Plant research work is changing, in the past the only concern was that the plant breeding work must be the best for the characteristic we need for the new material result form the work, this days we have to worry if the clone we are using is register as an IPR.
This give more concern and work to the plant breeders, the same also this days that a scientific need to look after the money its work is demanding; thinking in the best equipments each days are in the market used for the best results in the research work.
There are some scientific people that this kind of work takes them to a stress because they need to worry a lot about their research and now one more thing driving with the politics at the center and the laws at the country where they are doing the research.
I think that these issues are going to change and in this way every body must be aware of the topics of IPR.
Is a little difficult to give names but there are some scientific at my center that they don’t mind about rules they don’t want to complicate their lives in policies they only want to think on the results of their research, fortunately this days the scientific people are increasing in number and are becoming more understanding on this topics

WE have a head of crop breeding program, a biotechnologist and a business officer. I have a role to play in both breeding and biotechnology. Biotechnology activities are mainly supported by CIAT. Research products used in my institute are those mainly provide by the CG centers which are easily accessible and devoids of IP issues. My institute is public funded and PBR has not been so largely stressed becaue of the need to ensure that end-users (mainly resource poor farmers) of our technology (especially plant varieties). Howver, IP issues are beginning to get some mention in my system but precise policies by the Nigeian government have not yet been spelt out. The business offcier is only involved in limited commercial activities in the provision of the developed research product from my institute to the private and public sector for their use. It is more related to dissemination of new technology. For expample, the institute expends a lot of resources to multiply new varities and sell the varieties (as planting materials to famers and firms) for their use and industries. it is mainly to recoup cost incurred in this actvitiy and to generate some revenue. However the farmers and firms can re-sell their products for commercial purposes. So it has no bearing to IP issues (UPOV or patency) concerning generation of income for institutions. Emmanuel

My role might be similar to that of Mark Atere, the business development officer. However, at the stage we are in, I identify my activities very much with the concerns of Mrs. Fina T'Odinga, because we must make sure to have legal coverage in every action, to avoid getting in trouble and forced to stop abruptly.

I am hopeful that when I feel confident of having taken proper care of the legal aspects, and have become familiar with them, then my focus would move to other issues, like seeking a better synchronization of our services with our beneficiaries needs. We use free access technology, mostly developed within our organization, we could use third parties technology as long as their owners provide us with clean and free access for our beneficiaries. We also are willing to join the development of technology with several partners as long as the outcome becomes a public good.

We seek to generate high value products (data) out of the germplasm of our participants, for their use with no “strings attached”, so that they can make their cultivar development activities more effective and faster. The decision making process of any IP issue in their breeding material is their concern, because they own it. Our mandate is to spread molecular markers technology in very effective ways, with the goal of improving food security, scientific capacity and wealth creation in poverty stricken locations. We also encourage resources sharing as a strategy to make faster progress.

Acturally in our institute,there are seldom discussion be held about the CBD regulation and opinion about PGR transfer and IPR. but early of 2000 year, the seed law came out, many regulations consist with the principle of the WTO, depicits the rights of nation government, breeders, seed companies and famers.
what we worried is the IPR rights involved in the research technology, many researchers in agricultural university take the method in their research from the papers published in international journals, some of the research results were applicated in production. Now I really want aware which technologies that involved in biology field, especially in agricultural research and breeding, have been IPR protected. like the molecular markers technology be mentioned in above course part, it is commonly used in breeding research, is it really be protected by IPR law, what is the details about this technology? truely, we have the awareness with the determination of which technolgy, methods would be applicated in research subject. but the detail law administratored by nation government and international organization, we need know more.