Biopiracy is the unauthorized and unethical exploitation of biological resources. It occurs often without providing fair compensation or obtaining proper consent from the communities or countries where these resources are found.

Ex. when bioprospectors draw on indigenous knowledge of medicinal plants which is later patented by medical companies without recognizing the fact that the knowledge is not new, or invented by the patenter, and depriving the indigenous community to the rights to commercial exploitation of the technology that they themselves had developed.

Steps to prevent Biopiracy :

1) Patent : A Patent is a statutory right for an invention granted for a limited period of time to the patentee by the Government, in exchange of full disclosure of his invention for excluding others, from making, using, selling, importing the patented product or process for producing that product for those purposes without his consent. Patent is granted to either product or process of making product not to idea or principle.

     Examples of patent include: Utility, Plant, Design, Biological.

2) GIs ( Geographical indications): These are signs used on products that originate from a specific geographical location and posses characteristics , qualities and reputation unique to that region. GI help protect the identity and heritage of the products, ensuring consumers recognize their origin and quality.

Example : Darjeeling Tea, Swiss Cheese.