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Thursday, August 28, 2014

Training on protection of plant varieties and Farmers’ Right Act

GANGTOK, 27 Aug: Training cum awareness programme on Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Right Act 2001 was held at Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Gyaba, West Sikkim sponsored by the Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India on 23 August.
As per a press release, the programme was chaired by Zilla Panchayat member of Yangthang constituency, Sanmati Subba and was attended by hundred farmers from the different villages of West Sikkim.
The resource person for the programme was Chandan Kapoor [Scientist, Plant breeding, ICAR NEH Sikkim Centre]. He enlightened the farmers about the objectives of PPV&FRA, 2001 which is to establish an effective system for protection of plant varieties, the rights of the farmers and plant breeders and to encourage the development of new varieties of plants while protecting the rights of the farmers in respect of the contributions made at any time in conserving, improving and developing new plant varieties.
He emphasised on the importance of protecting our land races as these are rapidly vanishing from our gene pool. He also spoke about the procedure for registration and the benefit of registering the land races under the individual farmer/farmers community. He mentioned that Sikkim is one of the bio diversity hotspots of India and home to many land races of various crops, thus making it a very potent state.
The technical session was followed by an interactive discussion between the farmers and the scientist. The programme ended with an address by the chief guest where he encouraged the farmers of West district to come forward and also urged the extension functionaries to help the farmers in all ways possible, the release mentions.
Also present were the Additional Director (KVK, Farm & Research) NT Bhutia, Joint Director (NRM West) Phigu Bhutia, Dy. Director Horticulture (West) DM Tamang and ADO Gyalshing DY Bhutia.

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