Skip to main content

Anand and Anand was a knowledge partner to IAC 2016, the first International Agrobiodiversity Congress. Attended by 1050 delegates from 57 countries, the Congress is recognized by the Indian and international scientific community as being one of the foremost recent efforts in the subject.

Dr. Neeti Wilson, Partner, Anand and Anand was a panelist in the technical session of the International Agrobiodiversity Congress 2016, discussing Access and Benefit Sharing in the context of regulatory systems. Dignitaries on the dias for the session included Prof. M. S. Swaminathan, the father of green revolution in India along with the Chairperson of the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA), Dr. Meenakumari.

Neeti highlighted the concerns of stakeholders utilizing biological resources in their intellectual property, specifically capacity-building at the NBA. She emphasised the need for timely disposals of applications, drew attention to SALT (Simplicity, Awareness, Legal Certainty and Transparency) being essential in all regulatory proceedings, and the importance of valuation in benefit sharing. Dr. Meenakumari communicated the NBA to be not a regulatory but a facilitating body for stakeholders.

The ABS sessions realised several issues relating to access of the biological resources and made bold recommendations to allow free access to all plant genetic resources and not only to the 64 crops listed in Annex 1 of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture currently in place. A recommendation to the UN to declare a ‘Year of Agrobiodiversity’ was also made.

Read the full proceedings and recommendations of the 1st International Agrobiodiversity Congress.

Read more about the pre-IAC Access and Benefit Sharing Seminar discussing PPVFRA and sustainable growth.

Neeti Wilson talks about the protection of India’s biological resources.

Most Recent

News & Insights

VIEW ALL
News & Updates, Thought Leadership
May 06, 2026

First published by Lexology. Authors: Safir Anand and Rashi Chandhoke In recent years, the intellectual property (IP) ecosystem has undergone a significant

India Waives IP Filing Fees for Sports Sector
News & Updates, Thought Leadership
Apr 30, 2026

‘First published on India Business Law Journal’ By: Pravin Anand and Prachi Agarwal The concept of a family of marks in the context of the Trademark

‘Family of marks’ doctrine in India
News & Updates, Thought Leadership
Mar 18, 2026

First published by Lexology. Authors: Safir Anand and Sehr Anand Intellectual property Design protection Which IP rights are applicable to fashion designs?

Snapshot: intellectual property for fashion goods in India
News & Updates, Thought Leadership
Mar 16, 2026

‘First published on Asia IP’ By: Ritika Ahuja Patents in India are governed by the Patents Act, 1970. A patent is a statutory right granted to the

When does public display become prior art: Anticipation under the Patents Act, 1970