President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday said India’s Plant Variety Protection and Farmers’ Rights Act (PPVFR) can be replicated around the world to enact similar laws to help combat the challenges of climate change. Inaugurating the first Global Symposium on Farmers Rights in New Delhi, the President said that India had taken the lead in passing the Farmer’s Rights Act as early as 2001 (it came into force in 2005 when it was promulgated), in line with the International. Agreement on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture to protect farmers. Under the PPVFR Act, Indian farmers are granted rights covering the use, recovery, storage, distribution and sale of unbranded seeds of a registered variety. In addition, farmers can register their varieties, which will be protected.
Excellent model
“Such a law can be an excellent model that should be followed as an example for the whole world, adding that its importance will also grow in the face of climate change challenges and also in front of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Murmu said the challenges of climate change weighed on the conservation of traditional farmers’ varieties, which not only have natural tolerance to various ecosystem stresses but also nutritional value. These varieties can provide a solution to the food and health needs of a large population.
Open a web portal
For the four-day symposium from 12 to 15 About 500 delegates, including Indian farmers, are expected to participate in the September meeting, the first since the adoption of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture in 2001. The International Agreement on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture is one of the most important international agreements between member states that deals with the conservation, use and management of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture. They talked about guaranteeing food security through conservation, exchange and sustainable use of the world’s plant genetic resources for food and natural resources, Murmu said. The four-day symposium is jointly organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Secretariat of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture and the Government of India.
The President also inaugurated the Bhawan Plant Board and an online portal for processing registration of plant varieties. He also presented the plant genetic savior award to six farming communities and 20 individual farmers.
