Impact of Awareness Programmes and Capacity Building in Farmers’ Plant Variety Registration under the PPV &FR Act

Abstract

Indian PVP law is unique as it simultaneously aims to protect the plant breeders and farmers. In the initial years of law implementation, the progress with respect to registration of farmers’ varieties was not only slow but also inconsistent, and the trend was erratic. The receipt of applications for Plant Genome Saviour Awards was also meagre due to non-awareness with the farming community in the agro-biodiversity rich regions. With planned awareness programs in collaboration with NARS, NGOs and KVK system throughout the country resulted in receipt of more number of applications for farmers’ varieties registration and also for awards indicating that the training programs to the trainers and farmers, national dialogues on farmers rights, exhibitions and publications in local newspapers play an important role in confidence building and clearing misconceptions about filing IPR. It is suggested to organize large number of capacity building programs to both trainers and farmers in the agro-biodiversity rich regions to attract more farmers/farming communities for filing applications both for registration of farmers’ varieties and the Genome Saviour Awards.