Patent pains

-- Over the last few years, there has been a growing number of
claims and counterclaims for plant patents.Around
80 per cent of these claims are from industrial corporations
and the rest from non-profitmaking organisation
The current plant patenting system is discriminatory as it
fails to recognise or reward contributions of informal
innovators - the farmers and indigenous people. This form of
patenting will have an adverse impact on
global food security particularly in developing countries.
There are other implications as well. If India, a
biodiversity rich country, wants to commercially develop and
export its plants or their products, it will be
severely restricted by patent claims from corporations.