Bridging the Gap Between the Developing and Developed Worlds: An Analysis of International IP Instruments in Agriculture Policy

This paper discusses the present framework of Intellectual Property and looks at how farmer's rights are being protected along with equal importance being given to innovation and development in the area of agriculture. The paper goes on to explain the International Framework for Intellectual Property Rights, by comparatively studying the UPOV convention and the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. While the former is a system that is based on heavy patenting thus decreasing access to seeds, the latter explores the incentive provided to farmers to thrive in a sui generis system of crop cultivation. The paper concludes by attempting to balance farmer's privilege with plant breeder's rights offering the readers contrasting perspectives in the system of international intellectual property rights for agriculture.