The Federation of Seed Industry of India (FSSI) will organise a day-long conference on Friday (September 6) to bring awareness among stakeholders on intellectual property rights and the importance of their enforcement in the seed sector.

“Enforcing intellectual property rights in seeds and biotechnology is crucial for protecting innovation, and attracting investment. This will facilitate technology transfer and ensure quality and safety,” an FSII executive said.

“This approach will create a conducive environment for the growth of the seed sector, helping farmers and consumers,” he said.

Trilochan Mohapatra, Chairperson of the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Authority (PPVFRA, Government of India) and former Director-General of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), will deliver the Chief Guest’s address.

M Raghunandan Rao, Principal Secretary (Department of Agriculture, Telangana); Dinesh Agarwal, Register General of Protection of PPVFRA; and stakeholders from the private sector will address the conference.

Ram Kaundinya, Advisor of FSII, will speak on the role of IPR enforcement in attracting investments in the seed sector. The sessions will cover topics such as ‘Overview of regional and national PVP implementation challenges and opportunities.