August 2011
Source: SEED INFO 41, Official newsletter of the WANA Seed Network (pages 18 & 19)
The establishment of an effective plant variety protection (PVP) system will lead to a range of key benefits for the agricultural sector. Most notably, a functioning PVP system will protect the intellectual property rights of plant breeders, thereby encouraging research and innovation in plant breeding. Additionally, it should encourage foreign breeders to introduce their best varieties into the country. This may lead to the development
of improved and better-adapted plant varieties, resulting in improved yields and increased incomes for crop producers.
Iran requested FAO to assist in developing the technical and institutional capacity to implement PVP, in particular, and strengthening the SPCRI, in general, by contributing to the development of an appropriate regulatory framework, in line with international standards and best practices. Consequently, FAO provided SPCRI with a Technical Cooperation Program (TCP) project entitled Strengthening Capacity on Plant
Variety Protection (TCP/IRA/3101) which was implemented from 2007 to 2009.
The objectives of the TCP project were to:
- Establish technical and institutional capacity for PVP by strengthening the technical capacity of SPCRI training experts on PVP
- Strengthen institutional capacity by providing the necessary equipment
- Establish an information system to monitor PVP
- Finalize the regulations of a PVP act
- Strengthen key technical knowledge
- Raise awareness of PVP among key stakeholders
During the project, key stakeholders from the government, universities, the private sector, and agricultural producers were trained and made aware of PVP. Five regional workshops on General aspects
of PVP with emphasis on DUS testing of regional crops were held in five provinces. In addition, a Workshop on Molecular Techniques for Plant Variety Protection was held at the SPCRI headquarters. These training
workshops built the necessary technical knowledge of participants on:
- The concept of plant variety protection
- DUS testing of agricultural and horticultural (vegetables, fruit trees, ornamentals) crops
- Information management for DUS testing
- Management of reference collections
- Use of molecular techniques for DUS testing
- Administration of PVP offices and the management of registration processes
- Enforcement of PVP
Additional activities carried out under the project included a national seminar on the following topics:
- PVP and an introduction to geographical indices
- Industrial design
- Innovation registration
One SPCRI expert was trained in the key aspects of PVP in Germany and the Netherlands. Key equipment was provided to SPCRI and the SPCRI technicians were trained in its use. An information system for DUS testing was designed and set up.
One of the major achievements of the project was the publication of the book: Principles of Plant Variety Protection, the first reference text on the subject in the Persian language, focusing on different aspects of PVP. The book, covering both the technical and legal aspects, will enrich the literature on breeders’ rights in Iran and assist policy makers, researchers, and other stakeholders in the seed sector to become acquainted with PVP. The book has four sections divided into 15 chapters and collaboratively authored by scientists from SPCRI and the national genebank.
Farhad Kheiri, SPCRI, Karaj, Iran. E-mail: farhadkheiri@yahoo.com.
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