Smt Droupadi Murmu, the President of India, opened the first ‘Global Symposium on Farmers’ Rights’ (GSFR) at the ICAR Convention Centre in New Delhi. The event celebrated Indian farmers’ contributions to plant diversity under the PPVFR Act, 2001. It also marked the inauguration of ‘Plant Authority Bhawan’ and an online ‘Registration Portal’ for plant varieties. The Union Minister of Agriculture emphasized farmers’ pivotal role in preserving agricultural heritage, while the President underscored India’s diversity and farmers as primary food producers. GSFR aimed to promote Farmers’ Rights under the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources, drawing over 700 delegates from 59 countries, including policymakers, scientists, and farmer representatives.
Facts/Terms for UPSC Prelims
- PPVFR Act, 2001: The Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Act, 2001, is an Indian legislation aimed at safeguarding plant breeders’ rights, promoting agricultural development, and protecting farmers’ rights in relation to plant varieties.
- Plant Authority Bhawan: This is a physical facility inaugurated during the event, likely serving as a central hub for activities related to plant variety protection and farmers’ rights.
- Registration Portal: An online platform introduced to facilitate the registration and management of plant varieties, likely offering tools for breeders, researchers, and farmers to protect their rights and share information.
- International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources: This treaty is an international agreement to ensure the conservation and sustainable use of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture. It highlights the importance of farmers’ rights and equitable benefit-sharing.
- Farmers’ Rights: Refers to the rights granted to farmers under the PPVFR Act, including recognition for conserving plant genetic resources, the ability to save, use, exchange, share, or sell farm produce, and compensation provisions in case of variety non-performance. These rights aim to protect farmers’ interests in plant varieties.
