Overview of Developments in the Indian Seed Sector

The Indian seed sector, valued at over ₹35,000 crore, is experiencing significant changes due to three key developments. These aim to transform governance and improve functioning to sustain agricultural productivity and food security.

1. Introduction of a New Seeds Bill

• The central government has released a draft Seeds Bill to replace the Seeds Act of 1966 and the Seeds (Control) Order of 1983.
• The bill proposes a centralized accreditation system for seed licensing, emphasizing traceability and central price control.
• Critics argue that the bill reduces the authority of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (Icar) and state agricultural universities, empowering foreign organizations for seed trials.
• Concerns have been raised regarding farmer rights, compensation, and price regulation, which are not adequately addressed in the bill.

2. Amendments to the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers Rights Authority (PPVFRA)

• The PPVFRA framework protects intellectual property rights for new plant varieties and farmers' rights.
• Proposed amendments include provisional registration of plant varieties while maintaining protection from 'innocent infringement' penalties for farmers.
• The amendments exclude genetic modification or gene editing from the purview of PPVFRA, leaving them under the Ministry of Environment and Forests.
• Critics question the amendments' transparency and the expert committee's composition.

3. Global Negotiations on the Plant Treaty (ITPGRFA)

• Discussions in Lima aim to expand the list of crops under the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA).
• India, a signatory, has notified nine crops and 26,563 accessions for the treaty's multilateral system (MLS).
• India has benefited significantly from the treaty without sharing much germplasm, receiving nearly 990,000 samples, second only to Kenya.
• Critics dispute India's claims of retaining freedom over shared resources and question the lack of data on new varieties developed from MLS accessions.

Implications and Concerns

• These developments are intended to enhance investments in the domestic seed sector and facilitate access to high-quality foreign material for Indian farmers.
• The draft Seeds Bill aims to regulate seed quality and improve availability, but has sparked debates over farmers' entitlements and compensation.
• The amendments to PPVFRA seek to streamline plant variety registration but face criticism for potential impacts on farmers' rights and the legislative process.
• Global treaty negotiations highlight India's strategic position in accessing and sharing plant genetic resources, with implications for national food security.

Overall, these changes in the seed sector aim to modernize and align it with global practices while addressing domestic challenges and rights.