NA standing committee approves plant breeder’s bill

Bill encourages plant breeders, seed organisations to invest in research

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Standing Committee on National Food Security and Research on Tuesday unanimously passed the ‘Plant Breeder’s Rights Bill 2016’ aimed at encouraging the development of new plant varieties. This is being done to protect the rights of breeders of new varieties.

The committee, chaired by MNA Malik Shakir Bashir Awan, approved the plant breeder’s rights bill 2016. The bill would now be presented in the National Assembly. The draft Bill has already been passed by the NA standing committee on cabinet division.

However, some lawmakers expressed serious objection over giving the responsibility of issuance of certificates for GMO variety to the national bio-diversity committee of Ministry of Climate Change.

They believe that the ministry is incapable of handling such a responsibility and may prove disastrous.



Federal Minister for Ministry of National Food Security and Research Sikandar Hayat Khan Bosan said that the bill would ensure breeders rights and help in establishment of a viable seed industry for food security in Pakistan.

He said that once the law is enacted investors will come to Pakistan as it would provide legal cover.

“It will resolve numerous challenges the farmers are facing due to substandard and unverified seeds,” he maintained.

Food ministry’s federal secretary Muhammad Abid Javed said that it would ensure availability of high quality seeds and planting material to the farmers. The objectives of the Bill also includes encouraging plant breeders and seed organisations to invest in research and plant breeding, development of superior varieties of field, vegetables and ornamental crops, facilitate in access to protect foreign varieties and new technologies, he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 10^th, 2016.

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