Intellectual property rights in agriculture : the World Bank's role in assisting borrower and Member countries

Private investment in agricultural biotechnology research by seed companies is increasingly rapidly. The privatization of intellectual property, and the associated emergence of the private sector as the major force in agricultural technology generation, is beginning to have a profound impact on farmers and researchers in industrial and developing countries. The report looks at intellectual property right (IPR) from various perspectives - industry, International Agricultural Research Centers (IARCs), and national systems and universities. It also summarizes that the Bank can assist clients in various ways by : 1) becoming a catalyst for promoting policy research in IPR issues to fill in the gaps in knowledge and need for further research; 2) developing strategies for assisting to strengthen national IPR systems; 3) identifying and removing practical hurdles to implementing effective IPR systems; 4) incorporating IPRs within the scientific and related communities.