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.