Plant breeding rights in Ghana to enhance farming and seed industry

The passage of the Plant Breeders Rights Bill is in the interest of farmers and the seed industry as it is for scientists, according to advocates for the bill's passage.

The Ghanaian scientific community is seeking to protect their intellectual property with the passage of the bill, which has been suspended by parliament after several concerns were raised against it by some concerned groups.

The Peasant Farmers Association, for instance, cites poor education and inadequate consultations as reasons for the passage of the bill to be postponed.

But the bill will inject more investments in plant breeding which will be in the interest of farmers and the seed industry, according to Dr. Stephen Amoah, a research scientist in breeding and molecular biology at the Crops Research Institute (CRI) of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).

“If the Plant Breeders Bill is passed, it's going to increase competition; it's going to invite the private sector investments into plant breeding. There is going to be more varieties developed and farmers are going to have options,” he observed. “In the long term, it will help the farmers; the seed industry is going to be enhanced in a way that there will be more funding.”

The bill will allow commercial end-users of research products to pay royalties to the scientists and their institutions.

Opponents however contend the bill in its current form does not represent the interest of the country and passing it into law could negatively affect agricultural productivity.

Dr. Amoah believes more education will dispel the concerns.

“When there is accurate information in the system, it will reduce these concerns and it will also reduce the opposition. But I'm very confident that in the end the bill would be passed,” he said.

The bill would be looked at when Parliament resumes in October.

Story by Kofi Adu Domfeh