak Biodiversity Regulations in Year 1998. Back then, the Centre’s role was primarily inventory and regulatory – often known as the gatekeeper to Sarawak’s rich biodiversity to those who wanted access to and collection of biological resources in the State for research or commercial purposes.

Between the setting up of the Centre in Year 1998 and Year 2003, the State took cognizance of yet another potential in its rich biological resources – the potential for intensive biotechnology based research and product development from this vault of diverse biological resources. In December 2003, The State Legislative Assembly then passed the Sarawak Biodiversity Centre (Amendment) Ordinance 2003 and reviewed and passed the revision of the Sarawak Biodiversity Regulations in Year 2004. The amendment relieved the Centre of its role of conducting general biodiversity inventory and regulating general biodiversity research. Instead, the Centre was now entrusted to initiate intensive biotech based research and development on the State’s biological resources – particularly those that have been utilized by indigenous communities and to facilitate the documentation of the fast disappearing traditional knowledge of indigenous communities on the utilization of biological resources.

Vision

To be the focal point for Sarawak biodiversity research, utilization, inventory, monitoring, educatino, management and conservation.

Mission

• to identify, set priorities and initiate programmes for research and sustainable management and utilization of biological resources in Sarawak, including bioprospecting and product development

• to facilitate documentation on the traditional uses of biological resources by the local communities in Sarawak

• to promote awareness of and appreciation for Sarawak's rich biodiversity among all secotrs of society

• to obtain and disseminate accurate and up-to-date information on the biodiversity of Sarawak

• to establish linkages with local and foreign instituions with similar interests

Taking on this new role, SBC core functions are:

• implementing bioprospecting programmes on the State’s indigenous biodiversity

• facilitating the documentation of Traditional Knowledge on communities’ management and utilization of biodiversity

• propagating Sarawak’s indigenous plants for conservation and appreciation

• maintaining biodiversity related databases

• conducting biodiversity-biotechnology awareness and appreciation programmes

• regulating biodiversity related research with commercial potential in Sarawak through the Research Permit System

• networking with organizations with similar interests

To implement these functions, SBC is carrying out the following programmes:

• Traditional Knowledge Documentation Programme

• Research and Development (Bioprospecting) Programme

• Bioinformatics Programme

• Biodiversity Garden Programme

• Awareness & Appreciation Programme

In carrying out these programmes, SBC hopes to:

• contribute towards the State’s efforts in the development of the biotech industry via a combination of various disciplines such as chemistry, molecular biology and biochemistry

• provide the local indigenous communities with capacity building and to empower them to document their Traditional Knowledge on the management and utilization of biological resources establish a bioinformatics data centre for biodiversity, research and development, a natural product library and inventory system and traditional knowledge databases on the uses of indigenous plants by the communities in the State.

• contribute towards improving knowledge of and providing accurate information on biodiversity and biotechnology initiatives of the

State and consequently contribute to the management and sustainable utilization of the State’s rich biodiversity The five programmes are carried out in concordance with the following statutory functions as stipulated in the Sarawak Biodiversity Centre (Amendment) Ordinance 2003 [Subsection 5 (c ,f, g, h, i & j)]:

For more information, please visit http://www.sbc.org.my

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