House okays crop varieties bill<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): House of Representatives Commission III on
\nagriculture, forestry, and maritime and fishing affairs
\nofficially approved on Wednesday a bill on crop variety
\nprotection, the first of its kind here.<\/p>\n
The move will open the way for the passage of the bill into
\nlaw.<\/p>\n
\"The main purpose of the bill is to increase agricultural
\nproductivity, to protect researchers and their research and to
\nrevive agribusinesses,\" Ahmed Arief, a commission member and also
\na member of the Special Committee which drafted the bill, told
\nThe Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
The idea for such a bill, Achmad said, emerged five years ago
\nbut it is only now that the draft has come to fruition as many
\nwere unaware of the importance of such a bill.<\/p>\n
\"The draft is important to protect our resources and to
\nproduce more crop varieties,\" he said.<\/p>\n
According to Achmad, under the bill researchers and their
\nresearch will be protected and they will be given patent rights.<\/p>\n
\"Hopefully, crop research will increase and we can produce
\nmore prime seeds at lower prices,\" he said.<\/p>\n
It's such an irony, he added, that this country is still
\nimporting rice, vegetables and fruit while our resources are so
\nabundant.<\/p>\n
\"The last time we had self-sufficiency in rice was during the
\n1984-1985 period. And now we're still importing rice, vegetables
\nand fruit. It's very ironic because we're such a diverse country
\nin terms of natural resources,\" said Achmad.<\/p>\n
The bill, Achmad added, is also aimed at rearranging the
\nagriculture system, including seed distribution, infrastructure,
\nand agricultural production aids such as fertilizer, pesticides
\nand equipment. (hdn)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/house-okays-crop-varieties-bill-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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