Lok Sabha Question No. 3761 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-16
Subject: Linkage between Private Seed Industry and Public Research Institute
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Shrirang Appa Barne, Shrikant Eknath Shinde, Pritam Gopinath Munde

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH & EDUCATION

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3761 TO BE ANSWERED ON 16/07/2019

## LINKAGE BETWEEN PRIVATE SEED INDUSTRY AND PUBLIC RESEARCH INSTITUTE

3761.  SHRI SRIRANGA APPA BARNE: DR. SHRIKANT EKNATH SHINDE: DR. PRITAM GOPINATHRAO MUNDE:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE d`f"k vkSj fdlku dY;k.k ea=h be pleased to state:

- (a) whether at present, the public sector is responsible for most valuable germplasm while private seed agencies concentrate on more remunerative high value seed segment, if so, the facts thereof;
- (b) whether clear protocols need to be developed for sharing precious germplasm with the private sector, if so, the response of the Government thereto;
- (c) whether there is a vast scope to expand linkages between the private seed industry and  public  research  institutions  to  take  advantages  of  the  positive  aspects  of  both  the segments for the benefits of farmers;
- (d) if  so,  the  steps  taken  by  the  Union  Government to expand linkages between the private seed industry and public research institutions; and
- (e) the success achieved by the Government in this regard so far?

## A N S W E R

THE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE d`f'k vkSj fdlku dY;k.k ea=h (SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

- (a) ICAR-National  Bureau  of  Plant  Genetic  Resources  (NBPGR)  is  responsible  for conservation of most valuable germplasm in its Genebank. The NBPGR Genebank is the second  largest  Genebank  in  the  world  and  only  one  of  its  kind  in  India  with  a  total storage  capacity  of  2.0  million  germplasm  samples.  As  on  June  30,  2019  the  total germplasm  holdings in the National Genebank  is 4,41,728. NBPGR  shares  the germplasm for research purposes with public institutions, private seed companies, NGOs

and  farmers.  In  general,  private  seed  agencies  are  concentrating  more  on  low  volume high value crops. Public sector is working on both i.e. high volume low value crops and low volume high value crops.

(b) National  Advisory  Board  on  Management  of  Genetic  Resources  (NABMGR)  is advisory  body  on  development  of  protocols  for  sharing  germplasm.  Material  Transfer Agreement (MTA) is already in place (revised during 2018) and being used routinely for sharing  the  precious  germplasm  within  India  compliant  to  extant  national  legislations with different agencies including private sector.  ICAR- NBPGR is sharing germplasm with private sector since 2017 and a total of 460 samples have been shared with private seed companies until March, 2019.

(c) Yes, Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode is already in place for development and  commercialization  of  crop  varieties.  The  private  seed  companies  are  getting  their research  material  (varieties)  tested  through  All  India  Coordinated  Research  Projects  of different  crops  and  these  varieties  are  being  released  and  notified  after  testing  at  both public and private sector test locations.

(d) To  take  the  advantages  of  positive  aspects  of  both  public  and  private  sector segments for benefit of farmers, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) on the  indents  of  Deptt.  of  Agriculture,  Cooperation  and  Farmers  Welfare  (DAC&FW)  is supplying the breeder seeds of all public sector bred varieties to the private seed agencies for further multiplications.

ICAR has taken steps to expand the linkages with private industries. Accordingly, Guidelines for Intellectual Property Management and Technology Transfer/Commercialization (Revised 2018); and ICAR  Rules  and  Guidelines  for Professional Service Functions (Training, Consultancy, Contract Research and Contract Service) have been developed and institutionalized. These guidelines establish policy for developing  public  private  partnerships.  Further,  Agrinnovate  India  Ltd.,  a  registered company  has  also  been  established  by  Department  of  Agricultural  Research  and Education  (DARE)  which  aims  to  promote  the  development  and  spread  of  R&D outcomes by forging partnerships both in the country and outside for the public benefit.

Newly released public bred varieties are commercialized by Agrinnovate Ltd. and Zonal Technology Management and Business Planning and Development (ZTM&BPD) Units/ Institute Technology Management Units of ICAR Institutes and State Agricultural Universities to private sector through signing Memorandum of Agreement (MoA), where a nominal licensing fee is charged and breeder seed is provided.

(e) Breeder seed is being produced and supplied to private seed agencies as per the indents  of  DAC&FW. As a result,  private  seed  sector  is  contributing  to  about  50%  of quality seed available in the market.

More than 500 MoAs have been signed with private seed companies for licensing the varieties to seed companies for production and marketing the quality seed for timely availability of good quality seed at farmers door step, which in turn helps in increasing the productivity as well as farmers' income.

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