Plant Variety Protection Act, 2019

The Ministry of Agriculture, in cooperation with relevant government organizations and public research institutes, has engaged in a process to develop an act providing protection of the rights of plant breeders and farmers with regard to plant varieties. This process resulted in the adoption of the Plant Variety Protection Act, 2019. This act sets rules for the establishment of a Plant Variety Protection Authority as well as for the registration of varieties, protection of breeders’ and Farmers’ Rights and other related matters. It recognizes innovative farmers as ‘plant breeders’; farmers are now entitled to submit applications for registration of varieties they have developed or maintained. They will be rewarded for maintaining landraces and developing new plant varieties. A certificate, a medal and some money will be paid to farmers as a recognition of their contribution to crop improvement. They will also participate in decision-making on the management of landraces. The act has passed the legislative procedure only recently; it is expected that the production of a wide variety of crops will continue to increase.