The introduction of private monopoly rights for breeders could destabilise the situation even further. It revised the patent law in 1997 to make plant varieties patentable, but it has not enacted it yet. UPOV only protects industry's rights. However, countries like the US want to reduce the review to a meaningless exchange of information about implementation. Their main concern is that systems such as patenting or UPOV fail to recognise the collective rights of local communities to genetic resources and traditional knowledge, and therefore foster biopiracy.
Farmers manage the country's genetic resources as the peoples' resource.
We are innovators too. The tension is growing, perceptibly. This is a haunting reference to the way public opposition sank the Multilateral Agreement on Investment last year. And we pray he's right. A moratorium would allow governments to consult the farmers on the best way forward.