NEW DELHI: India's agricultural sector is on a trajectory of significant transformation, propelled by innovation and technology. To sustain and accelerate this progress and to achieve the goal of a "viksit" Bharat by 2047, experts emphasize the critical importance of a robust
Intellectual Property
Rights (IPR) environment.
At a national conference titled 'Innovate, Protect, Prosper: Role of Intellectual Property Protection in taking India's Seed Sector to the Next Level,' organized by the Federation of
Seed Industry
of India (FSII), experts discussed the opportunities and challenges in effectively leveraging intellectual property to drive innovation and
competitiveness
in the seed and biotechnology sectors.
Dr Raj S Paroda, founder chairman of the trust for advancement of agricultural sciences (TAAS), emphasized the need for an enabling environment for IPR protection to accelerate new innovations and technologies essential for agricultural growth. “Enabling environment for IPR protection is critical for accelerating new innovations and technologies needed for faster growth of agriculture. When innovators are confident of protection of their rights, they get incentivized to do better and come forward to invest and innovate. For example, investments in research and development of new high-yielding varieties and hybrids, that are resistant to biotic and abiotic stresses. Fortunately, through PPVFRA, we in India have a unique IPR framework which not only protect the rights of plant breeders but also of our farmers.”
Drawing from international lessons, Dr Trilochan Mohapatra, chairperson of PPVFRA, stressed the importance of maintaining a balanced stance on intellectual property rights. “India takes a progressive approach towards PVP learning from global best practices in IPR for the seed and agricultural biotechnology while taking cognizance of the rights of the farmers as custodians of traditional varieties as well as the need for benefit sharing. Successful IPR regimes strike a balance between promoting innovation and ensuring access to technologies.”
Ajai Rana, chairman of FSII, advocated for a collaborative approach towards building an effective policy and regulatory framework around IPR, particularly in the seed industry. “There is a need for a multi-faceted and collaborative approach towards building an effective policy and regulatory framework around IPR particularly in the seed industry. This involves legal reforms, capacity building, stakeholder engagement, and international cooperation to promote innovation to find solutions to our most pressing problems.”
The conference highlighted the necessity of enhancing awareness about the importance of IP rights among stakeholders in the seed and biotechnology industries. It emphasized the role of dialogue, collaboration, and policy reforms in promoting innovation, technology transfer, and sustainable agricultural development.
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