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.