SCCI Outlines Benefits of Proposed Amendment of Plant Breeders Rights Bill

Seed Control and Certification Institute ((SCCI) says the proposed amendment of the Plant Breeders Rights (PBR) Act of 2007 is aimed at allowing farmers to access a diversity of crop varieties that respond to climate change.

Institute Representative Dr. Richard Chanda said in 1976, African States recognized that Plant Breeders Rights can add value to agricultural productivity and Zambia came up with the new Act which has been running for several years, but the country wants to have it repealed and replaced so that it conforms to international standards.

Speaking to Journalists on the sidelines of an advocacy meeting focusing on diverse and Climate-Resilient Food Systems in Zambia, organized by Civil Society for Poverty Reduction (CSPR), Dr. Chanda noted that the country has had so many seed companies that have been doing breeding of so many varieties but with the current climate change, there is need to go an extra mile, and take advantage of the Plant Breeders Rights.

“The Plant Breeders Rights is being repealed and replaced and we have a Bill that we are consulting with stakeholders and farmers so that they can comment on it.

“Consultations have begun, however, we have noted that in some areas there have been reactions and so on, and what I want to appreciate is the cooperating partners who have realized that for farmers to fully participate in this Act, they need also to be brought on board,” Dr. Chanda said.

He emphasized that the two-day advocacy meeting is aimed at taking the farmers through the proposed Bill, explain its benefits and challenges that need to be addressed, as well as allow farmers to make their submission as consultations continue.

“So that is the purpose of the meeting, to educate the farmers and cooperating partners that there is this Bill that they need to make comments to but before they do that, we need to make them run through, they read it and understand, so their contribution is going to add value to what is already proposed.”

“The request is upon the farmers here that now they have known what the Plant Breeders Right is, and its intention, which is to allow farmers to access a diversity of crop varieties that respond to climate change. The Plant Breeders Rights is able to bring in another extra innovation,” he stated.

Meanwhile, some farmers who were part of the meeting emphasized the need for stakeholders to ensure that information on the Plant Breeders Rights is disseminated to the farming communities in a simplified language to make it easy for them to understand.

Amendments to the Plant Breeders’ Rights (PBR) Act (2007) is aimed aligning it with the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV)1991 standards in order for Zambia to become a member.

The PBR Act is concerned with providing plant breeders with exclusive rights to varieties they develop, whilst limiting others’ use rights to these varieties.