The term Biotrade was adopted by the VI Conference of the Parties of the Convention on Biological Diversity in 1996, in the presentation of the Biotrade initiative. Biotrade is defined as “those activities of collection, production, transformation, and commercialisation of goods and services derived from native biodiversity under the criteria of environmental, social and economic sustainability”. (http://www.biotrade.org/Intro/bti.htm)
In the Peruvian legislation, Biotrade is referred to as “the activity that through sustainable use of native biodiversity resources, promotes investment and trade in line with the objectives of the Convention on Biological Diversity; helping the development of the local level economical activity, through strategic alliances and generation of value added biodiversity products for the national and international markets, with the criteria of social equality and economical profitability”. (Ley sobre conservación y aprovechamiento sostenible de la diversidad biológica, Decreto Supremo Nº 068-2001-PCM, Título IX, Capítulo I, artículo 87º)

What is the Biotrade Information System?

The Biotrade Information System is a set of innovative information services. Service is provided virtually (in Spanish) and in a personalized form through a helpdesk at the main square (Plaza de Armas) of Iquitos city (see Contact details). The system is developed with the support of the BIODAMAZ Peru-Finland project and its main purpose is to promote the sustainable use of biodiversity and increase investments on the Amazonian biotrade by providing information and promoting information exchange. The promotion of biotrade is based on the principles of conservation, sustainable use of natural resources and equal sharing of benefits in every stage and level of the productive chain.

Principles and criteria of Biotrade

The term biotrade can be used when business initiatives are based on the principles and criteria of long-term sustainability for the whole productive chain (productive and commercial activities) generating economical, environmental and social benefits.
Biotrade principles and criteria according to the Andean Community are:
Biodiversity conservation
Sustainable use of biodiversity
Fair and equitable sharing of benefits derived from the use of biological diversity
Economical viability
Fulfilment of the national and international legislation
Environmental responsibility
Social responsibility (workers’ rights and rights of land and natural resources’ ownership and use)

What is the Biotrade Information System for?

The Biotrade Information System has been designed to contribute in improving the business situation in the Peruvian Amazon by increasing biobusiness and biotrade. The system provides information on the procedures required to start a biobusiness, the laws and standards (national or international), contacts on financial issues and strategies to expand, among others. The information is easily available in the Internet and through the personalized service of the helpdesk. The Biotrade Information System provides the following services (available only in Spanish):

• Information on productive chains, tools for biotrade, specialized information depending on a user type, publications, conferences, news, events, hot topics, commercial opportunities, training opportunities and contact directory

• Announcements via e-mail for subscribed users

• Search engine

• Contacts among the information system users via the directory of contacts

• Forums or discussion groups for productive chains

• Premium Service: A special paid service that offers additional benefits, for example publishing advertisements at the Web site.