Participants and resource persons during the PPV&FRA awareness programme held at the ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Nagaland Centre, Medziphema on July 17.
MEDZIPHEMA, JULY 17 (MExN): An awareness programme on Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights was held at the ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Nagaland Centre, Medziphema, on Friday.
The event was jointly organised by ICAR Nagaland Centre in collaboration with the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Authority (PPV&FRA), New Delhi, ICAR said in a release.
The programme witnessed participation from farmers from surrounding villages, agricultural scientists, researchers, and students.
Addressing the gathering as chief guest, Nagaland Agriculture Director Sanouzo Nienu highlighted the role of traditional knowledge in crop improvement and stressed the need for farmers to protect and register their unique plant varieties under the PPV&FR Act. He commended the efforts of ICAR and PPV&FRA in creating awareness in a biodiversity-rich region like Nagaland.
Dr Atul Chandra Sarma, Deputy Registrar, PPV&FRA, Guwahati, elaborated on the authority’s objectives, the process of variety registration, and the legal protection offered to plant breeders and farmers. He urged farmers to actively participate in the conservation and innovation of plant varieties.
Dr Kishore Sarmah, Head of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat, underscored the role of local farmers as custodians of agrobiodiversity and encouraged them to make use of the provisions under the Act.
Around 50 farmers from different villages across Nagaland attended the programme. A major highlight was the distribution of PPV&FRA certificates to selected farmers who had successfully registered their traditional plant varieties, marking recognition of grassroots conservation efforts.
The programme concluded with a vote of thanks by Dr Harendra Verma, scientist, Plant Breeding and Genetics, ICAR Nagaland, expressing gratitude to dignitaries, participants, and collaborating agencies.
The awareness initiative reaffirmed the commitment of ICAR and PPV&FRA to protect farmers’ rights and promote conservation of indigenous plant genetic resources in the region, the release added.
What is PPVFR Act?
The Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights (PPVFR) Act, 2001, is a law enacted by the Government of India with the primary aim of safeguarding the rights of both plant breeders and farmers. It serves two main purposes- protecting intellectual property rights for those who develop new plant varieties and ensuring that farmers’ age-old practices related to seeds and crops are not compromised.
Under the PPVFR Act, plant breeders who develop new, distinct, uniform, and stable plant varieties can register them and claim exclusive rights over their production, sale, marketing, distribution, and import or export.
At the same time, the Act is unique because it explicitly recognises and protects farmers' rights. Farmers are allowed to save, use, sow, re-sow, exchange, share, or sell their farm produce, including seed of a protected variety, as long as it is not sold under a brand name. Farmers can also register their own traditional or farmer-developed varieties under what is called “Farmers’ Varieties.”
The Act is implemented and overseen by the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Authority (PPV&FRA) under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India.
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