Digital Architecture for Direct Stewardship and Enduring Consent

Abstract

This working paper introduces the Sovereign Data Supply Chain (SovDSC), a governance framework designed to ensure that Indigenous communities retain authority over ecological data linked to their territories. By utilizing a specialized API as a digital access layer, the model translates traditional principles of Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) into persistent technical rules governing how information is shared, used by AI, or retired. This system elegantly distinguishes between approved ecological outputs, such as biodiversity indicators, and protected Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) that remains private. Ultimately, the text outlines how this "relational infrastructure" is being tested through pilot programs in the Four Corners and Latin America to bridge the gap between community stewardship and global digital ecosystems. Primary Keywords: Digital Architecture, Sovereign Data Supply Chain (SovDSC), Biocultural Data Governance, Ecological Datasets, FPIC (Free, Prior and Informed Consent). Technical Keywords: API Implementation, Protocol 2, Governance Ledger, Machine-Readable Rules, Provenance Approach, IEEE Std 2890. Innovation/Strategic Keywords: Direct Stewardship, Enduring Consent, Value-Return Mechanisms, Equity Shares, Data Lifecycle Governance.