The Buchu Association recognises the value of the San and the Khoikhoi peoples’ traditional knowledge and its valuable contribution to the buchu industry. We are guided by the principles of the Nagoya Protocol and the legal requirements of the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act governing access and benefit sharing in the South African context.
In 2020, the Buchu Association entered into benefit-sharing negotiations with the National Khoi and San Council and the South African San Council, acting as representatives of the San and Khoikhoi peoples of South Africa. The collaborative process was supported and facilitated by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), and culminated in the signing of a pioneering industry wide benefit-sharing agreement on 14 September 2023.
The Buchu Association sees the agreement as the first step in moving beyond recognition and building a partnership with traditional knowledge holders, where all stakeholders make a specific and unique contribution to the promotion and the growth of the industry.
