expert corner
PPVFR Act: The way forward
for IPR protection of plant
varieties
This insightful article written by Mr ASN Reddy, President, Seedsman
Association, Hyderabad, takes us through the nitty gritty of the
Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Act, 2001 and its
overall impact on Indian agriculture
I
ndia is mainly
an agricultural
country and
rich in its
biological
diversity.
Agriculture sector
provides livelihood to
65-70 percent of the
total population. Our
farmers toil day and
night in the fields to
feed our population.
Seed is the primary
agriculture-input
which encapsulates
the genetic potential
of the crop plant that
emerges out of it and
upon which, all other
inputs and farmers
efforts are invested.
The Indian families
depend on agriculture
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BioVoiceNews | August 2017
not only for their
livelihood, but because
agriculture has become
a way of life in India,
playing a dominant
role in Indian
economy.
In this background,
an IPR law, covering
plants, varieties
and seeds, must
be a balanced Act,
protecting the interest
of all the stakeholders.
India, having ratified
the Trade Related
Intellectual Property
Rights (TRIPS)
Agreement, was
obliged to give effect
to its sub-para (b) of
para 3 of article 27 to
provide protection to
plant and varieties.
India, in view of
the importance of
agriculture in the
Indian context, opted
for a sui generis (of a
special kind or unique
to a particular context)
system for providing
protection to plants,
varieties and seeds,
enacted the Protection
of Plant Varieties and
Farmers’ Rights Act,
2001 (PPVFR Act).
Spotting the
difference!
This is a unique
legislation, which, by
providing protection
to plant varieties and
farmers’ and breeder’s