ABSTRACT
A worldwide move to strengthen intellectual property protection has led to an increased focus on how proprietary ownership of agricultural innovations affects developing countries. Questions have been raised as to whether intellectual property rights limit research innovation and form a barrier to the application of new biotechnologies to address global challenges in health, nutrition and the environment to benefit the international community, and in particular to meet the pressing needs in developing countries. This chapter provides a brief overview of some of the many complex issues that arise at the intersection between intellectual property rights (IPRs) in agricultural biotechnology and the needs of developing countries. We begin with the recognition that, while IPRs in agricultural biotechnology are just one element in a much larger development agenda that varies widely in accordance with the heterogeneous needs of developing countries, consideration of IPRs can be essential to achieving the intended goals of scientific research. Next we include a summary of recent changes in intellectual property protection in agriculture. With this background, we move on to address how IPRs affect developing countries’ access to technologies, and the importance of IP management in developing country research and development. Finally, we describe how the Public Intellectual Property Resource for Agriculture (PIPRA) is working to address IPR issues in developing country research.
