ABSTRACT
Typically, intellectual property is perceived as being largely alien to public good research. Under this traditional way of thinking, intellectual property and public good research are diametrically opposed to each other. This chapter aims to chart the nature of the transformation. In so doing it looks at the way that the conflicting goals of intellectual property law, which are typically associated with stimulating private sector investment in research, and the goals of improving food security and reducing poverty which underpin much publicly funded development-focused agricultural research have been reconciled. More specifically, it will show that in resolving this tension there has been a change in the way that research and intellectual property are conceptualized. The Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) was established in 1971 as a strategic alliance of four international agricultural research centers and a limited number of donors who had a shared vision to produce research that improved food security and reduced poverty and hunger.
