ABSTRACT
The commercial exploitation of the intellectual property of the developing world involves a lopsided process that invariably results in the flow of bio-resources from the developing world to the industrialized nations. Following the Uruguay Round of negotiations, the countries of the developing world have come to realize increasingly that they must adopt the laws and regulations pertaining to intellectual property rights-a notion that is essentially conceived in the industrialized countries. One important development is the stipulation that all signatories should adopt trade-related intellectual property rights protection. The immediate effect of implementing intellectual property rights is to widen the gap between the rich and the poor nations. The impact of intellectual property rights is no where more obvious than in the whole range of issues related to plant genetic resources and crop resources. Plant breeders’ rights legislation has been introduced in five Latin American countries, including Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Uruguay.
