Asia states worried over plant patents

Asia states worried over plant patents

MANILA (AFP); Rice-eating Asia is concerned that plant patents
may lead to a monopoly of the world's rice germplasm pool and
hamper research to breed higher-yielding varieties, the
Philippines-based International Rice Research Institute (IRRI)
said Thursday.

Asian rice researchers meeting at the IRRI headquarters near
Manila discussed the concepts of plant variety protection (PVP)
and intellectual property (IP) -- well established for wheat and
maize but "still unheard of in the Asian rice sector," an IRRI
statement said.

Delegates expressed concern "over the future control of the
region's rich reservoir of rice germplasm. Of special concern is
the possibility of monopolies emerging, as the private sector
develops new rice varieties using the region's traditional
genetic material and then seeks to sell the seed to poor rice
farmers.

"What we must do now is try to synchronize a management system
for Asia's vast and extremely valuable pool of rice germplasm. We
must be able to manage it for the continuing benefit of all," it
quoted IRRI deputy director-general for partnerships William
Padolina as saying.

Joko Budianto, the Indonesian chairman of the Council for
Partnership of Rice Research in Asia, said: "These PVP and IP
legal requirements are new for many of us in rice research and
production, but we have to study and introduce the necessary
legislation as quickly as possible.

"For years, we have always freely exchanged rice varieties not
just within Indonesia, but also from one country to another.
These new laws will require us to introduce the concept of
ownership with all the rights this will involve. But we must do
this without having a negative impact on our research efforts."

The Convention on Biological Diversity, set up in Rio de
Janeiro in 1992, established that genetic resources, or seeds,
were no longer "the common heritage of mankind" but fell under
the sovereignty of the individual country, IRRI said.

"What we must do now is try to synchronize a management system
for Asia's vast and extremely valuable pool of rice germplasm. We
must be able to manage it for the continuing benefit of all,"
Padolina said.