# Benefit-sharing

> Benefit-sharing is returning a fair share of the benefits from using genetic resources or traditional knowledge, money, credit, access or support, to the people who provided them.

- Canonical: https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/benefit-sharing.html
- Also written: benefit sharing, access and benefit-sharing, ABS, fair and equitable benefit-sharing
- Glossary category: Legal and regulatory
- Status: Draft: awaiting expert review · Updated: 2026-10-31
- Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/), attribute "GenetixBay cannabis glossary"

Benefit-sharing is the principle that when [genetic resources](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/germplasm.md) or associated traditional knowledge are used, for research, breeding or commercial products, the providers receive a fair and equitable share of the resulting benefits. Under the [Nagoya Protocol](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/nagoya-protocol.md) it is agreed on mutually agreed terms before access.

## In practice

Benefits can be monetary (royalties, licence fees, a share of sales) or non-monetary (credit and naming, sharing research results, training, returning improved seed, supporting local seed conservation). For cannabis [landraces](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/landrace.md), even the simplest step, naming the region and community on every record and pack instead of relabelling the material, is rarely done.

GenetixBay's position: landrace growers built the foundation of nearly every modern line and deserve far more credit and compensation. Recording source communities on [GB-ID](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/gb-id.md) records is one practical step. See [landrace hunting and biopiracy](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/genetics-history/landrace-hunting-and-biopiracy.md).

Rules differ by country, state, province and city, and change often. This is a general definition, not legal advice: check local rules.

## Don't confuse with

- **Charity**: benefit-sharing is an obligation agreed in advance, not a donation.

## Related terms

[Nagoya Protocol](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/nagoya-protocol.md), [Prior informed consent](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/prior-informed-consent.md), [Biopiracy](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/biopiracy.md), [Landrace hunter](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/landrace-hunter.md)

## Read more

- [Landrace hunting or biopiracy? Benefit-sharing, consent and cannabis](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/genetics-history/landrace-hunting-and-biopiracy.md)

## Sources

1. Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity. 2011. Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization. https://www.cbd.int/abs/