The present study is part of the Project “Towards effective awareness-raising for awareness for the conservation of biodiversity”. This Project is the result of the “Program for research, information exchange, awareness-raising and conservation of biodiversity in Burundi” initiated under the memorandum of understanding between OBPE formerly INECN and the Royal Institute of Natural Sciences of Belgium.

By ratifying the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) on 15 April 1997, Burundi committed itself to promoting the three objectives of the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of biological resources and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the exploitation of genetic resources. As part of the implementation of this ^3rd objective of the CBD, the countries Parties to the Convention agreed to adopt, in Nagoya, Japan, in October 2010, a Protocol in accordance with article 15 of the CBD that specifies all the contours of the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of genetic resources.

The objective of the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits (PN/APA) is the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of genetic resources so that those who access genetic resources (firms, researchers, etc.) share the monetary and non-monetary benefits (Article 4.4) they derive from the use of such resources with countries of origin and local communities in these countries. By adhering to this Protocol 1, Burundi agreed to be bound by its terms. The Protocol came into force on 12 October 2014. It is for this purpose that this work should be included in the framework of the project “Towards effective awareness-raising for the conservation of biodiversity” set up within the framework of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Burundian Office for Environmental Protection (OBPE) and the Royal Institute of Natural Sciences of Belgium (IRSCnb).

The objective of the study is to improve the level of understanding of target groups on the challenges of the Protocol for effective implementation in Burundi. It focuses on the following points: the introduction, the Nagoya Protocol and its implications, the status of ABS in Burundi, the actors involved in ABS and their area of intervention, the indicators to improve the understanding of the Nagoya Protocol and finally the conclusion.