African Hoodia - A Good Deal For Everyone Except The Owners?

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From out of the haze of the sun baked, near-barren Kalahari Desert in South Africa, emerges a small group of native tribesmen, laden with the meats and roots gathered during their long and arduous hunt. Having endured a long trek across the sands, and with their food supplies dwindling, the overbearing heat was beginning to take its' toll and the first pangs of hunger were setting in. Finally, they come upon low, thick stemmed plant, and in turns, each hunter breaks off and bites into the juicy leaves. A short while later, and having rested, they carry on their trek and leave the clump of African hoodia plants behind, their hunger suppressed.

African hoodia can only be found in the Kalahari Desert region of South Africa and has for centuries been used by the San Bushmen to help suppress bouts of hunger on long hunting trips or when food has been scarce. Because of this amazing appetite suppressing ability, the hoodia plant has fast become the latest rage in the weight loss industry and has worldwide media coverage. Coverage that has caused the San Bushmen to protest and express their anger.

Major pharmaceutical companies worldwide have desperately been trying to reproduce the appetite suppressing active ingredient found in the African hoodia in their labs, but with little success. With demand by the weight loss industry for the hoodia plant rising, and unable to produce a synthetic version, the only source is the plants growing naturally in the desert. This has ultimately led to a shortage and this in turn has created a 'black market' for the real African hoodia plants. This desert land has been lived on by the San Bushmen for thousands of years, and they felt aggrieved at being cast aside in the process and sales resulting from plants found on what they feel is their ancestral lands.

In 2003, a deal was brokered between the South African Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (or CSIR) and the San Council which would ultimately see that the San received a profit of the monies earned from the African hoodia plants. The CSIR also became the first to patent the appetite suppressant qualities of the hoodia which provided the first step in helping to control and protect the plant. This has led to a lot of restrictions and strict regulations on the import and export of African hoodia and the San tribesmen are urging the governments of other nations, as well as their own to take strong legal action against anyone breaking the regulations.

The San Bushmen discovered the amazing appetite suppressing qualities of the African hoodia thousands of years ago. The only place that it can be found growing is on the San's ancestral lands. To keep up with the enormous demand from the weight loss industry, to ensure continued growth of the hoodia plants, hoodia farms have to be created, again on land owned by the San. Isn't it fair that they receive a share of the massive profits being made by the pharmaceutical companies? Let's face it, if this amazing plant had been discovered in your backyard, wouldn't you want a piece of the pie? You bet you would!

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