ABSTRACT
This paper discusses the role of private sector research in agriculture, where, until recently, research sponsored by public institutions was of primary importance. This is especially true in under-developed countries, where the evolution of appropriate patent and other legal systems has failed to keep pace with the competition in interna-tional invention. A series of alternative legal systems is reviewed, then compared to Latin American legal sys-tems. The problem of agricultural patenting is discussed, with emphasis on two recent developments that will have a considerable effect: The USD A Plant Variety Protection Act and advances in genetic engineering. Three policy issues are addressed: the welfare implications of alternative invention stimulation, the specialized require-ments of developing countries, and the implications for both public and private sectors. An extensive appendix cites the appropriate patent laws for several Latin American countries and the United States.
