B.S. Yeddyurappa, Shivamogga MP, has appealed to Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Authority (PPVFRA) to provide information to farmers in the regional language on the process of submitting applications for registering plant breeds and securing patent certificates over such breeds.
He was speaking after inaugurating the regional centre of PPVFRA at the campus of University of Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences, Shivamogga, on Wednesday.
Lack of knowledge
Mr. Yeddyurappa said that many farmers and tribal communities had no knowlege of the process of securing patent certificates for extant breeds that are part of their agricultural practice and over new breeds developed by them. All information related to the process to lodge complaints with PPVFRA against deceptive trade practices followed by private seed firms should also be provided in regional language, he said.
Mr. Yeddyurappa said the Union government would be apprised on the need to release necessary funds to establish a human resource development centre at the campus of UAHS, Shivamogga, with facilities to provide training for farmers, research scholars; establish a germplasm bank and nursery of horticulture crops and a skill development centre for women farmers.
B.Y. Raghavendra, Shikaripur MLA, R.R. Hanchinal, chairperson of PPVFRA, and C. Vasudevappa, Vice-Chancellor, UAHS, Shivamogga, were present.
