From the Field: 'Bioprospecting'; Cambodia’s sustainable gold rush

Prospecting used to be about digging up gold and other minerals. Today “bioprospecting” is allowing countries to use the natural riches at their disposal, for the production of pharmaceuticals, and other commercially viable products.

A farmer harvests black ginger, known for its medicinal properties, and endemic in Phnom Kulen in Cambodia., by UNDP Cambodia

Cambodia, which has a wealth of medicinal plants native to the country, has a real potential to benefit from bioprospecting, but is at risk of a variety of threats, such as the overexploitation of plants, overharvesting of forest products, and climate change.]

However, since 2011, the UN has been helping Cambodia, and other countries, to better manage their resources, conserve traditional knowledge, and make sure that the benefits are shared more equitably.

Find out more about the projects in Cambodia, and around the world, here.