Taipei: Citrus taiwanica, a citrus species traditionally utilized by the Indigenous Saisiyat tribe, has achieved a significant milestone by securing patent protection for products derived from the plant. The Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency (FANCA) announced that the patent covers various applications of the plant, requiring authorization from the Saisiyat tribe for its use. This marks a historic first for Taiwan, as it is the first time a traditional Indigenous crop and its derived products have been granted such protection.
According to Focus Taiwan, FANCA Director-General Lin Hwa-ching emphasized that the traditional knowledge linked to the citrus's use originates from the Saisiyat tribe. The director-general noted that technologies and products developed through modern research based on this knowledge should benefit the tribe. Lin clarified during a press event that the licensing aims to protect and preserve the Saisiyat people's traditional knowledge rather than monopolize the plant.
Ken Chih-you, an elder of the Saisiyat Penglai Tribe, stated that the fruit, known as "kata'iyok," meaning "food prepared by mother" in the Saisiyat language, has been a part of the tribe's diet and rituals. Historically consumed as a snack by children and used in rituals and to treat ailments like colds, the citrus's wild population saw a sharp decline due to land development and its perceived lack of economic value.
The citrus, referred to in Mandarin as Nanzhuang orange after its native habitat in Nanzhuang Township, Miaoli County, was once nearly extinct and is categorized as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. FANCA initiated a restoration project in collaboration with the Saisiyat in Nanzhuang in 2018, leading to the planting of over 5,000 trees. However, fewer than half of these trees have started bearing fruit consistently.
Lin mentioned that as the trees typically begin producing fruit five to six years after planting, an increase in yields is anticipated by the end of the year. FANCA has developed food products using the citrus, including marmalade, spices, chocolate, and cookies, which have received positive feedback from the tribe. Research by National Taiwan University horticulture associate professor Lin Shu-yen revealed that fruit extracts could significantly reduce pneumonia severity indices in animals, indicating potential medical and health applications.
FANCA is hopeful that the citrus will emerge as a crucial green industry for the tribe. The patent license serves as an example of "access and benefit sharing" under the Biodiversity Act and could pave the way for safeguarding and promoting other Indigenous crops.