Registrar advocates for plant varietal protection

 

The Registrar, Plant Varietal Protection Office ( PVPO), domiciled in the National Agricultural Seeds Council ( NASC) Dr. Folarin Okelola has emphasized why all  breeders must use intellectual property rights to protect their crops innovation against exploitation without appropriate benefits.

Okelola speaking to Food Farm News at the recently concluded  plant breeders conference held in Abuja advised that government must strengthen the protection and commercialization of locally developed crop varieties saying this would encourage plant breeders to put in more effort on innovations towards food security and ensure reduction on imported seeds.

The Registrar encouraged plant breeders to protect their innovations with property rights through their applications from his office, pointed that Nigeria has already had a legal framework to ensure it.

According to Okelola " A better protection right can encourage breeders to pursue better genetics that can contribute to higher food productivity and ultimately stronger food security.