IPR: Designing Regimes to Support Plant Breeding in Developing Countries

A study for the World Bank Designing Regimes to Support Plant Breeding in Developing Countries (2006) presented by co-author Niels Louwaars at the AGM CGIAR revealed a diversity of responses by managers of public research to the emergence of Intelectual Property Rights (IPRs). They are hailed in their capacity to increase recognition, to facilitate public private partnerships (PPPs) and to generate revenue for the institute and the scientists. Few institutions have analysed the costbenefit ratio of IPRs in terms of monetary income. The general feeling is that very few institutions make a significant profit from patents; the expectations from breeder’s rights are higher, particularly in NARS in developing countries. However, there is a risk that such NARS will change their focus when they become dependent on such revenue: away from poor farmers and away from crops where a private seed sector cannot easily develop (eg. most legumes and root crops).

Related:

Science meeting AGM CGIAR 03/12/2007 Session 3B. Making IPRs work for Pro-poor Agricultural Innovation by Dr. Niels Louwaars (Wageningen University, NL) co-author of the above mentionned World Bank study (he made a similar presentation at CTA 6th AC on ST&I 15/11/2007).

Intellectual Property Rights in African Agriculture: Implications for Small Farmers, Devlin Kuyek/GRAIN.org

Public-Private Partnerships in International Agricultural Research. David J. Spielman, Frank Hartwich, and Klaus von Grebmer IFPRI, Nov. 2007. This research brief examines how PPPs in agricultural research stimulate investment in pro-poor innovation in developing country agriculture. David Spielman made a presentation at CTA 6th AC on ST&I 13/12/2007.