INDIA’S PLANT VARIETY AND FARMERS’ RIGHTS LEGISLATION: POTENTIAL IMPACT ON STAKEHOLDER ACCESS TO GENETIC RESOURCES. By Anitha Ramanna, January 2003. This piece looks at how developing countries may attempt to fulfil demands to extend intellectual property protection for agriculture in their countries and also protect breeders and farmers’ rights. It examines whether or not the distribution of ownership rights to multiple stakeholders could create a threat of an "anticommons" and looks at other potential effects. This exercise is carried out in India.
SEEDS OF CONCERN: THE GENETIC MANIPULATION OF PLANTS. By D A Murray, January 2003. This book addresses the debate concerning implications and applications of gene technology, examining the situation from a plant biologist’s perspective. The author attempts to answer various questions regarding GMOs, from how they are produced to which breeding goals are worth undertaking.
"Equitably Sharing Benefits from the Utilization of Natural Genetic : The Brazilian Interpretation of the Convention on Biological Diversity" by J. Peña-Neira, C. Dieperink and H. Addink in the ELECTRONIC JOURNAL OF COMPARATIVE LAW 6(3), October 2002. This paper examines how Brazil has interpreted and applied the provisions of equitable and fair benefit-sharing laid out in the Convention on Biological Diversity.
Courses
KENNEDY SCHOOL OF GOVERNMENT EXECUTIVE PROGRAM ON SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION POLICY. This program provides high-level leaders from government, academia, industry and civil society with a unique opportunity to learn from each other’s experiences and strengthen their ability to integrate science and technology into national development policy. The program will take place from 30 November - 12 December, at Harvard University. For further information, contact: Kathy Eckroad; tel: (617) 495-1101; fax: 496-4474; email: kathy_eckroad@harvard.edu.
Electronic
MILKING IT: SMALL FARMERS AND INTERNATIONAL TRADE, A GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP RESOURCE. Oxfam. This site includes farmers’ stories, discusses major issues and international organisations involved in the area of small farmers and international trade. It also provides links to other resources.
FORESTS.ORG - IMPROVED FOREST, CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABLILITY WEBSITE. Forests.org, Inc., February 2003. This improved site has more original commentary and increased capacity for web searches.