Event Description

Posted Tue, Apr 27, 2021 7:32 AM

Timeframe: Tue, Apr 27, 2021 7:00 PM - Tue, Apr 27, 2021 7:00 PM

Experts review of the Plant Variety Protection Bill, Significance and Constraints

The National Agricultural Seeds Council has signed up as a member of the International Union for the protection of new varieties (UPOV) and the signing into law of the HB68 Plant Variety Protection Bill 2021 is an effort to domesticate the UPOV 91 Act in Nigeria.

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Some African countries like Ethiopia and South Africa signed both the TRIPS agreement and extracted some specific components of the UPOV 91 Act that aligned with their Country Seed framework that allowed for flexibility in the integration of the Informal and the Formal Seed Sector and protection of their farmers' rights and interests in the utilisation of Plant Varieties.

However, some clauses of the HB68 PVP Bill, 2021 does not provide sufficient support for smallholder farmers' right, ethics and fairness in Nigeria as the Explanatory Memorandum states and the Bill is certainly not explicit on the Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) position and definitions and international trade agreements. Hence, it requires further expert review to decode any form of vested interest on GMOs legal domestication in Nigeria.

The objective of the webinar is to: Review of the significance and constraints of PVP Bill by stakeholders exploring the Trade, Provide an evidence-based position and clarity on the interests and rights of smallholder farmers, plant breeders and the GMO status of the Plant Variety Protection Bill and its relationship with the health and safety of the citizenry.

Competitiveness, Environment, Sustainability, Health, Science Agenda, Agriculture and Food Security, Regulatory and Legal components as well as further implications