The Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency (FANCA) held a press conference today (09/09) for the initiation of the patent licensing process with the Miaoli County Saisiyat Indigenous Peoples Forestry and Worker Limited Liability Cooperative (Saisiyat Forestry Cooperative). Director General Lin Hwa-Ching of the FANCA and Chairman Ken Chih You of the Saisiyat Forestry Cooperative jointly signed a letter of intent for the licensing of the “Patent of Invention: A Composition Containing Processed Citrus Taiwanica and its Use in the Prevention or Treatment of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.” This marks the first instance, both domestically and internationally, where a government agency, in an effort to protect the traditional ecological knowledge of indigenous peoples, has utilized scientific research to obtain a patent and subsequently licensed it back to share commercial benefits. This initiative launches a new model where traditional forestry knowledge is integrated with modern scientific research.Endangered Native Plant Returns to Original Habitat Shared with the Saisiyat People The Citrus taiwanica (full scientific name: Citrus taiwanica Tanaka & Shimada) is a plant native to Taiwan. It was discovered and named in 1926 by a Japanese botanist in Hongmaoguan (now Penglai Village), Nanzhuang Township, Miaoli County. Due to the development of low-elevation mountains and the plant’s perceived low economic value, Citrus taiwanica was nearly extinct in the wild and was listed as “Critically Endangered (CR)” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). According to Director General Lin Hwa-Ching, in 2019, he commissioned Tseng Yen-Hsueh, then a professor at the Department of Forestry, National Chung Hsing University and the current director of the Taiwan Forestry Research Institute, to carry out the Taiwan Forest Native Plant Inventory Project to explore the potential horticultural and landscaping value of Taiwan’s forest plants. A total of 107 tree species with ecological and landscape value were selected. Among them, the Citrus taiwanica attracted Lin Hwa-Ching’s attention, while Tseng Yen-Hsueh also emphasized that this citrus plant is almost extinct in its original habitat, the Nanzhuang area. Since the FANCA signed a partnership agreement with the Saisiyat community in 2018 and began collaborating in forest co-management in Nanzhuang Township in Miaoli County, Lin Hwa-Ching had the idea of re-introducing the Citrus taiwanica in Nanzhuang. Therefore, he tasked the Hsinchu Branch of the FANCA (FANCA Hsinchu) with carrying out surveys and restoration work, including plant specimen collection and seedling cultivation. Lin Hwa-Ching also consulted with Ken Chih You, an elder of the Penglai Saisiyat community, regarding the Citrus taiwanica. Through his recollections of the plant as well as comparing morphological characteristics and consulting other elders, Ken Chih You confirmed that the Citrus taiwanica is the “Kata'iyok” (meaning “food prepared by mother” in the Saisiyat language), an important plant used in the traditional Saisiyat diet and medicine. In the past, when medicine was not widely available, tribal members would grind dried Citrus taiwanica into powder and take it when they caught a cold or were unwell. It was a traditional health remedy that was readily available in every household.Modern Scientific Research Confirms Efficacy, Patent Mechanism Ensures Sharing of Benefits After learning about the traditional uses of Citrus taiwanica by the Saisiyat people of Nanzhuang, the FANCA Hsinchu actively developed innovative applications for food processing such as Citrus taiwanica jam and spices. It also commissioned Associate Professor Lin Shu-Yen of the Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, National Taiwan University, to explore the application potential of processed Citrus taiwanica products. Through modern scientific research, it has been confirmed that processed products made from the citrus’ extracted liquid can reduce pneumonia-related indicators, providing critical evidence for the scientific application and subsequent development of Citrus taiwanica. Given that there is currently no specific law in Taiwan protecting the traditional intellectual property rights of indigenous peoples, to prevent potential commercial benefits from being taken away from the indigenous communities that created it in the future, with the consent of the indigenous communities, the FANCA decided to first apply for a patent and obtain certification for the research results. These actions can help facilitate the implementation of “access and benefit-sharing” (ABS), a framework under the Convention on Biological Diversity that governs how genetic resources should be shared fairly with the source providers.Cross-Sector Enterprises Respond to Create a Model of Sustainable Operations The FANCA stated that the restoration work of the endangered Citrus taiwanica, from seedling cultivation to reintroduction, has already seen the planting of more than 5,000 seedlings back in the Nanzhuang area. After signing the letter of intent for licensing cooperation, a formal authorization contract will also be signed with the Cooperative. In the future, businesses that wish to use Citrus taiwanica as a raw material can consult with the local community and appropriately share the benefits. It is hoped that the Citrus taiwanica will become an important industry in the Nanzhuang area. Ken Chih You, Chairman of the Saisiyat Forestry Cooperative, expressed his gratitude to the FANCA for its efforts in protecting the Saisiyat people’s traditional ecological wisdom through the use of a patent. He also called on the public to pay attention to the rights of indigenous peoples' traditional knowledge and welcomed businesses and people from all walks of life to promote the utilization of Citrus taiwanica. Ken Chih You stated that future commercial returns from the Citrus taiwanica will be used for four purposes: profit sharing among the community members responsible for the cultivation, operations of the Cooperative, Saisiyat community development, and forest restoration led by the FANCA. He hopes to bring together even more partners to promote forest sustainability and community revitalization. A number of industry representatives were invited to the press conference. Uni-PROSPERITY pledged to promote contract farming of Citrus taiwanica with the local communities in the future, using long-term procurement to establish a stable supply of raw materials and increasing the income of the communities. Keya Jam has pledged to return 5% of the profits from Citrus taiwanica products to the Saisiyat communities so that industry benefits can be shared with community members who are committed to biodiversity conservation, creating a win-win situation for conservation and industry. Associate Professor Lin Shu-Yen of the Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, National Taiwan University, who participated in the research on the Citrus taiwanica, along with lawyers and patent attorneys who provided legal assistance, also attended to witness this historic breakthrough of the Citrus taiwanica, from restoration and revival of traditional knowledge to cross-disciplinary innovative applications. The FANCA emphasized that the Citrus taiwanica has gone from almost going extinct to becoming a model of “conservation, culture, scientific research, industry and shared benefits.” This achievement highlights not only species conservation and the revival of indigenous culture, but also the revitalization of local livelihoods, allowing the wisdom of the mountains and forests to return to the land and the people who protect it through modern scientific research.
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