Seminar on farmers rights

KOCHI: “There is a need for more clarity on the scope of linkages between the National Biodiversity Authority, Protection of Plant Varieties, and Farmers’ Rights Authority in the realm of ‘access and benefit sharing’,” said Balakrishna Pisupati, Chairman, National Biodiversity Authority.He was inaugurating the two-day national seminar on ‘Farmers’ Rights - Current and Emerging Trends’ organised by the Centre for Law and Agriculture at National University of Advanced Legal Studies (NUALS) in Kalamassery on Monday.He exhorted the legal fraternity to consider the challenges while carrying out any research which invariably applies even to farmers’ rights.He further urged the fraternity to address the critical issues and challenges faced by implementing authorities and to suggest effective solutions for the same.In his keynote address Dr R C Agrawal, Registrar- General, Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Authority, urged the legal fraternity and institutions of legal learning to reach out to the farmers and build their capacity in comprehending the scope of the rights provided by legislation.N K Jayakumar, Vice- Chancellor, NUALS, presided over the function.Jacob Joseph, Honorary Director, Centre for Law and Agriculture, NUALS and Mincy O, Research Assistant, spoke on the occasion.The technical sessions held on Tuesday were followed by the valedictory address by Suman Sahai, chairperson, Gene Campaign