Seminar on protection of plant varieties and farmers right
Seminar on protection of plant varieties and farmers right on10th March, 2016
A Seminar on Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmer’s Rights was organized on March 10, 2016 by Intellectual Property Management Cell (IPMC), The IIS University, Jaipur. The seminar was sponsored by Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmer’s Rights Authority (PPV&FRA), Ministry of Agriculture & Farmer’s Welfare, Government of India, New Delhi. The venue of the seminar was Vinayak Hall, The IIS University, SFS, Gurukul Marg, Mansarovar, Jaipur-302020. The program started with the Inaugural welcome address delivered by Prof. Pradeep Bhatnagar, Dean, Faculty of Science, The IIS University, Jaipur followed by the address of the Chief Guest of the event Dr. G. V. Reddy, Chief Wildlife Warden, Govt. of Rajasthan. The first lecture was delivered by Mr. Sundaram Verma, farmer and plant breeder from village Danta, district Sikar, Rajasthan on topic ‘Farmers’ Innovation and Crop Diversity’. He is a National Award Winner in the subject. He is founder of Society for Working on Agro Biodiversity Horticulture Initiatives Management and Nature (SWABHIMAN - an NGO) that includes 15 grass root innovator awardees in various areas and aims to provide support and promotion to their innovations. Mr. Verma showed various varieties of vegetables that he has bred along with his fellow workers. He was accompanied by two lady farmers who shared their experience in the subject and exhibits the quality agro-produce of owned farm. The second lecture was on the topic ‘An Overview of Indian agriculture with Specific Reference to Rajasthan and the Seed Legislation Including the PVP Act 2001’ was delivered by Shri N.S. Rathore, Former Director, Seed Certification, Rajasthan.
This was followed by lecture of Mr. Rajveer Choudhary, Director, Rajasthan Adult Education Association. Jaipur on topic ‘Indian Agriculture in Global Perspective’ (delivered)/ ‘Practical Aspects of Patenting’ (scheduled) was delivered by. He said “I have a dream that the farmers shall be treated as entrepreneurs and knowledgeable workers. Farmers shall be respected as most valuable citizen of the Earth. I would like to achieve my vision by working for agriculture, food and economy and I wish India may emerge as global agro-power.”Next was the lecture delivered by Dr. E.V. Divakara Sastry, Professor, RARI, Jaipur ‘Farmers Right Protection Act’ 2001’. He added a note on the problems faced by Indian farmers. The seminar concluded with the remarks of Mr. Pankaj Kumar, Asst. Prof. and IP Attorney, The IIS University, Jaipur. A kit was distributed to all the attendees of the seminar including stationary items and resource material describing the importance of the system for the plant varieties & Farmers rights, objective of the Act, 2001, functions of the PPV&FRA and other frequently asked questions.
In the end, certificate of participation were distributed to all the attendees. The news of the event was published in newspapers like ‘Daily News’, ‘Dainik Navajyoti’, ‘National Duniya’, ‘Samachar Jagat’ on next day i.e dated 11 March 2016.
