The key objectives of this paper include:• Conducting an evaluation of the research systems and TRIPS Agreement in developing countries• Establishing the status of intellectual property rights in a sample of countries• Developing a conceptual analysis of challenges for policymakers in implementing IPR• Developing a conceptual framework exploring the issues and challenges to managers of public research organizations, and their options in managing IPR implementation in a public research•Conducting a needs assessment of agricultural research institutes in the implementation of intellectual property rightsConceptual AnalysisThe application of IPRs to agriculture has been for long a crucial issue for policymakers.
This has remained a constant topic of discussion with many current debates on IPR and public research institutes focusing on this main topic. This paper is a presentation of a conceptual analysis of the implementation of IPR in the agricultural field focusing on the emergent issues, persistent challenges and some of the available options for the subjects involved in the entire practice with a deeper look into developing countries. The paper looks deeper into the IPR framework as established by the developing countries at two levels of implementation including the public research institute and national policy level.
At the national level, makers of policy are subject to making decisions considering the objective of development and meeting national goals including the alleviation of poverty, food security, and development as well as advancement in agricultural exports. In coming up with an IPR policy, the policymakers are subject to complying with the global IPR standards as per the establishments in the TRIPS Agreement, while at the same time protecting the interests of local entrepreneurs who are supposedly the farmers.
The decision framework of the policymakers has to involve all sectors of research including the public and private, without forgetting the national sectors and the international ones. The goal in abiding by all this is to ensure that they make the best technologies in agriculture available to local farmers whether they engage the private or the public sector. The policymakers must abide by this and they do not have any point of excuse for not providing protection to innovations or technologies as per the delineations in the TRIPS Agreement.
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