Abstract
Global agreements on intellectual property rights govern use of agricultural seeds. Two major agreements on plant varieties exist, and countries often join them as part of World Trade Organization admission. These agreements place restrictions on the types of seeds that can be used. If domestic legal regimes back these agreements, then in many parts of the world, the consequences for farmers can be powerful. While some may gain access to more productive seeds, by the same token they can be denied access to informally circulating seed varieties. My project examines the responses to this regime. In some places, legislatures write loopholes to into law so that farmers have a way to continue informal practices. In others, lawmakers ensure that legislation matching the requirements is in place, but farmer organizations work to evade rules. There are policy implications for how we should redesign international agreements to facilitate sustainable agriculture.
Presenters
Hyejin KimSenior Lecturer / Founding Convenor, Political Science Department and Global Studies Program , National University of Singapore, Singapore
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Agricultural Seeds, Intellectual Property, Farmers, Rights
Digital Media
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