● Research the formal definition of bioprospecting, its goals (e.g., discovering new medicines, agricultural products, or industrial applications), and its potential benefits for Mexico.
According to the science direct, bioprospecting means the exploration and evaluation of natural compounds, particularly from diverse sources such as plants, marine organisms, and microorganisms, for their potential as therapeutic agents in medicine. It involves integrating various approaches to discover new pharmacologically active compounds with structural variety
Goals Primary Objectives of Bioprospecting
● Pharmaceutical Discovery: Identifying natural, active compounds for new drug development, addressing diseases, and finding novel antibiotics.
● Agricultural Innovation: Developing new, resistant, or high-yield crop varieties and environmentally friendly herbicides or pesticides.
● Industrial & Commercial Applications: Discovering enzymes for, and compounds for use in, cosmetics, bioremediation, and industrial manufacturing.
● Biodiversity Conservation: Attaching economic value to natural resources to incentivize the protection of ecosystems and species.
● Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Contributing to global goals through sustainable, nature-based solutions and economic growth.
● Economic Benefit Sharing: Ensuring fair compensation and, in some cases, recognizing the intellectual property rights of indigenous communities.
“In Mexico, bioprospecting offers many potential benefits due to the country’s rich biodiversity Mexico is one of the most biologically diverse countries in the world, which makes it an important source of medicinal plants, microorganisms, and marine species. Through bioprospecting, Mexico can develop new medicines, improve agricultural practices, and strengthen its biotechnology industry It can also create job opportunities, support scientific research, and promote sustainable use of natural resources. When carried out ethically and legally, bioprospecting can help protect Mexico’s ecosystems while contributing to economic growth and social development.”
● Research Mexican laws and regulations related to bioprospecting, including permits, access to genetic resources, and benefit-sharing agreements with local communities.
Laws and regulations related to bioprospecting:
1. Primary legal framework: Mexico doesn't have a single bioprospecting law, activities are regulated by key activities: LAWS;
- The nagoya protocol (international basis): Ratified by Mexico in 2012 and "legally binding since 2014, this is the cornerstone for Access and Benefit-Sharing (ABS). It mandates that access to genetic resources must be based on Prior Informed Consent (PIC) and Mutually Agreed Terms (MAT)" (GIZ, 2011)
- General Law of ecological equilibrium and environmental protection: Article 87 and 87:" Explicitly requires SEMARNAT authorization for the collection of biological resources for scientific research and biotechnological use." "Requires the express, informed consent of the owner or legitimate holder of the land where the resources are located".
- General wildlife law: Complements LEGEEPA: regulating the sustainable use and conservation of wild flora and fauna.
- General Sustainable Forestry Development Law: Regulates access to forest genetic resources, including fungi and microorganisms.
● including permits, access to genetic resources
Bioprospecting in Mexico is governed by a decentralized legal framework that prioritizes national sovereignty over genetic resources and the protection of indigenous biocultural heritage. Main pillars: General Law of Ecological Equilibrium and Environmental Protection (LGEEPA) and the General Wildlife Law, which mandate that any collection of biological material for biotechnological use requires formal authorization from the Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) (LGEEPA, 1988/2023). Bioprospecting in Mexico is governed by a decentralized legal framework that prioritizes national sovereignty over genetic resources and the protection of indigenous biocultural heritage. The primary legal pillars include the General Law of Ecological Equilibrium and Environmental Protection (LGEEPA) and the General Wildlife Law, which mandate that any collection of biological material for biotechnological use requires formal authorization from the Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) (LGEEPA, 1988/2023). Under the international obligations of the Nagoya Protocol, Mexico requires a dual-stage compliance process: researchers must first secure Prior Informed Consent (PIC) and establish Mutually Agreed Terms (MAT) with the local landholders or indigenous communities—ensuring equitable benefit-sharing—before the federal government will issue a scientific or commercial permit (Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores, 2014). This system aims to prevent biopiracy by requiring that traditional knowledge is respected and that any commercial success derived from
Mexican biodiversity results in tangible monetary or non-monetary compensation for the resource providers (SEMARNAT, 2024).
In Mexico, bioprospecting is governed by a decentralized legal framework that prioritizes national sovereignty over genetic resources and the protection of indigenous biocultural heritage. The primary legal pillars include the General Law of Ecological Equilibrium and Environmental Protection (LGEEPA) and the General Wildlife Law, which mandate that any collection of biological material for biotechnological use requires formal authorization from the Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) (LGEEPA, 1988/2026).
Under the international obligations of the Nagoya Protocol, Mexico requires a dual-stage compliance process: researchers must first secure Prior Informed Consent (PIC) and establish Mutually Agreed Terms (MAT) with the local landholders or indigenous communities—ensuring equitable benefit-sharing—before the federal government will issue a scientific or commercial permit (Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores, 2014). This system ensures that the people who guard the biodiversity, such as indigenous communities or ejidos, receive fair compensation if their resources or traditional knowledge lead to a commercial or scientific breakthrough.
and benefit-sharing agreements with local communities.As of 2026, Mexico categorizes these benefits into two types: Monetary (e.g., access fees, milestone payments, and royalties typically ranging from 0.3% to 0.5% of net sales) and Non-Monetary (e.g., technology transfer, training for local youth, infrastructure like community clinics, and joint ownership of intellectual property) (SEMARNAT, 2026). Under recent 2026 environmental guidelines from SEMARNAT, failure to provide a clear Benefit-Sharing plan results in the immediate rejection of federal permits, a measure designed to provide legal security against biopiracy and ensure that knowledge holders are recognized as "biocultural partners" (LGEEPA, 1988/2026; SEMARNAT, 2026). This framework is anchored in Article 15.7 of the Convention on Biological Diversity and Article 5 of the Nagoya Protocol, both of which are strictly enforced by the Mexican government as of February 2026 (Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores, 2014).
Identify specific examples of bioprospecting initiatives in Mexico. These could include research on medicinal plants, native crops, or unique microorganisms. They should detail:
The species or resources being studied.
The research institutions or companies involved.
Any agreements with local communities or indigenous groups. Potential or realized benefits for Mexico (e.g., economic, scientific).
Cuachalalate is an endemic plant from Mexico, this plant has been studied since the XX century, but it became more popular in the 1980s and 2000s when Mexican universities and institutions discovered it contained anti-inflammatory, healing and antimicrobial compounds.
Researchers from institutions such as the Colegio de Postgraduados and the CINVESTAV in Mexico have been studying Amphipterygium adstringen’s (Cuachalalate) barks because of its medicinal benefits such as the above mentioned. (anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and gastroprotective properties. These scientific projects include identifying its bioactive compounds. By doing this research, scientists aim to promote sustainable harvesting and contribute to quality control of medicinal products. This sustains scientific knowledge and local economies that rely on local species. Even formal agreements with indigenous groups are not well documented in the case of Cuachalalate, many studies highlight the relevance of including traditional knowledge to respect cultural heritage. This protects biodiversity, supports local economies and also strengthens Mexico’s medicinal plant research.
1. Olotón Corn (Microorganisms and Indigenous Cultivation)
This is one of the most recent and controversial cases of bioprospecting that borders on biopiracy
Which according to The miriam Webster dictionary refers to “the unethical or unlawful appropriation or commercial exploitation of biological materials (such as medicinal plant extracts) that are native to a particular country or territory without providing fair financial compensation to the people or government of that country or territory”
Species or resource: Olotón corn (a variety of corn from the Mixe Mountains with air roots that produce a mucilage/gel).
Institutions involved: University of California, Davis (UC Davis), University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Mars Inc.
Agreements with communities: An Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) agreement was signed with the community of Totontepec Villa de Morelos, Oaxaca. However, it has been criticized because the agreement grants only 1% of royalties to the community, while the company seeks to patent the corn's ability to fix nitrogen.
Benefits for Mexico:
Scientific: Discovery of nitrogen-fixing bacteria that support sustainable agriculture. Agricultural: Potential reduction in chemical fertilizer use and environmental damage.
Biodiversity: International recognition of Mexico’s native maize diversity.
Legal/Ethical: Increased attention to benefit-sharing and protection of indigenous knowledge.
Economic (limited): A small royalty share (1%) for the local community through an ABS agreement.
Scientists: Discovery of bacteria that allow corn to grow without chemical fertilizers (a breakthrough for sustainable agriculture).
Economic: The aforementioned 1% payment, although it is the subject of ethical debate because it is considered insufficient.
2. 2. Microorganisms from “ Cuatro Ciénegas” (astrobiology and biotechnology)
Cuatro Ciénegas is an oasis in Coahuila considered a “laboratory of evolution.”
Species or resources: extremely-phile bacteria, bacteria, and viruses (microorganisms that live in extreme conditions, similar to those of the primordial Earth).
Participating institutions: the UNAM Institute of Ecology (led by Dr. Valeria Souza) and NASA.
Agreements with communities: the project has focused on science education and conservation at the local level. It collaborates with secondary schools in the region to involve young people in protecting the wetland.
Benefits for Mexico:
Scientific: Unique gene sequences have been identified that could be used to clean up polluted soil or create new antibiotics.
Economic/social: Promotion of scientific ecotourism and political pressure to avoid the drying up of the lakes due to water use for agriculture.
3. The Sandoz-UZACHI Project (Medicinal Fungi)
A historical example of how bioprospecting was attempted in forest areas.
Species or resource: microscopic fungi in forest soils.
Institutions involved: The pharmaceutical company Sandoz (now Novartis) and the Union of Zapotec-Chinantec Forest Producing Communities (UZACHI) in Oaxaca.
Agreements with communities: A contract was signed (1990-1993) whereby the community collected soil samples in exchange for a payment per sample and the promise of royalties if a drug was developed. It was one of the first attempts to apply the Convention on Biological Diversity in Mexico.
Benefits for Mexico:
Scientific: Training of community technicians in the collection and management of biological resources.
Economic: Direct payments for collection work and strengthening of community organization to manage their own resources.
Biopiracy
● Define biopiracy is the unauthorized appropriation of biological resources and associated traditional knowledge for commercial or industrial use, typically through the patent system, without the consent of or compensation to the original custodians (UNESCO, 2026).
● and explore the ethical issues surrounding it, such as the unauthorized appropriation of traditional knowledge and genetic resources, lack of fair compensation, and potential harm to local communities. FALTA
● Justice and Equity: Large corporations often generate significant revenue from products derived from resources that indigenous communities have protected for millennia, while those communities remain in poverty (International Journal of Legal Studies, 2024).
● Sovereignty: It violates the principle that states and their communities have the right to control and benefit from their own natural wealth.
● The "Discovery" Fallacy: Ethical debates highlight the "racism" inherent in claiming a scientific "discovery" for a plant property that has been documented and used by local healers for centuries (IJOLS, 2024).
● This is crucial. Find specific instances where Mexican biodiversity or traditional knowledge has been exploited without proper authorization or compensation. Examples might include:
Use of Mexican plants (e.g., certain varieties of corn, beans, or medicinal herbs) in patents without acknowledging or compensating the communities that developed them.
Traditional knowledge of indigenous groups related to the use of plants or animals being used for commercial purposes without their consent.
● Research international agreements related to biodiversity and intellectual property rights, such as the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Nagoya Protocol, and how they apply to biopiracy cases.
Ley General del Equilibrio Ecológico y la Protección al Ambiente [LGEEPA]. (1988). Diario Oficial de la Federación. (Última reforma publicada el 19 de enero de 2026). http://www.diputados.gob.mx/LeyesBiblio/pdf/LGEEPA.pdf
Secretaría de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales [SEMARNAT]. (2026). Lineamientos Especiales para el Acceso a Recursos Genéticos y Distribución de Beneficios: Ciclo Operativo 2026 Gobierno de México. https://www.gob.mx/semarnat
Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores [SRE]. (2014). Protocolo de Nagoya sobre el Acceso a los Recursos Genéticos y Participación Justa y Equitativa en los Beneficios que se Deriven de su Utilización. Instrumento de Ratificación. https://www.gob.mx/sre
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0378874199000471
https://jomped.org/index.php/jomped/article/view/266/0?utm_source=chatgpt.com