Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Authority

Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Authority Latest News

Recently, the Union Agriculture Minister at the 21st Foundation Day of the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Authority said that the Plant Variety and Farmers’ Rights Protection Authority Act will be amended.

About Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Authority

• It is a statutory body established on 11 November, 2005 under the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Act, 2001.
• It works under the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Government of India.
• Headquarter: New Delhi.

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Objectives of the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Authority

• Grant intellectual property rights to plant breeders for their innovations in developing new plant varieties
• Recognise and reward farmers and communities who conserve traditional varieties and biodiversity
• Promote the protection of farmers’ rights to save, use, sow, resow, exchange, share, and sell farm-saved seed of registered varieties
• Encourage research and innovation in plant breeding and agriculture
• Maintain the National Register of Plant Varieties (NRPV) and ensure the documentation and conservation of valuable germplasm resources

Structure of the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Authority

• The Chairperson is the Chief Executive of the Authority.
• Members: It has 15 members, as notified by the Government of India (GOI).
  • Eight of them are ex-officio members representing various Departments/ Ministries, 
  • Three from SAUs and the State Governments.
  • One representative each for farmers, tribal organization, seed industry and women organizations associated with agricultural activities are nominated by the Central Government.
• The Registrar General is the ex-officio Member Secretary of the Authority.

Functions of the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Authority

• Registration of new plant varieties, essentially derived varieties (EDV), extant varieties;
• Compulsory cataloging facilities for all variety of plants;
• Preservation of plant genetic resources of economic plants and their wild relatives;
• Maintenance of the National Register of Plant Varieties and National Gene Bank

Source: PIB